The Benefits of Dry Brushing

Last Modified: September 2, 2021 at 4:13 pm by Tianna | Leave a comment

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Dry brushing is something that’s fairly new to me. I tried it for the first time this summer (last month, to be exact) and have been loving it ever since! Why does dry brushing matter, you ask? Well, it can help amp up the natural glow in your skin, improve hydration, and even help rid your body of toxins. It’s not your average exfoliation and here’s why!

The Benefits of Dry Brushing

  • It can help to get rid of dry and flaky skin.
  • Dry brushing  gently exfoliate your skin AND improve overall circulation.
  • It can help cell turnover and improve the youthfulness of your skin because it helps bring blood flow to your skin.
  • Dry brushing can help your skincare products work more efficiently. Just as exfoliating your face can help your facial skincare products absorb better, dry brushing can do the same for your body lotions and oils.
  • Dry brushing can help rid your body of toxins and fluid buildup which may result in less cellulite, softer and more plump skin, less skin discoloration, more energy and vitality, and less of that “puffy” look in your skin.
  • Dry brushing is a nice form of meditative therapy – Take a few minutes out of your day once or twice a week (depending on your skin type) to gently massage your skin. It feels very calming and can also help give you a little more energy if you happen to do it in the morning or after a hard workout!

How to Dry Brush: 

 First, you’ll want to purchase a dry brush. I am using one from Bodecare, but you can purchase any number of different kinds of dry brushes from numerous places online as well as your local drugstores. I’ve even seen them at Target so that’s an option as well!

Once you have your dry brush, I recommend doing it before showering.

Dry skin flakes off like nobody’s business, especially if you happen to have dry skin or psoriasis issues ( I do ). Start lightly massaging the brush in circular motions from your feet, working upwards towards your heart. Once I reach my abdominals, I stop there and go to my hands, working inwards toward my heart again. Once I finish my shoulders, I work inward from my chest to my heart and then I’m done!

It’s really easy; you don’t have to press hard or anything.

You can linger on any one area as needed, but go gently and take your time. The brush is quite gentle as it is, but I can see it irritating sensitive skin if you press down to hard on your skin or do it too often. Also, it’s worth mentioning that you can dry brush your body and also your face, but it’s up to you. There are different brushes for each area. The most comprehensive brushes I’ve found, again, are from Bodecare because they have ones for the face and ones for the body.

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How Often Should You Dry Brush?

How often you dry brush is up to you. Some people recommend 1-2 times per week while other people recommend as many as 4-5 times per week with a few days rest in between each set of days. Other people say it’s best to dry brush 1-2 times per month. Personally, I think it depends on your skin and skin type. If you have super oily skin or a tendency towards dry or even acne prone body skin, maybe you want to start with 1-2 times per week and work your way up depending on your own needs. If you have more sensitive skin, you might want to limit to 1 time per month. Feel it out and see how you feel because everyone is different.

Dry Brushing Tips 

Start out with 1 time per week and see how you feel.

As I said, some people will feel like they need more to feel the results while others are fine with 1 time a week or even 1 time per month so try it and see how you feel.

Dry brush before showering or bathing.

This will help maximize the exfoliation and also help with absorption of body lotions, oils and balms. Usually, what I do is dry brush and then I apply a body oil or balm before getting in the shower. Then, I wash and bathe as normal in the shower and apply a body lotion or another oil when I finish. You might find that if you apply the oil before showering that you don’t need one after, but this is just what I do. I find that this helps my skin retain more hydration and also serves to help the body oils absorb most efficiently rather than waiting to do it when I’m done showering.

Use A Body Oil or Lotion Afterwards.

You don’t want to use any kind of body product that says it exfoliates skin because you’ve just exfoliated with dry brushing. Using a product that says it has AHA’s, Salicylic Acid, or Retinol will actually cause more harm than good in this case because you’ll be over-exfoliating so leave those products for your non-dry brushing days to avoid irritating your skin. Instead, use a healing, repairing and nourishing oil, lotion or balm to lock in moisture and help cell turnover.

Try Face Dry Brushing!

I know, it sounds totally bizarre and is a little unorthodox, if you will, but it’s surprisingly beneficial. If you’re someone who hasn’t jumped on the bandwagon of using a facial cleansing brush like a clarisonic or you want something cheaper, try this! Facial brushing (gently!) can help increase blood flow to your skin improving cell turnover, get rid of dead skin cells, and even help with fluid build up if you have any fluid retention. On top of that, for older women who deal with sagging skin around the neckline/chin, this might help firm and plump up that area quite a bit!

Have You Tried Dry Brushing?

If Not, Would You?

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