A Step-By-Step Guide To Dry Brushing
If you’ve been following my January Jumpstart series, you will notice I am hitting on the topic of DETOXING. We have Detoxing Water, Detoxing Soup, and even a Detoxing Bath. Is everyone detoxed out yet? But what if I told you there was a wellness trick that took only five minutes a day, improved your health, and cost nothing? Would you do it? Well, guess what? There is …. Dry Brushing! Some of you may be asking, “what is that?” I am here to answer that question and give you ‘A Step-By-Step Guide To Dry Brushing’. It is so simple to do and has a number of health benefits.
So how does it work?
Your skin, the largest organ in your body, is an organ of elimination. One-third of your body’s toxins are excreted through the skin. Through dry brushing, you unclog pores and excrete the toxins that have become trapped in the skin.
To get started, follow these simple steps:
1. Purchase a natural (not synthetic) bristle brush with a long handle so you can reach all areas of the body. I use the Yerba Prima Skin Brush. I prefer using my brush with the handle removed, but this can make it more difficult to reach around to the back. Find what works best for you.
2. Get naked and stand in a bathtub or shower to catch the falling skin. It’s a bit gross, but once you start doing this everyday, you won’t even see the dead skin droppings.
3. Begin brushing by starting at your feet, moving in long sweeping motions towards your heart. Remember, always brush towards your heart.
4. Brush several times in each area, overlapping as you go.
5. Take care as you brush over more sensitive areas. Note that your skin will become less sensitive the more you dry brush.
6. Once you’ve brushed your entire body, jump in the shower. I like to alternate between the hottest water temperature I can tolerate and the coldest. This stimulates blood circualation, bringing more blood to the top layers of the skin.
7. After getting out of the shower, pat your skin dry and apply a body oil (preferably natural). I like L’Occitane Supple Skin Oil and Jason Vitamin E Skin Oil . Both these products smell WONDERFUL! You could also use rose hip, almond, or coconut oil.
8. Continue to dry brush your body every day. Like everything, once you get the routine down, it’s easy-breezy.
Remember to periodically clean your brush with soap and water. Leave it out to dry in a clean, sunny spot to avoid any mildew accumulation on your brush. If you self-tan, your brush will get slightly discolored.
Benefits of dry skin brushing:
1. You’ll exfoliate dead skin. As much as I still love my loofahs and my Tree Hut Detoxifying Mediterranean Salt Scrub, you will not get all the benefits from those products that dry brushing can do.
2. It stimulates your Lymphatic System. Dry brushing your skin will kick start your Lymphatic System, which helps you remove toxins from your body. The stiffer the bristles on the brush, the better the Lymphatic stimulation you’ll create.
3. Dry brushing helps to reduce cellulite. This benefit generally catches people’s eye. Don’t expect miracles, but improvement! Simply put, cellulite is a toxic material that has accumulated, and are trapped in your body’s fat cells. Unfortunately, they are unable to be eliminated from the body. Forget lipo, Ladies! Dry brushing helps to break down any trapped toxins from within the body and also help your body eliminate them through its elimination channels. If you want to see remarkable differences in your skin texture this year, incorporate dry brushing, drinking this Lemon-Ginger Water, add in 3-4 days of resistance training, 4-5 days of cardio, and a CLEAN diet …. TRUST me, you will see results in no time.
4. It unclogs pores and de-congests skin. Dry brushing unclogs your skin’s pores and helps your skin absorb more nutrients. Daily skin brushing promotes healthy, breathing skin. It’s a real TREAT for the largest organ in our bodies.
There you have it, ‘A Step-By-Step Guide to Dry Brushing’. I hope you enjoyed this post and give this wellness trick a try. Let me know what benefits you notice. Since we’re on the topic of exfoliating and showering, you may enjoy taking a peek at What’s in My Shower {Body edition}.
Yerba Prima Skin Brush // L’Occitane Supple Skin Oil // Jason Vitamin E Oil // Tree Hut Detoxifying Mediterranean Salt Scrub
Lucy Ladley - Luscious Fibers
01/08/2016WOW!!!! Thank You Tracy! Dry Brushing is new information for me. It is super to now start incorporating Dry Brushing!
tracyhensel
01/08/2016Your welcome, Lucy. I’ve been doing it for years. I dry brush .. the heck .. out of a few areas (back of the upper legs, bottom area), I truly BELIEVE the texture of my skin has DRAMATICALLY improved, once starting this regime. The texture in those ‘specific’ areas are smoother than they probably were 10 years ago. Crazy as that may sound! Enjoy your weekend! Thanks for all the re-tweets! xo
Gracie Gomez
01/08/2016Thanks for the post. I forget to dry brush and know how great it feels after you get used to it. Plus, the benefits are amazing. I always wondered if I should wash my brush and will wash it asap! It probably has dead skin on it from longer than I would like to admit! 🙊
tracyhensel
01/08/2016Glad you enjoyed the post, Gracie. I am not the best at washing my brush, either …. kind of like my makeup brushes. A lot of discoloring from self-tanning. Yes, you are right, a lot of benefits to dry brushing. I like the reduction in cellulite, personally!! It’s always nice to see the visual benefits, too. Thanks for your comment.
Edna Cabral
01/08/2016I love this post thank you for sharing with us. Definitely something I need to add to my regimen. Another blog post I would love to read about from you is “self tanning” I feel like you always have a good tan. If you can share with us good affordable products that would be much appreciated. Thank again!
tracyhensel
01/08/2016Thanks Edna! I am glad you enjoyed it! I already have ‘notes’ on self-tanning written from last year. I am planning on doing that post more spring-time, when most people take up that regime. I pick up the self-tanning a lot, come April-May. I back off during the winter, but still do it. Also, I use drugstore products for the majority of it, because I do so much during those spring-to-summer months … I couldn’t afford not to. We will get more into it during that post. Thanks again for your comment.
Gretchen
04/09/2016Just added this to my Amazon Wish List! I have been wanting to try Dry Brushing!
http://gretchcannon.blogspot.com/
tracyhensel
04/13/2016I believe the Dry Brushing makes a difference. Looking forward to hearing your thought!
Sheri
03/09/2017Curious, after dry brushing and you get in the shower….are you ‘showering’?? Cleaning your body, face, if day 5 lol, washing your hair…? And how long do you run the hot/cold on your self?? Thanks Tracy! 😉
tracyhensel
03/13/2017Sheri, yes I am showering right after dry-brushing. I shower everyday. I generally shower early, after my workout. Once in while on an ‘OFF Workout” day, I may skip showering. If that is the case, I will also skip dry brushing. Great question! xx
Sheri
03/13/2017👊🏼 thanks girl! 🤗
Mary Ellen Welch
09/08/2017Tracy, I am so excited about dry brushing. I have the brush and the oil I will need. Starting tomorrow!
tracyhensel
09/11/2017Hi Mary Ellen! I hope the Dry Brushing is going well!!
Lily
04/07/2019Hi Tracy! I am excited to start dry brushing. I have a question in regards to self tanner. Do you brush away most of your tan after dry brushing?