How To: The Secrets of Dry Body Brushing
As far as morning routines go, dry brushing is one that I love to incorporate about 3 times a week. It’s incredibly easy to fit into your morning routine, taking only 3-5 minutes each time, and because of its energising effects, it is a great way to boost your morning mood. Although I’ve heard a lot of people like to dry brush before they shower, my personal preference is to dry brush after my morning shower when I’m freshly clean, so that the oils I use alongside it can soak into my skin.
The Method
First off, it’s time to purchase a dry brush. My favourites are the long-handled ones as they give you easy access to all those hard-to-reach places on your body. Of course, make sure it’s vegan!
Start at your feet. Brush your soles and then use long strokes to brush upwards from your feet. You want to make sure that you brush towards your heart. This is a good rule to use in general – brush towards the centre of your body. This assists lymph flow and helps aid circulation. Using smooth strokes, work your way up your body. I tend to brush each area about 5 times.
Repeat the same process with your arms, starting at your palms then brushing upwards towards your heart. Pay special attention to your underarms, neck and groin area. These are sensitive areas but are ones where toxins tend to accumulate.
Dedicate 3-5 minutes to this practice several times a week. It’s such a small amount of time, but leaves you feeling tingly fresh. Just a reminder – don’t brush too hard. Your skin may tingle but it definitely shouldn’t hurt. I always like to use grapefruit essential oil on areas that are more prone to cellulite and fat storage. Grapefruit oil is packed full of anti-inflammatory enzymes, and also works to mobilise fat stores.
The Benefits
Dry brushing is an effective exfoliator
Dry brushing is a highly effective way to buff your skin. It is a manual method of exfoliation, working to loosen and remove the dead cells from the top layer of your skin.
Dry brushing stimulates your lymph system
Dry brushing is a great way to help drain your lymph system. Every day we are exposed to toxins which are then commonly stored in our lymph; many of these lymph vessels run just below the skin. Regular dry brushing helps stimulate the normal lymph flow within the body and helps detoxify your body naturally.
Dry brushing improves circulation
Detoxifying the lymph system and boosting circulation are key benefits of dry brushing. Blood circulation is a vital function of the body, supplying oxygen to the brain and other organs. As well as this, regular dry brushing rejuvenates the nerve endings of your skin, making the body more alert and responsive to stimuli, such as touch.
Dry brushing boosts energy
Dry brushing has an incredible tendency to boost energy. This is why I love to do it in the morning after I wake up and shower. One theory is that because it functions to increase circulation, it also boosts energy. Either way, it works for me!
Dry brushing is a form of dedicated self-care
Taking a moment to dry brush offers you a few precious moments of dedicated self-care. It allows you to prioritise several minutes that you can then spend purely focussing on yourself, whilst doing something that makes you look and feel divine!