What is Dry Skin Brushing?
Dry brushing is the act of brushing your skin with a natural bristle brush.
Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing?
Given that dry skin brushing increases circulation, exfoliates your skin, helps clean out your lymph glands, it can be a stress reliever, helps improve digestion, helps improve kidney function and, some say, even decreases cellulite, dry skin brushing is a healthy ritual you should definitely try adding to your daily routine! Plus it is easy!
1. Stimulate Your Lymphatic System
In your body, your lymphatic system is the system responsible for eliminating cellular waste products. Hundreds of miles of lymphatic tubules allow waste to be collected from your tissues and transported to your blood for elimination, a process referred to as lymphatic drainage.
When your lymphatic system is not working properly, waste and toxins can build up and make you sick. Lymphatic congestion is a major factor leading to inflammation and disease. By stimulating your lymphatic system and helping it release toxins, dry skin brushing is a powerful detoxification aid.\
2. Exfoliation
Dry skin brushing removes dead dry skin, improving appearance, clearing your clogged pores, and allowing your skin to “breathe.”
3. Increase Circulation
When you dry brush your skin, it increases circulation to your skin, which encourages the elimination of metabolic waste.
4. Reduce Cellulite
Dry skin brushing may help to soften hard fat deposits below the skin while distributing fat deposits more evenly. This may help to diminish the appearance of cellulite.
Dry brushing is also said to help reduce cellulite by removing toxins that may break down connective tissue, although some believe the effect is temporary (and mostly a result of skin become more plump and swollen after brushing).
5. Stress Relief
The act of dry brushing has been described as meditative (especially if you do it in a quiet space) and may reduce muscle tension, calm your mind, and relieve stress. Many compare it to a light whole-body massage.
6. Improve Digestion and Kidney Function
Dry skin brushing may go even deeper, helping to support your digestion and organ function. According to one skin care and spa expert:
“…many naturopathic doctors use dry brushing to help with bloating because massaging the lymph nodes helps the body shed excess water and toxins. One of the immediate effects of dry brushing is smoother skin, but it can also help improve digestion, kidney function, and more.”
7. It’s Invigorating
Many people become “addicted” to dry skin brushing (in a good way) because it simply feels so good. Along with glowing and tighter skin, regular dry skin brushers report feeling invigorated after a quick session.
What You’ll Need
Time: About 10-15 minutes a day, preferably in the morning, always before a shower! Materials: All you need to dry brushing is a natural bristle brush. Don’t worry, they are softer than they seem because they are made expressly for this purpose. We have several different kinds in the store 🙂 Go to our Vitamins Department to check them out.
To do it: Start at your head or your toes and, armed with your dry brush, start brushing your completely dry skin TOWARD your heart. I like to start at the feet. Some suggest circular motion on the feet, soles and all. Brush in upward strokes on each leg, first from feet to knees, then knees to thighs. Do circles on your butt , stomach and breasts and long strokes on the rest of your torso toward your heart. Go up your arms in strokes from your hands toward your heart. Brush in strokes from the nape of your neck down your spine (a long-handled brush helps for his one!). You can skip your face and neck if you want, and recommend avoiding any irritated, sunburned or otherwise sensitive skin.