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Dry Brushing: What's All the Hype About?

jessnwahl

Here are some tips and tricks for dry brushing!

Using dry brush on leg

Ok I don't know about you, but I keep seeing all the wellness gurus using dry brushes! So let's see what the hype is all about.


First, what are its benefits? Well, there are many supposed benefits with dry-brushing. I think the most obvious benefit is that it gently exfoliates the skin. It seems controversial to exfoliate without some type of water added in, but dry brushing actually seems to exfoliate BETTER than some type of exfoliant you use in the shower. Another benefit is that it increases circulation and energy. This is very similar to the effects of lymphatic massage, where the thought is that when you move in a pattern on your skin, the blood below the skin follows. Some other benefits include lymphatic drainage, assists in digestion, detoxes the body, and supposedly improves the appearance of cellulite.

holding dry brush

My personal opinion is that dry brushing is definitely worth your time for exfoliation and circulation purposes. I am a bit of a skeptic on the other benefits, but you be your own judge!


A couple other things that I like to do and I recommend: (1) I like to do my dry brushing in the morning. This is primarily because I think this (along with a cold shower) really invigorates the body. (2) I also like to use a small bit of body oil. I don't like the feeling of putting the dry brush directly on my dry skin. So I take a bit of the Osea Undaria Body Oil and apply it directly to the brush, then use the dry brush. It is also important to note that when you are using any oil, shower first, then do the dry brushing with the body oil (if you are not using any oil, do the dry brushing first and then shower.)


Step 1 - Prepare your body and your brush for the dry brushing.


The first step is to decide how you want to dry brush. I will explain both methods and ways here:


Option 1: One option is to dry brush before you shower. In the morning after you wake up, take your dry brush and apply medium pressure to your dry skin (method of brushing described in step 2). After you have finished your dry brushing, shower as normal and moisturize afterwards.


Option 2: The second option (and the option I prefer) is to dry brush after you shower. After you complete your (preferably cold) shower, dry off with a towel. Apply your favorite body oil to the dry brush and complete your dry brushing. Rub in any remaining body oil. For an added bonus, I like to follow this up with some lymphatic drainage massage.


Step 2 - Dry brush towards your heart.


I like to perform my dry brushing in the following order: (1) legs, (2) arms, (3) chest, (4) stomach.


When dry brushing your legs, apply medium pressure, starting at your ankles. Brush upwards towards your knee until you have covered the entire area of your lower leg at least 3 times. Then move upward to the area from your knee to your hip. Again, brush upward and repeat until that area of your leg has been completed at least three times.


Next, move to your arms. In a similar pattern, start by brushing upward from your wrist to your elbow until the lower arm area is completed covered at least 3 times. Then repeat on the area from your elbow to your shoulder.


For your chest area, I like to brush towards my heart. The reason for this is that any excess draining or impurities will be purified through your heart. Be gentle in this area.


For your stomach area, take your dry brush and brush in a clockwise direction approximately 7 times.


"What I find really works for me is dry brushing; it helps improve the circulation and exfoliates your skin." – Miranda Kerr


Start Small!


If you are new to dry brushing, invest in a relatively cheap dry brush and start slow. Implement this a couple times per week and make sure to drink lots of water afterwards. Read this post for lymphatic drainage!

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