Dry brushing simply means rubbing your skin with a brush, with a large handle for easy grip and reach. Some people use it as part of their skin routine to try to restore firmness, get rid of dry skin flaking, and encourage blood flow to certain areas of the body.
Dry brushing helps detoxify your skin by increasing blood circulation, promoting lymph flow/drainage, helps plump the skin, boosts immunity & reduces cellulite. It also helps to unclog pores making it easier for the body to sweat and eliminate toxins in your system.
While hot water can strip away your skin’s natural oils, leading to redness and itchiness, brushing your skin while it is dry allows you to exfoliate without robbing it of moisture.
Dry brushes come with either synthetic or natural bristles. Synthetic is usually less expensive but can be rough on the skin. Most brushes available are hand held but one’s with long handles can be good for reaching all areas of the back. Best yet, getting a brush with detachable long handle, gives you the best of both worlds.
Do’s & don’ts of dry brushing
-Make sure your skin is completely dry
-Always brush towards the heart, starting from your ankles, working your way up your body
-Use gentle but firm pressure
-You can dry brush anytime of the day, best time, though, is before a shower or bath. And most important, MOISTURISER AFTER, to lock in all your hard work
-Brushing can be done 3-4 times a week, but if you have sensitive skin, only do 1-2 times a week
-Do not brush to hard or too often. While the skin become red due to brushing, it should not feel irritated or uncomfortable
–NEVER! dry brush over eczema, psoriasis, rashes, wounds, sunburn, or irritations. If you have very sensitive skin, you may want to skip dry brushing altogether.
-Even without these conditions, should you experience any skin irritation after dry brushing you should cut back on the frequency or stop dry brushing altogether.