When we think of skin, we tend to focus most of our attention making sure that our face has everything it needs, that it is clean, exfoliated, lathered with serums, moisturized and pampered. But we often neglect the rest of the skin on the body, the parts that are not always visible. Skin covers us completely and the skin on the body needs just as much love too! We need to remember that the skin is the largest organ in the body and it’s up to each of us to take care of the skin we are in, all of it!
As we age, our skin isn’t as efficient with getting rid of dead skin cells and needs a bit of help with exfoliating to stay working and looking its best. Body brushing is a simple and effective way to help the skin look better, yes, but it also offers support for the health and function of the skin and our body as well.
To state the obvious, body brushing is exactly what you would think, you have a specific brush that you use to literally brush the skin for a therapeutic and esthetic benefit to the skin. This is done while the skin is dry, not wet. It is also called dry brushing, for apparent reasons.
Body brushing the skin increases circulation and helps to remove toxins by stimulating the lymphatic system. This helps to eliminate cellular wastes in the body, keeping us healthier. It is very important to support lymphatic drainage so we can help reduce overall inflammation in the body. With the increase of stimulation and pressure on the surface of the skin, it also draws more blood circulation to the area which brings more nutrients and oxygen to the tissues, which is always a good thing.
Body brushing is a great (and easy) way to boost the overall function of the immune system. This extra immune boosting properly is especially important with all of the coronavirus hype and panic that is happening in the world. Boosting the immune system is the best defense for any virus and body brushing can be a piece to that puzzle. Boosting the immune system is multi-faceted of course as diet, herbs, nutrition and common sense all need to be addressed, but that is a different post altogether.
A wonderful added benefit with dry brushing is that is also helps to reduce cellulite, which is fabulous for those of us who need that sort of thing. Since body brushing helps to exfoliate the skin, body oils and lotions will absorb deeper into the skin … better absorption means better results with less product! If this, plus all the other health benefits, doesn’t sway you then as an added bonus, it simply feels amazing!
I find that picking a brush is the hard part as they are not all created equal, some are too soft and some are too hard, it needs to be just right ... this is a goldilocks quest to be sure. I have searched and searched to find the perfect body brush. This one from Qi Botanics is just right! When selecting a brush, make sure the brush is made with natural materials and that the handle is long enough to reach your back. Once you find the perfect brush you won’t believe you have been going through your days without it! Yes, it is that amazing. Body Brushing is a super quick and simple addition to care for your skin and one that can easily be incorporated into any daily skin routine.
Body brushing is great before a shower and it can be quite invigorating. When brushing, make sure your skin is dry and always brush towards the heart, this is very important. With long fluid gentle but firm strokes, begin at your toes and work your way up the legs, then from your fingers up your arm, then brush your stomach in circular strokes towards the inguinal area, where your legs meet your torso. For your back, just do the best you can with circular strokes and reach what you can, or you can get that special someone to do help out. The goal for all of this is to push in the direction of the lymph flow, thus towards the lymph nodes for the best results. There are a heavy concentration of lymph nodes in the inguinal and armpit areas.
Please do NOT brush your face with the body brush, it will be way to abrasive. This seems like a no brainer, but I feel compelled to mention it, make sure to avoid the private bits or areas with irritations, rashes or open wounds. You want a firm but light stroke, body brushing should not be painful … we are brushing not scrubbing. For people with super sensitive skin, do a test patch first and brush lightly!
After you are finished, simply hop in the shower, and wash off all the dead skin, that’s it. It’s super simple and only takes a few minutes at most. Make sure to moisturize with a great all-natural body oil right after the shower to lock in the moisture and reap even more skin nourishing benefits. A good quality Body Oil is fantastic right out of the shower, especially on freshly exfoliated skin.
All up, body brushing only takes a few extra minutes for a huge return on the health of your skin and body. You will feel the difference…
Enjoy!
DeBritt
Here are a few links to check out if your interest has been peaked…