Unless you have extremely sensitive skin, or a condition such as eczema, dry body brushing is a great way to achieve healthier looking skin with all sorts of other added benefits. Dermatologists all agree that body creams and lotions aimed at banishing cellulite don’t actually work; simple body brushing does more to get rid of those dimples and helps tone up wobbly bits than any amount of lotions and potions.
So why should you try dry body brushing:
- It’s a good way to exfoliate without using a product that may be too harsh for your skin. Brushing helps to loosen and remove dead skin cells, oil and dirt, which will lead to less dry skin. It also primes your skin for moisturising.
- Fans of body brushing claim that brushing the skin on a regular basis helps to stimulate the normal lymph flow within the body, which in turn helps the body detoxify itself. All I know is that I stopped dry brushing for a few years and having got back to it my skin looks and feels miles healthier and smoother.
- Dry body brushing encourages blood flow, which makes the skin look plumper.
- Some people claim that dry body brushing gives you an energy boost so it’s best done in the morning, this is probably because it increases circulation and therefore increases energy. I’m not a morning person so I don’t really notice this burst of energy until I’ve had my coffee!
- Regular body brushing encourages cell turnover which in turn keeps blocked pores and ingrown hairs at bay.
If you’re going to try body brushing, what’s the technique?
Get yourself a good brush, I’ve just got an ESPA brush which was £20 from Look Fantastic. Start at your feet, even the soles, and work your way up; brush dry skin in strokes from the feet to hips, wrists to shoulders, I then use circular movements on my stomach and decollete area. Pay particular attention to any dry areas. Brush towards your heart to work with the circulation and lymphatic systems. I usually brush each area about 10 times. Change the pressure of the brush according to body area, it’s got to stimulate the circulation but also be comfortable, skin should be slightly pink afterwards, not red! It will take a few goes to get used to it. Try and do this at least 3 times a week, the more the better. I shower after dry brushing and then apply body cream or oil.