How to Use a Dry Brush and Why it's GAME CHANGING
JESSICA LIS, WELLNESS EDITOR
Jessica Lis is the Wellness Editor for The Wellness Refinery’s online blog. She graduated from Temple University with an English Degree and a concentration in Creative Writing. When she’s not writing for the blog you can find her cozied up next to a book or riding her bike around the city.
Despite it’s recently popularity dry brushing is actually an Ancient Egyptian technique dating back to thousands of years ago! Although, it wasn’t quite “dry” brushing. Instead, they exfoliated with sour milk and wine. This therapeutic ritual was also practiced by ancient Greeks and Romans, Indians, Scandinavians, Turks, Japanese, Native Americans, Chinese and Russians. In India dry brushing is called “Garshana” and is a traditional Ayurvedic practice. Ayurveda is a medical science originated in India based around self-care rituals designed to balance the body. Dry brushing was, and is used in preparation for hot baths, cleansing rituals, and to stimulate circulation. It helps soften and smooth our skin.
There are MANY benefits of dry brushing & it is a relaxing way to prep your skin for your shower or infrared sauna. It’s no secret that dry brushing will have your skin glowing; the brush removes dirt, oil and dead skin enhancing the smoothness of your skin. Dry brushing is also said to aid lymphatic drainage. The lymphatic system is known to help our body fight off infections. Using a dry brush regularly speeds up the rate of blood pumping, which helps the lymph fluid flow through the body to remove toxins and pathogens through our pores. Dry brushing boosts our circulation creating a positive effect on blood flow in your body. This can help rejuvenate our nervous system and the boost in circulation creates plumper looking skin.
Life keeps us busy, that's for sure, but taking five minutes to yourself is so important (shout out self-care!) and it’s a simple yet rewarding task. Doing this technique daily before a shower has such a relaxing effect. This step gives you time to focus on the task at hand while treating your skin to a gentle massage. What a great way to wind down your day and spend a few minutes feeling stress free with proven benefits!
Step by step how to:
Purchase a dry brush & find what’s right for you! Dry brushes vary in shape, size, and bristle thickness
Your skin must be completely DRY
Move the brush against the skin in gentle, circular motions towards your heart before taking a shower or infrared sauna
Dry brush entire body for 3-5 minutes once daily*
You can dry brush at any time of the day but it’s highly recommended to do it before you shower or infrared sauna. This simple step in your routine is an absolute game changer when it comes to taking care of your skin (the biggest organ in your body!). Make sure you rinse your brush after each use.
*if you have sensitive skin try dry brushing every couple of weeks instead of once a week until you build a tolerance! Do not dry brush skin with eczema or psoriasis
PRO TIP: Dry brush before your infrared sauna to help open up your pores and begin the detoxification process much sooner. You’ll also notice a significant increase in sweat!
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