Every day we do the same routine, we brush the hair, we brush the teeth… But what about the entire body?
Dry brushing is one of those habits that wellness gurus like Miranda Kerr and Gwyneth Paltrow are addicted to, an easy habit that you might consider incorporating into your routine to level up your body care game. This wellness ritual has gained its weight on popularity lately and isn’t it true that we are elevating self-care to its maximum? Keep reading to find out how to dry brush, its benefits and more.
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What is Dry Brushing?
Dry brushing is a technique that requires gently massaging your dry body in an upward motion with a natural and firm yet dry body brush. This process not just helps with circulation, but also makes your body care products more effective as it sloughs off dead skin.
How to dry brush the body?
It will be more effective if you do it first thing in the morning before you take a shower. Always dry brushing in gentle, circular motions towards the heart and use a dry natural bristle brush with a long handle so you can get to all of your bits. Begin using light pressure and as you continue to brush regularly, you can increase the pressure in relation to the fitness and tone of your skin.
- Omit your face from this activity. Start at the ankles using sweeping motions upward, work your way up to your legs, then arms. Pay attention to your underarms and the inside of your thigh up near your groin, where the lymph nodes are located. These areas can become sluggish and congested so give them a good bit of stimulation to help in ridding your body of unwanted waste.
- Around the stomach area, brush in an anticlockwise direction. Once you’ve reached the top of your body, brush across the shoulders, then down the back. Repeat downward strokes on the torso, then the arms, legs, and feet. After you’ve done it a few times, you’ll get the knack and it will be a must-do before bathing.
- When you’ve finished dry brushing, have a shower alternating between hot and cold. This will stimulate your blood circulation and invigorate the skin, bringing more blood to the surface. After getting out of the shower, gently pat dry and rub a detoxifying oil all over your body and let it sink in for a few minutes prior to dressing.
What are the benefits of dry brushing?
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Some of the benefits of dry brushing are:
- 1. Help improve circulation
- 2. Stimulates your lymphatic system to release toxins
- 3. Improves waste elimination
- 4. Reduces puffiness and cellulite
- 5. Improves muscle tone, sloughs of dull, dead skin cells, and encourages skin cell renewal, leaving your skin ready to receive moisture after bathing.
How Often Can You Dry Brush?
Think of dry brushing as a kind of physical exfoliation. Two-three times a week is all your body needs, also don’t forget to wash your brush after dry brushing as we don’t want dead skin in our brush. Post-dry brushing, all you need to do is jump in the shower and rinse off dead skin cells. Apply a fragrance-free moisturiser – as your skin might be more sensitive than usual – and you are ready to leave the door.
Dry Brushing Essentials
1. Face Halo, BODY Mitt
Face Halo has made dry brushing super easy and affordable to add to any daily routine with their BODY Mitt.
A dual-sided mitt that you can easily slip your hand inside for ultimate control and allows you to buff skin wet or dry with the exfoliator side to remove dry and rough skin whilst stimulating lymphatic flow. Remember to always body brush in strokes leading towards the heart chakra! So up legs and arms towards the chest.
The other side of the BODY Mitt has the HaloTech polisher finish which reaches deep into pores to cleanse, great to use in the shower with or without body wash.
2. GOOP G.TOX Ultimate Dry Brush
The star of this practice is indeed a body brush. Goop brush is essential to massage the skin, deep clean the surface and effectively scrub the body.
Made from pure, natural sisal, this brush exfoliates lightly and sweeps away dead skin to reveal a glowing and soft body. The bristles are quite firm but great for even sensitive skin.
3. CeraVe, Moisturising Cream
Cerave moisturising cream Is an intensive yet gentle moisturiser perfect for applying to your skin after you have finished removing any dead skin cells through dry brushing.
Although your skin may feel slightly sensitive after exfoliation, the moisturising cream will not irritate your skin and instead leave it feeling soft, smooth, and sumptuous. We love that this cream is dermatologically tested, paraben-free, fragrance-free, allergy-tested and non-comedogenic, meaning your skin’s barrier will be safe.
4. Emma Lewisham Illuminating Body Oil
The last step onto mastering the art of dry brushing. A lightweight, non-greasy and fast-absorbing luxurious body oil designed to enhance skin barrier function. We love how it leaves a lasting and glowing lustre on the skin. Rich in macadamia oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, and hyaluronic acid, the illuminating body oil delivers antioxidant protection over eight hours at a cellular skin level.
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