4 Proven Benefits of Dry Brushing & How to Start Today!

This traditional ritual became popular lately, gaining a lot of devoted enthusiasts right now. But what are the real benefits of dry brushing? While opinions diverge — and I have my own experience to share, dry brushing for the skin is rooted in ancient tradition, and it’s worth taking a closer look.

So what is dry brushing, and why should you consider doing it?

Dry brushing is the technique used to exfoliate the dead skin cells and to stimulate the blood flow by using a brush with moderately hard bristles against the skin.

Recently and for a good reason, this practice has become more common. From spas to beauty stores, you can find “dry brushing.” The popularity comes from the list of many potential benefits, ranging from brighter skin to lymph drainage assistance.

Benefits of Dry Brushing

First of all, dry brushing feels excellent, and it’s ridiculously easy to integrate into your own routine. Despite any proven or unproven benefits, it can be a relaxing moment of self-care and feel good about the body you live in.

1. Exfoliation
   Opinions are undivided when it comes to this benefit of dry brushing. Dry brushing is a powerful physical exfoliator, which means that dead skin cells are manually removed from the top layer of skin. Resulting in improving their appearance and making any subsequent topical treatments more efficient.
2. It may stimulate circulation
   Dry exfoliation can give you that youthful glow that we sought after. Generally, skin rubbing will improve blood flow and circulation in the region, whether it’s with a dry brush, any applicator or your hand. Then, the skin looks pinkish, slightly flushed and may give a younger look – but that is temporary.
3. Reduces cellulite
   The claim of reducing cellulite is more like a side-effect. Exfoliating the skin can enhance skin radiance and light reflection, so the skin looks brighter. That’s why many people (and I can say so myself) claim that dry brushing diminished their cellulite, it’s probably this trick of light reflection at work.
4. Boosts Energy
   Dry brushing stimulates sensory nerves, which can be invigorating. For this reason, it’s recommended to incorporate it into your morning routine when you want to be alert.

How to Dry Brush the Skin

The dry brushing method consists of brushing the skin upward towards the heart following a circular or small stokes upward motion. I personally like to dry-brushing in the morning, rather than before bed, because it sets me up for the day by helping to awake my body. I also add some ginger oil drops that also help in lymphatic drainage and have detox and anti-ageing properties.

1. Try to incorporate it into your routine and dedicate a few minutes to brushing every day.
2. Start at the feet and repeat each area of skin 10 times. Short and smooth motions work better than brushing hard, the idea is to get the skin blushed but never red or hurting.
3. On legs and arms, brush in short or long smooth stokes towards the center of the body, from feet to leg and hand to the arm.
4. On armpits, stomach and chest area, brush in a circular clockwise motion.
5. Repeat the process on chests and back (using the long brush) and finish on the face using a more delicate brush.

Real Results

Is dry-brushing worth it? Well, for me, it is for two reasons: cheap and easy exfoliation, and I find it useful to increase blood flow in areas of poor circulation such as feet, tummy, and underarms.

The most impressive benefit is how much it helps my strawberry legs situation. I visibly see the dark spots lighter right after my brushing session, making this practice my go-to when whenever I want to put my legs out.
Here is the instant and more prominent result I get right after brushing each skin section around 3x. Don’t expect the results to lasts forever, though; it comes back with time, but so can you brush it again.

Choosing the right brush

Prefer choosing a brush with natural fibres and avoid synthetic ones as they can be too harsh for your skin. There are specific types of brushes for the body and face. A long brush allows you to get at hard-to-reach spots like the middle of your back; the shorter one perfectly fits your hand, making it incredibly easy to use.

Replace the brush every 6-12 months or as soon as you notice the bristles are worn out. It’s also recommend washing the brush every few weeks to remove dead skin cells.

Q&A

How many times a week should you dry brush your skin?

You know when something is becoming so popular that you can not ignore it when you see something about it more than 3x in the same week. That’s what is happening with Dry Brushing.

You probably already brush your hair and teeth, but have you heard about brushing for skin?

Does dry brushing really help cellulite?

Technically not. The claim of reducing cellulite is more like a side-effect that resulted from exfoliating the skin. A well exfoliated and hydrated skill has a radiance aspect and light reflection that makes the skin looks brighter. A glowy skin plus the effect o rubbing the skin can make cellulite less perceptible. Still, there is no real effect on a deeper skin layer level.

Do I have to shower after dry brushing?

You don’t have to. Showering is a totally optional step that adds to the whole “ritual” of self-care and helps eliminate any detached dead skin. If you don’t want to shower, you can simply use a gentle skin lotion after brushing (with the added benefits of increased absorption) that will account for removing the dead skin cells.