5 Amazing Benefits to Dry Brushing for Skin

I absolutely love when I learn health + wellness tips from other people; especially when that person is my mom. She introduced me to dry brushing 9 years ago and I immediately had to know what it was all about. I’m really into researching health and wellness topics and of course had to watch a few YouTube videos in order to understand just what dry brushing was all about. I was still living in Alaska at the time and stopped by one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall natural food stores called “Anna’s Health Foods” to pick up a brush, like this one. I’ve been dry brushing ever since; although, sometimes I am much more consistent and better about doing it than others. Here are 5 reasons why you should go pick yourself up a body brush and start dry brushing on a weekly basis:

Reduces Cellulite:

Dry brushing your skin a few times a week can help to reduce cellulite. It tones and firms the skin in areas where cellulite tends to be more prominent; on the backs of thighs and butt. The appearance of cellulite is simply toxins that have accumulated in your bodies fat cells and haven’t been eliminated. Dry brushing helps to release these toxins into the bloodstream so that your body is able to get rid of the toxic waste.

Increases Blood Circulation:

Of course brushing your skin will bring blood to the surface, therefore increasing blood circulation. This is especially good for those of us who have bad circulation. Good blood flow/circulation is important for overall health and wellbeing and is especially important to bring oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body. Plus, good blood circulation will give your skin good color and will promote that healthy, natural glow.

Exfoliating and Helps to Remove Dead Skin:

Dry brushing is very exfoliating for the skin. I think it’s common for most of us to tend to take really good care of our faces and to forget about the skin on the rest of our body. I love to dry brush before I take a shower so that I can wash off any dead skin and then moisturize like crazy after! My skin always feels so much more smooth and soft when I am consistently dry brushing. I’ve also noticed that I don’t get as many ingrown hairs or bumps from shaving my legs when I dry brush on a regular basis.

Improves lymphatic drainage:

This part goes back to increasing circulation in the body. When blood is flowing, it gets the lymphatic system draining as well. Lymph is the fluid that carries white blood cells and flows through the lymphatic system. Lymph also contains lymphocytes which are the cells that attack bacteria in the blood. When this fluid is able to move around and circulate properly, our bodies are better able to detox and defend themselves from bacteria/viruses.

Now, you might be wondering how you dry brush in the first place. First, you need to buy a brush like this one to get you started. After you have a good brush, the process is very quick and simple. I always start at my feet and make my way up my body. Start by using small, medium pressure, short strokes and always brush towards your heart. I brush the bottoms of my feet a couple times and then the tops of my feet; again, making sure you are moving towards the heart. Next use small strokes up the fronts and backs of your legs and make your way up to your stomach and back. You can do a circular, clock wise motion on your stomach and back. Of course your back is going to be a little bit harder to reach unless your brush has a long handle on it, so you can do small, short strokes instead of a circular motion if you need to. Make sure to brush your armpits in a circular, clock wise motion as well and then do small strokes from you hands, all the way up your arms until you reach your shoulders. I always finish by doing small strokes from my shoulders and neck down towards my heart.

Make sure to drink plenty of water after dry brushing because it is stirring up toxins in your body and you want to make sure your body has enough fluids to help detox and flush out the toxins. I find that dry brushing gives me energy so I recommend doing it in the morning or mid day instead of at night just so that it doesn’t interfere with your sleep. You don’t have to shower right after, but it’s a practice that I always do, followed by this coconut oil moisturizer that I absolutely love. The whole process makes me feel so refreshed and glowy. I hope you try it too!

With love,

Ashley