BENEFITS OF DRY BRUSHING

June 21, 2023

Want to get rid of dead skin cells, activate lymphatic drainage & stimulate circulation?

Insert dry brushing into your exfoliating routine.

First, let's talk about the traditional way of exfoliating the skin. It looks a little like this:

You do it in the shower while you're wet with a loofah or a washcloth. You use a substantial amount of pressure to 'scrub' off the dead skin cells. When you use water, it can cause the skin to plump, which can make it harder to get rid of dead skin cells. When you exfoliate using pressure, it can sometimes irritate or dry out the skin. 

So what is dry brushing?

Dry brushing is a technique that helps detoxify the entire body through the skin. With light pressure & sweeping strokes, it wakes up your lymphatic system to flush out toxins, excess fluid, bacteria & cell waste from your body. It also stimulates your circulatory system & prevents stagnation of the blood. Bonus: it can even reduce the appearance of cellulite!

But there is a certain way to do it right.

The down & dirty details:
  • Dry brushing can be done 1-2 times per day, but always right before a bath and/or shower.
  • Your brush should ideally be a long-handled brush with natural bristles {we love vegetable bristle brushes - synthetic bristles should be avoided as they can scratch  irritate the skin} Check out Katie’s favorite dry brush of all time here.
  • Make sure your skin is completely dry.
  • Using your long-handled brush, make soft sweeping strokes up your body, towards your heart - if your skin turns red, apply less pressure.
BENEFITS OF DRY BRUSHING

Pressure & direction:

Your lymphatic system flows through your body towards your heart, so pressure & direction are very important when dry brushing. 

Pressure: Your lymphatic system responds to light, flowing pressure. No rubbing, scrubbing, or back & forth motions (the way you might be used to with traditional wet exfoliation).

Direction: Brush your arms up towards your shoulders. Brush your back up towards your shoulders. Brush up your chest - start around the belly button, then up the center of your chest & around the breast, then up under the arms. Brush up your legs starting with your feet.

After Care:

How you care for your skin immediately after you are finished is super important! 

First, MOISTURIZE! Apply a liberal amount of oil right after you’re done dry brushing, before you get into the shower:

  • Take your self-care routine to the next level with the Infinite Love Serum. Experience unconditional love for yourself & feel beautiful from the inside-out.
  • Wanna feel luscious & sexy & absolutely exquisite? Luscious Embodiment Serum is the ticket.
  • Stimulate energetic detoxification with Radiant Energy Serum. Your shower will also smell like a sacred palo santo offering.

Then, SHOWER! A cold shower promotes circulation, aiding in the detox process - use a natural soap to slough off all of the old dead skin cells! When you get out of the shower, make sure you are dabbing your skin dry rather than harshly rubbing the skin dry with a towel!

Happy brushing!