In the last few weeks I have started dry body brushing. I have really loved the results so I thought I would make a post about it. I purchased a brush from target that I love (this is not a picture of the actual brush, but it looks similar to this). The brush head detaches from the handle to make it easier to hold.
My routine consists of dry body brushing everyday before I shower. I have read that it is best to do this in the morning because it can stimulate your system, but I prefer to shower at night for other reasons, so I do it at night. I also read that you should follow it with some form of hydrotherapy (a bath or shower), which is why I do it before my shower. It also makes it easier in my opinion because you can just step in the shower before turning the water on and then start your shower when you're done.
Dry body brushing is good for your skin because it helps to exfoliate the top layer, increase blood circulation to the skin and help the body to more efficiently release toxins. It is also said to be good for your lymph system. The action supposedly helps to keep your lymph fluid moving up towards your heart. For this reason, dry body brushing is done by brushing upwards from your feet to your heart and downwards from your neck to your heart. I brush up my legs first (starting at the bottom of my feet) and then brush my stomach in a circular motion. I then move on to my lower back using an upward motion. My arms are next starting at the hands moving up towards the shoulder paying special attention to the underarms because of the concentration of lymph nodes there. I finish off by brushing downwards on my upper back and very lightly on my chest (not the breasts). This can be skipped if you have especially sensitive skin, but it you want to do it make sure to use an extremely light touch. For the rest of your body you should use firm, but not painful pressure. It is generally recommended to start out lighter and gradually increase the pressure the more you do it. If your skin is sensitive you can buy a brush with less stiff bristles to start out. This whole routine only takes minutes to do once you get the hang of it.
I feel like my skin is glowing because of this routine. And I definitely have less dry skin and in turn softer skin in general. I was worried how this would work with my self tanner routine as I like to apply self tanner on a regular basis (I have incredibly pale skin and like to have a glow year round). I feel that it has actually helped. It does result in slightly less tan skin because of the daily exfoliation, but I'm not going for "tan" really, just a healthy glow. What it helps with is streaking. I haven't had a streak since I started doing this and don't have to worry about my application quite as much because of it. Anyways, I hope this post has been helpful and that you might consider trying dry body brushing.
Until next time... Meagan
