How to Dry Brush your Body

Dry body brushing has been utilized for centuries, however, this powerful exfoliation technique’s recent popularity on social media has gained it a whole new generation of fans. The dry body brushing technique utilizes a stiff-bristled brush to clean the skin, helping with exfoliation and other skin health benefits. 

Benefits

Some of the benefits of practicing daily or semi-daily body brushing include exfoliating the skin, increasing blood circulation, and promoting lymphatic flow and drainage. 

Dry body brushing also helps unclog pores and shed your dry winter skin. It also increases blood circulation, can help with detoxification and stimulates your nervous system, which may lead to you feeling invigorated afterward. Doing all this to your skin without warm water helps keep the moisture intact too. 

How-To

First, you’ll have to get your hands on a natural stiff-bristled bath or shower brush. Opt for one with a longer handle, so you can reach your back easier. Try to feel out the bristle stiffness before buying because if your skin is sensitive, you might want a less stiff one. 

You should practice dry body brushing before you shower. This way you can wash off the dead skin cells that you exfoliated. Make sure your body is completely dry beforehand, with no lotion or moisture on it.  

Steps

1. It is best to start at your feet and slowly move up your body. 
2. Brush with wide, circular motion. 
3. Be aware and use less pressure in areas that have thin skin and apply harder pressure on thicker skin, like on your feet.
4. Overall, this practice should not hurt. If something feels wrong, use less pressure.
5. After your feet, brush your arms, legs, and mid-section. Brush towards your armpits. 
6. Take a shower to help remove the dry skin
7. After you shower, make sure to moisturize your whole body.

Remember, if you are new to the practice, start with a light brushing. As you and your skin gets used to it, you can increase the pressure. 

Some areas to avoid while dry brushing include:

• Any rashes 
• Open wounds or cuts 
• Infected areas or an area that is prone to infection
• Your face
• Burned skin (sunburn or heat burn)

Brush Maintenance 

Once a week I like to clean my brush, rinsing it in tap water with soap. To dry, I keep it in an open and sunny area. Don’t share your brush with others to avoid infection. 

What to Do if You Have Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin it’s important to start with very light pressure at the beginning and possibly only dry brush 3-5 times a week instead of every day. If your skin is inflamed or irritated after brushing, stop immediately. If your skin is not responding well to the bristle brush but you still want the benefits, try the practice with a dry washcloth instead.