BEAUTY

Dry Brushing 101: The Benefits and How to Do It Right

ByGeca Davis

Jan 28, 2021 08:11 PM EST

Credit : Svitlana / Unsplash

One essential step in the skincare routine is exfoliating. Interestingly, there's a way to remove dead skin cells without using chemicals and granular products---and that is through dry brushing.

This technique is not relatively new in the beauty industry. Dry brushing, known as garshana (pronounced gar-shun-uh), is an ancient Ayurvedic lymphatic massage that involves stroking the body using a special bristle brush on dry skin.

Several YouTubers and celebrities joined the bandwagon and have been practicing dry brushing. According to Us magazine, Gwyneth Paltrow and a devotee of clean living, swore by this method and had been doing this every night before showering.

Victoria's Secret model Josephine Skriver keeps her runway-ready skin through dry brushing technique, calling herself a "big fan" of this.

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Dry Body Brushing Benefits

Adding this to your everyday routine will do wonders, not just in your skin but also in your overall health.

Using a brush with natural-fiber bristles can target many skin and health concerns, as well as eliminating toxins in our body.

1. Dry brushing and cellulite

Although there are many treatments and procedures to get rid of that pesky cellulite, there's no harm in trying the au natural method; however, experts explained that it would only reduce cellulite's appearance as a whole.

"Having increased circulation from dry brushing will cause vasodilation (that's when your capillaries widen, causing an increased amount of blood flow in the area). This will cause a temporary plumping up of the skin, making your cellulite appear less visible," board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, told Byrdie.com.

2. Dry Brushing for Lymphedema

Aside from having smooth skin and removing dead skin cells, dry body brushing is beneficial to the lymphatic system.

Multiple reports cited that doing the traditional massaging method regularly stimulates the normal lymph flow and helps the body detoxify itself naturally.

Being the central part of the body's immune system, getting rid of the toxins by dry brushing will strengthen the immune system and lessen illness susceptibility.

3. Removing Ingrown Hairs

Another attractive dry brushing benefit is preventing ingrown hairs. Yes, you read that right. This form of physical exfoliation wards off having ingrown hairs from forming by eliminating clogged pores; however, since it's a harsh way to exfoliate, beauty experts advise doing these techniques once or twice a week.

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A Step by Step Guide to Dry Brushing

Since you have read the beneficial slides of dry brushing, now, you're interested in trying this out yourself.

Get a Natural Bristle Brush

There are a ton of tutorials on YouTube that teach how to use this technique properly. But first things first, get yourself a natural bristle brush. Some advice on using a brush with a long handle so you can easily reach all areas of your body.

Start at the Bottom

Most experts advised doing this in the morning or before you go to bed by starting from the bottom of your feet upwards. In long sweeping strokes, brush the area several times, overlapping as you go. From the feet, move towards the hands, shoulders, torso as brush towards the heart.

You can also add light pressure to stimulate the lymph,

Rinse Off with Hot and Cold Water

Once you are done, rinse off in the shower by alternating water temperatures from hot to cold. This will help to stimulate the blood circulation in your body.