May 21

8 Amazing Benefits of Dry Brushing

We are big believers in tending to your skin properly. It deserves a whole lot of TLC, and we’re not just talking about your face. After all, the skin is the body’s largest organ, so it’s pretty imperative that we nourish it wisely, from what we put on it to the foods we eat.

We all strive for optimal skin health yet we often focus on our face alone. The same goes for products available to us – there is a large variety of purposeful products for our facial skin care, yet our bodies are limited to all-over moisturizers and not so natural exfoliators.

Today we want to share one of our favorite and simplest ways to care for the skin on your body.

Dry brushing – which is just what it sounds like – is a gentle way of cleaning out your pores from head to toe. The benefits of dry body brushing extend beyond your skin’s look and feel. Plus, it’s easy and affordable to get started with.

Benefits of Body Brushing For Cellulite & Circulation

Benefits of dry brushing

Beyond just physical differences in the skin, the benefits of dry skin brushing can be noticed almost immediately. We often feel much better mentally when we have a consistent beauty routine in place, so consider adding dry brushing to your pre-shower ritual.

Pampering yourself and practicing proper self-care can reduce stress, boost confidence and lift your mood right off the bat. Over time, you’ll begin to see some more of the benefits.

  1. Good for exfoliation
  2. Improves the appearance of cellulite
  3. Increases circulation
  4. Improves digestion (who knew?)
  5. Cleans your skin pores
  6. Helps to reduce stretch marks
  7. Naturally boosts energy
  8. Helps with detoxification

8 Amazing Benefits of Dry Brushing

1. Good for exfoliation

Benefits of body brushing

One of the immediate benefits of dry brushing is skin exfoliation. Just one brush will loosen and remove dead skin cells, keeping your skin nice and soft over time.

This is a great natural alternative to harsh ‘exfoliation beads’ found in commercial products which are often made of plastic. And it’s less messy!

2. Dry brushing for cellulite

While the studies on this are relatively inconclusive, experience says it all. Many passionate dry brushing enthusiasts claim to have seen improvements in the appearance of cellulite.

It can help to soften fat deposits (what cellulite is made of) and distribute them more evenly while removing toxins from the body, both decreasing visibility of cellulite.

3. Increased circulation

Many people suffer from poor circulation to some extent, especially if we’re cooped up in an office or spend much of our days sitting. Dry brushing can help your skin breathe and increase blood flow, therefore improving circulation and efficiently eliminating metabolic waste.

4. Improved digestion

We talk a LOT about how we can improve gut health, digestion and inflammation because they are such common issues. Fortunately, there are many solutions beyond diet and dry brushing is one of them.

Massaging the lymph nodes (found all over the body) helps the body shed both water and toxins.

5. Clean pores

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We pay plenty of attention to the pores on our face, often scrutinizing the size of them and trying to make them all but invisible. This is just a small piece of the puzzle as we have pores all over our body!

Dry brushing is a gentle and effective way of keeping clean by removing dirt, oil and residue beyond just our daily shower.

6. Dry brushing stretch marks away

Many women have stretch marks, and like cellulite, it’s nothing to be ashamed of! We have delicate skin, and it’s sensitive to change in our bodies. Dry brushing can help turn dark, visible stretch marks into less noticeable marks with a white shade.

Moreover, dry brushing helps absorption of lotion, so using cocoa butter and the like on stretch marks will be more effective.

7. Natural energy

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Between improved circulation, the invigorating sensation of dry brushing and how good it feels, and the meditative properties of this habit, you can expect a little boost of energy.

Try dry-brushing in the afternoon when you need a pick-me-up.

8. Best natural detox

If your body is working and breathing, you’re constantly detoxing. This is good! The skin is the organ most exposed to the elements which means it takes in the most toxins.

Dry brushing helps skin protect itself and ward off what is less desirable. No juice cleanse necessary!

How to: dry brushing skin

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Photo courtesy of goop.com
  1. Purchase a high quality body brush for dry brushing like this one or this one. Even a great dry brush will hardly run you up a bill, and the investment is worth it regardless.
  2. Start from the ground up. Move from your toes up to your head, but don’t dry brush your face as the skin is too sensitive.
  3. Brush in long, smooth strokes. Brush each section of skin approximately ten times, covering a fairly wide area at a time rather than focusing on a tiny spot.
  4. Brush toward the heartThis encourages proper circulation and drainage of the lymph nodes.
  5. Brush firmly. You should be able to feel it, but it shouldn’t be abrasive or hurt you. Find a balance so it’s effective without injury.

Overall, the dry brushing experience is what you make it. It can last anywhere from 2-20 minutes. The best advice? Enjoy yourself.

Use this as a sacred, mindful moment in your day to focus on the sensations, stress relief, and necessary self-care. Over time, you will reap the benefits!

Are you familiar with dry brushing? If you have any of your own tips, share them below. Otherwise, share this with your friends who are new to dry brushing!


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