Dry Brushing

I discovered dry brushing a few years ago and fell in love with it! I started using the technique to improve my skin and smooth out those little dimples on the back of my thighs. It wasn’t until a little while later that I discovered dry brushing also stimulated detoxification. In fact, it is one of the most inexpensive ways to support your body’s detoxification processes, while achieving vibrant glowing skin. With all of the hype in the health & beauty industry, I bet you wish you would have known this sooner!!

Your Lymphatic System – Your Health and Beauty River

The Lymphatic System is part of the Immune System. It is composed of a one-way system of vessels that carry lymph toward the heart. Its main function is to collect and transport tissue fluids from the intercellular spaces in the tissues of the body, back to the veins in the blood system. Other important functions involve removing your body’s own dead cellular debris, creating lymphocytes (white blood cells), and filtering micro-organisms (such as bacteria) and other toxins. The lymphatic system does not have a pump and relies on movement for circulation.

Dry brushing stimulates both lymphatic and blood circulations simultaneously. And since there is more lymph in your body than blood, assisting to keep your lymph river moving everyday is vitally important to your health and GLOWING SKIN.

Beautiful Skin

The skin is the largest eliminative organ and is responsible for approximately 25% of the body’s daily detoxification. Mostly through the sweat glands, the skin is designed to eliminate 1-2 pounds of waste acids each day. Yet, if you are not moving, sweating and breathing (deeply) everyday, your skin cannot adequately detoxify to its potential. Dry brushing helps to accelerate your skin’s detoxification process, remove dead skin cells and stimulate oil producing glands.

What Dry Brushing Can Do For You:

• Assist with whole body detoxification (when used daily)

• Stimulate blood circulation

• Stimulate lymphatic circulation

• Strengthen and tighten the skin

• Stimulate oil producing glands

• Improve dry skin

• Eliminate cellulite

• Decrease body odor

Selecting a Skin Brush

Be sure to select a brush or loofah with natural bristles, like boar bristles or fibers from plants. Synthetic bristles can be harsh and cause irritation. I recommend that you find a brush with a shorter handle to use for your legs, arms, and nooks n crannies. A brush with a long handle is good to use for the back. Health stores usually have a nice selection of brushes and loofahs.

Directions for Dry Brushing

1. Start with the bottom of the foot, and move the brush or loofah in small circular motions. Then move to the top of the foot and do the same.
2. Work up to the ankles and continue up the leg using the same soft circular motions, always toward the heart. Take a little extra time over the dimply or fatty areas on the thighs and buttocks, as dry brushing helps to eliminate cellulite. Stroke all the way to the hips and groin.
3. Repeat on the other side.
4. After you are finished with the lower half, start at the fingertips of one arm and move up the arm (palms of hands, back of hands, forearm, bicep) and toward the heart. End at the shoulder blades. Repeat on other arm.
5. Move to the back working your circular movements toward your stomach, starting and finishing with one side of the back and then the other.
6. When you get to your stomach, start at your lower abdomen and work your way up. Stroke across the abdomen in a clockwise motion toward the heart, and end at your chest in an upward stroke. Be careful around the delicate areas such as the nipples.
7. Move to the back of the neck and gently stroke downward toward the heart and finish at the front of the neck.
8. Ending at the chest, stroke sideways back-and-forth.
9. Rinse off and shower as normal.

Skin brushing Tips

• Avoid the face! Dry brushing is too rough for the delicate skin on your face.

• It’s sometimes best to dry brush in the shower (with the water off) since there may be a lot of dead skin debris.

• Since your pores are wide open, use a natural body soap without harsh cleansers, parabens and other toxins when you shower off. Invigorating soaps with essential oils are nice to use.

• As an extra treat, finish your shower with a coconut oil rub. This is especially nice during the winter when skin tends to be drier. After washing your body, rinse in hot water. Then vigorously rub the coconut oil into your skin, rinse and pat dry.

How Often Should You Dry Brush?

For best results dry brush every morning before your shower. A good dry brushing session lasts about 10 minutes. After you do this for a while, you’ll quickly become addicted to your soft, glowing skin. You’ll never want to give it up!

Now that you know the fabulous results that skin brushing can give you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Or if you have found amazing results with your skin brushing routine, please share in the comment section below. And if you found this information to be helpful please share on FB or tweet it!!