If you’ve ever bought an at-home spa set and found in it a body brush you did not know how to use or were ever puzzled by the image of a girl happily brushing her legs or arms, it’s time you found out more about dry brushing!
Why dry brushing skin is on every spa menu and here to stay
Dry brushing is highly praised by spa centers, beauty gurus and women practicing it at home alike. It is an easy to do and inexpensive procedure, which seems to have good results on a wide range of skin problems, from clogged pores to dull skin and even cellulite. It is also part of many detox programs, which can recommend up to two sessions of dry brushing per day. Being really easy to incorporate into the daily routine, dry brushing has become part of the morning ritual for many women around the world.
How to dry brush and how often should you dry brush?
Because it has an energy-boost effect, most women prefer to dry brush in the morning, usually before showering. It is extremely important to find a good brush, with natural fibres, firm enough to exfoliate your skin, but soft enough not to scratch or damage it. You don’t have to feel any discomfort while dry brushing, so if you do, try to find a brush that is more suited for your skin type. You might want to go for a set of brushes of different size and firmness, suited for different areas of the body. Also, choose a brush that has a long handle, so that you can easily reach all parts of your body.
Once you’ve found the perfect brush for you, start dry brushing following this steps:
- Get into the shower or bathtub. Although it might see uncomfortable or strange, it is best as you do not want to have dead skin all over your bathroom floor.
- Start from your feet and go upwards with ample strokes, keeping in mind that you need to brush each zone at least 5 times. Always brush towards the heart and be gentle!
- Continue on all your body. On your belly and face you can go in a circular motion.
- After you are done, your might feel some stings and your skin might look pinkish. Don’t worry, it is perfectly normal! Shower as usual.
- After showering, make sure you apply some hydrating oil or body lotion all over your body. For your face use a hydrating and regenerating cream.
If you choose to dry brush after showering, drip some natural essential oil of your choosing. For example, use Peppermint, Lemon, Rosemary or Basil oil if you’re feeling tired and want to reenergize, choose Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Rose or Geranium for anxiety and stress relief or calm a headache and relieve congestion while pampering your skin with a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil. If needed, use a carrier oil to dilute it and then carefully pour it all over the brush. Keep in mind that many essential oils come with great benefits for the health and look of your skin.
Does dry brushing really work? Benefits of dry brushing
Considering all the benefits associated with this procedure, it is not surprising that it has become to be so acclaimed. Whether you simply want to improve the way your skin looks and feels or you are dealing with more profound skin issues - such as cellulitis, there seem to be a compelling reason for everyone to try it.
Exfoliation
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, your body gets rid of 30,000 to 40,000 old skin cells every day and the top 18 to 23 layers of our skin are made of dead cells. New skin cells form at the bottom of the epidermis, and when they move to the top of the epidermis, they flake off. This constant shading may influence the aspect of your skin.
Done properly, dry brushing gently removes dead skin and other impurities, unveiling the soft, healthy looking layers of skin from underneath. The skin feels and looks better and it is ready for the next steps in your pampering ritual.
Preparing your skin for receiving the benefits of the beauty products
Exfoliation is a great way to prepare your skin for your favorite care and beauty products. The active ingredients penetrate the skin more easily and you might notice that your skin feels more hydrated than ever. Now is the moment to go for natural products – when your skin is ready to receive all the goodness in them.
Natural detoxification
Dry brushing works in two major ways for detoxification: 1. it moves the lymph fluid throughout the body to the lymph nodes and 2. it boosts circulation and helps organs function properly by delivering oxygenated blood to them. The lymphatic system consists of lymphatic vessels, similar to the system of capillaries, which connect to hundreds of lymph nodes located all over the body. Inside the lymph nodes the lymph is filtered and the cells that fight infection and disease are produced and stored. The proper functioning of the lymphatic system is therefore extremely important in preventing the build-up of waste and toxins and preventing inflammation, infections and diseases.
Weighing in approximately 20 pounds, and with an area of about 20 square feet (for a regular sized adult), the skin is considered to be the largest external organ of the human body. Keeping it clean and free of toxins is important for the health of the entire organism. During the process of dry brushing, the skin is thoroughly cleansed.
Deep pore cleansing
Through exfoliation the pores are being unclogged and if you use natural essential oils, these can further help clean the pores by dissolving and removing the oxidized sebum and the impurities. One more reason to choose to do the dry brushing before showering.
Cellulite reducer
You probably have heard many specialists saying that there is no real remedy for cellulite. There is a consensus, though, on the fact that the appearance of the skin may significantly improve on how the cellulite is perceived. So, can dry brushing help you lose weight? Well, no, but dry brushing helps improve the texture of your skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite and also stimulates the circulation. That means that any anti-cellulite cream you apply immediately after will better penetrate the skin and should be more effective. In addition, eliminating the toxins from the body is believed to prevent the cellulitis, while the minor swelling of the skin could reduce the visibility of the fat lumps.
Radiant, healthy looking skin
Dry brushing stimulates the circulation in the capillaries, helps remove dead skin and impurities and cleans the pores. All this contribute to significantly changing the way your skin looks – it is revitalized and it looks more radiant and healthy.
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