5 Top Benefits of Dry Brushing Your Skin

Sheetal Rawal, Founder, Apsara Skin Care

Left: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care

By: Marty S.

Dry brushing is as simple as it sounds; it is the act of using a dry brush. However, many of us do not know how important dry brushing can be to a skin care routine. Some of you may even balk at the idea of using a dry, rough brush on soft, tender skin. “How can a brush I would normally use to wash my dishes be a good idea for my skin?”

Rest assured, though, that as long as you are gentle, dry brushing is completely safe for the look and feel of our skin. In fact, dry brushing is a popular treatment at many spas that you can easily replicate at home. Why would you want to do that, you may ask? Well, dry brushing can help you reduce imperfections and achieve radiant, flawless skin. With the winter season upon us, it is the perfect time to start dry brushing, since our skin tends to be drier, duller, and flakier this time of year. However, if you don’t know why you should start dry brushing, we are here to help.

1. Dry Brushing Exfoliates the Skin to Remove Dead Cells

Dry brushing essentially consists of two parts. The first is exfoliation. In case you don’t know what exfoliation is, it is the process of sloughing up the dead cells on the surface of your skin in order to reveal the newer, more youthful-looking cells underneath. Normally, you exfoliate by gently rubbing your damp skin with a scrub for a few minutes before washing it off. However, dry brushing your skin happens before you shower; for a few minutes, you are using a dry brush to scrub your whole body with small, circular strokes.

Compared to damp skin, dry skin can provide more friction for your brush, which improves exfoliation power. Like exfoliation, dry brushing can help soften and smoothen your skin as well as remove ingrown hairs. Dry brushing can be a great way to ensure that your skin, and not just your face, is glowing and youthful. It can also be seen as a good alternative to exfoliation, especially considering that you can use a dry brush to cover your back and any other parts of your body you wouldn’t normally be able to exfoliate as effectively.

Once you finish dry brushing and showering, it is extremely important that you moisturize and nourish your skin afterward, preferably with a lotion that has no harsh chemicals. Similar to exfoliation, your skin will need to adjust to dry brushing so it may be prone to peeling, redness, dryness, et cetera in the first few days.

“I use this [Nut Shell Facial Scrub] every day. I love how it exfoliates the skin and makes you look clean and fresh. I absolutely love this. I highly recommend this product.”

2. Dry Brushing Massages the Skin to Boost Skin Glow & Detoxify Your Skin

The second part of dry brushing is massage. Using a dry brush on your skin can stimulate blood flow within your skin, which helps reduce dullness in your skin and promote

Brush for dry brushing

radiance. Massaging your skin with a dry brush may not be as relaxing as your fingertips, but a dry brush can still feel pretty satisfying.  

Another benefit to massaging your skin via dry brushing is detoxification. Your body can absorb or develop toxins in many different ways: diet, lifestyle, environmental damage, et cetera. Regardless, these toxins can incubate themselves in your body without you knowing. Your lymphatic system can cleanse your system of these toxins as well as other waste in your body, but sometimes it may need a little help.

This is where dry brushing comes in. When you dry brush your skin and stimulate blood circulation, you are also stimulating your lymphatic system, which will allow it to detoxify your body more effectively and more regularly. Therefore, dry brushing can be a minor way of promoting greater health. Moreover, since toxins can have a negative impact on your skin, dry brushing can make your skin healthier and look more youthful.

3. Dry Brushing Can Cleanse Your Pores & Diminish Chances of Acne

Exfoliating your skin via dry brushing also helps unclog your pores of dirt, oil, bacteria, and other residues. As a result, you can consider dry brushing as a way to reduce acne, particularly if you have acne on areas of your body besides your face. Of course, you would still need to wash your face and body with a facial cleanser and body wash that have no harsh chemicals but think of dry brushing as a pre-wash. If you want to your skin to look clean and have fewer skin issues, get in the habit of dry brushing.

In addition to dry brushing, a face mask can be a great way to reduce acne. Watch this video to learn a turmeric & rice flour remedy for troublesome acne spots. Enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

4. Dry Brushing Can Energize You & Your Skin Before You Start Your Day

You may think that adding another step to your morning routine is a hassle, but the benefits behind dry brushing can make it totally worth it, especially if you shower in the morning. Not only can dry brushing help you get glowing skin for the rest of the day, but also many people feel energized when they dry brush in the morning. This may be due to the increased blood circulation. Massaging and exfoliating your skin with a brush can be a good wake-up call and help you get your day started off right.

5. Dry Brushing Can Temporarily Reduce Cellulite

Because dry brushing can leave your skin soft and smooth, you may be wondering if it can eliminate cellulite, which is lumpy, uneven skin caused by fat. While there is no proof that dry brushing can eliminate cellulite, it may still be able to provide a temporary fix. Dry brushing can plump up your skin and make it look more even in texture. Even though there are currently no natural solutions to cellulite, dry brushing is still worth a try, especially if your main concern is improving your skin glow.

Conclusion

If you do wish to try dry brushing, there are a few questions you should consider beforehand. First, do you have sensitive skin? If you do, you should not dry brush your skin because it may be too harsh, even if you use a really gentle brush. Second, do you currently have any active acne areas or inflamed skin? If you do, avoid them when you dry brush; failure to do so may irritate your skin and cause your acne or inflammation to worsen. Finally, are you prepared to dry brush regularly? As we stated above, dry brushing can initially cause redness, dryness, and peeling to occur so you may not see positive results right away. However, if you are willing to try dry brushing and stick with it, it can be just as beneficial to you as exfoliation.

If you need any more tips for your daily and weekly skin care routine, fill out this form with your questions and concerns and Sheetal will send you her reply soon.

Go natural. It is good karma!

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