We all know the benefits of brushing our teeth, hair and now, even our brows, so why should your skin miss out on all the fun? For a long, loofahs have been a girl’s best friend in the shower as they help clean the skin and eliminate germs and dirt, but now there’s a skincare trend that’s making a comeback. We’re referring to dry brushing. Dry brushing has been around for years but lately, it has taken over the world of beauty. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Miranda Kerr, and even B-town diva Malaika Arora swear by this routine.
Dry brushing is a technique used to rid the skin of all the grime and dead skin cells, leaving it radiant, smooth and supple. Now, who wouldn’t want that? Keep on reading to find out all the must-know details about this old-new skincare trend.
What Is Dry Brushing?
Dry brushing is exactly what the name suggests–brushing your skin with a soft-fiber brush. While many people have been using the brush directly on their skin, it’s beneficial to use a bit of body oil to protect the top layer of the epidermis and reduce redness.
When picking out your brush, opt for a soft bristle brush which won’t be too harsh on your skin. Even during the brushing process, you need to remember to be very gentle because you don’t want to cause irritation or inflammation.
Unlike using your loofah on wet skin, brushing the skin when it’s dry improves the blood flow and encourages lymph drainage, without getting rid of the skin’s natural oils. We’ve rounded up a few more benefits that will make you want to buy a body brush ASAP.
Improves Blood Flow
A good body massage does more than just putting you in a trance. It boosts blood circulation, which helps carry nutrients to all parts of the body, leaving you relaxed and in a good mood. In the same way, dry brushing gets the blood flowing, which in turn delivers oxygen and nutrients to your cells while getting rid of toxins inside the body. If you’re missing your monthly massage appointments, you can give dry brushing a try to keep your body and skin happy. After all, a proper flow of blood within the body is important to avoid swelling, cellulite, and varicose veins.
It Exfoliates Your Skin
To avoid various skin issues like blackheads and acne, you exfoliate your face once a week to eliminate the accumulation of dead skin cells. Well, your face isn’t the only part of your body that produces dead skin. The skin is the largest organ of the human body and frequently produces new skin cells and sheds the old ones. These skin cells form at the bottom of the epidermis and eventually move up to the surface where they degrade. This not only happens to the skin on your face but to the skin on the rest of your body as well. Dry brushing sloughs off dead skin cells that made it to the surface and keeps the pores unclogged, leaving you with softer skin. Eliminating dead skin also helps your skincare products penetrate deeper into the layers of the epidermis.
Rejuvenates The Nervous System
Dry brushing rejuvenates the nervous system by stimulating the different nerve endings in the skin, which in turn improves your overall well-being.
Improves Skin Complexion
Accumulation of dirt, oil, dead skin cells and other impurities can leave your skin looking dull. Dry brushing removes these impurities, improves blood circulation and stimulates the nervous system to give you a glowing complexion.
How To Use A Dry Brush On Your Body
While brushing your hair, you’ll always start from the roots and go down to the tips and we’re sure you probably have a specific technique for brushing your teeth as well. The same rule applies to dry brushing. There is a particular way to brush your skin if you want to reap its full benefits and we’re going to show you exactly how it’s done.
Skin brushing is all about following your lymph flow which leads to the heart. Start from your feet and gently move upwards in circular motions. Begin by brushing up from the front of your ankles and go all the way to your thighs and then to your lower back. Do the same on the backside of your leg as well. Brush it three times before moving on to the other leg and once you’re done, move up towards your stomach and brush in circular motions.
Next, start brushing your arms. Keep one arm over your head and gently brush it, starting from your wrist. Move downwards and brush along the inner arm, go over the underarm and proceed to the outer breast. Do the same on the back of your arm and slowly shift towards your shoulders, neck and chest. Once you reach your chest, gently brush down towards the heart. Avoid areas where your skin is too sensitive, bruised or sunburnt as it can cause further damage.
Tips To Keep In Mind While Dry Brushing
You are just a few steps away from soft and supple skin. Follow these tips to make the process better and easier. You’re welcome!
Use Essential Oils
Even though the technique is known as dry brushing, it doesn’t mean your skin or brush has to be completely parched. If you want to avoid skin reddening or inflammation, use a bit of essential oil during this routine. Add the essential oil to the palm of your hand and glide the brush bristles over it. Once the bristles are coated with the oil, you can go ahead and begin the brushing process. Opt for essential oils that have skincare-benefits like anti-ageing and cellulite-fighting properties.
Wash Your Brush Often
Just like your makeup brushes, your body brush needs a good cleanse as well. If you use it regularly, wash the brush at least once a week with soap and warm water to get rid of the buildup of dirt, oils and bacteria on the bristles. Spritz a bit of the WIPEOUT Sanitizing Spray on the bristles before letting it air dry to disinfect it as well. This will not only eliminate any lingering bacteria but also keeps germs away.
The Longer, The Better
Your body massage doesn’t get over in a minute so neither should dry brushing. If you really want to enjoy all the benefits this skin trend has to offer, then take your time while brushing each and every part of your body.
So, when are you giving this skincare trend a try?
Feature Image: Pexels
