One of the easiest, most effective things you can do for a healthier you.

Dry brushing is a simple ancient practice that stimulates the body’s circulation and lymphatic systems. It takes very little time, ~5 minutes; costs very little, just the cost of the brush or silk gloves, and helps to cleanse the body inside and out. 

The skin is typically brushed toward the heart, starting at the feet and hands and brushing toward the chest & heart, and usually done before showering or oiling the skin. 

Your skin, which is the largest organ in our body, is an organ of elimination, and one-third of our body’s toxins are excreted through the skin. Dry brushing helps to unclog pores, excrete toxins that become trapped in the skin, release static electricity from the skin, thereby supporting lymphatic flow, and is thought to minimize the appearance of cellulite. 

One of the immediate effects of dry brushing is smoother skin, but it can also help improve digestion, kidney function, and more.

The Benefits of Dry Brushing

Lymphatic Support:

The lymphatic system is a major part of the body’s immune system. It is made up of organs and lymph nodes, ducts, and vessels that transport lymph throughout the body. Many of these lymph vessels run just below the skin and brushing the skin regularly can help stimulate the normal lymph flow within the body and help the body detoxify itself naturally.

Exfoliation:

Dry brushing is one of the simplest and most natural ways to exfoliate the skin. This benefit is often noticed the first time dry brushing is done. The process of using a firm, natural bristled brush or raw silk gloves over the skin helps loosen and remove dead skin cells, naturally exfoliating skin. Softer skin can be seen within the first few days and weeks after starting and with regular use will stay soft.

Clean Pores:

The added benefit of exfoliating the skin is clearing oil, dirt, and residue from the pores. Though it isn’t recommended to dry brush the face unless you have a special, more delicate brush or raw silk gloves, dry brushing helps improve pores on the rest of the body.

Cellulite Help:

Though the evidence is anecdotal, there are many accounts of people who state that regular dry brushing greatly helps reduce cellulite. There isn’t much research to back the cellulite claims, but dry brushing feels great and makes skin softer, so there isn’t really any downside to trying it!

Increased Energy and Blood Flow:

It’s recommended to dry brush in the morning vs. evening because it can increase one's energy. Making it part of one's morning routine is ideal.

How To Dry Brush

Purchase raw silk gloves or natural, not synthetic, firm bristle brush with a long handle so can reach all areas of your body.

Note: If using silk gloves, hand-wash or machine-wash on delicate before first use.

The best time to dry brush is first thing in the morning, before you shower.

Stand in a bathtub or on a tiled surface to catch the falling skin.

Begin brushing by starting with the bottoms of your feet and brush up your legs in long, smooth sweeping strokes toward your heart. Brush each section of skin 10 times. For lymph flow, always brush toward the chest/heart area where the lymph system drains.

Repeat the same process with the arms, starting with the palms of the hands and brushing up the arm toward the heart. Again, brush each section of skin 10 times.

Brush the rest of the body, abdomen, and back, several times in each area, overlapping as you go.

Take care as you brush over more sensitive areas, like breasts. Your skin will become less sensitive the more you dry brush.

Note: Don’t brush too hard! A soft and smooth stroke often works best. The skin will be slightly pink after brushing, but should never be red or sting.

If you choose, you can brush the face but you must have a softer brush made specifically for the delicate skin of the face. Silk gloves work fine for the face.

Once you've brushed your entire body, you can either do an Abhyanga or immediately take a shower.

Note: To stimulate blood circulation and to bring more blood to the top layers of skin, you can alternate between the hottest water temperature you can tolerate and the coldest. 

Dry brush your entire body every day for continued results.

Clean your brush with soap and water once a week. Leave it to dry in a clean, sunny spot to avoid any mildew accumulation on your brush. With silk gloves, hand-wash or machine-wash on delicate with mild detergent.

Dry brushing feels amazing and is a wonderful way to practice self-care. Try this for 30 days and see the results for yourself!

***Note***  It is not recommended to dry brush when a person’s skin is on the dry side. If the skin is dry, oil the skin first (Abhyanga) for a period of time to bring suppleness to the skin, and then add dry brushing.