The largest organ on our body is our skin.  No surprise it’s also one of the first things people look at (i.e one of our most self-conscious parts).  So when we are feeling the effects of winter skin…enter drybrushing.  Many of us loofah in the shower to slough off dry, sallow skin, but drybrushing is an amazing and well-trusted at home technique that has multiple benefits (beauty and otherwise).

Most local pharmacies sell dry brushes.  A brush with a long handle is ideal for the harder to reach spots on your back, but make sure that the bristles are not synthetic. You want a dry natural bristle brush that won’t scratch the surface of your skin. You want to look and feel smooth, not like you attacked by a cactus.  Plus, you can drybrush as often as twice a day if you desire.

How to do it:

First.  You might feel inclined to wet your skin or the brush, but drybrushing will not have the same effect if you do.  If you skin is wet, drybrushing actually stretches it.

Start at the soles of your feet.  The nerve endings in your feet affect your entire body. Move up ankles, calves, and thighs, brush across your stomach, backside, and finally from your hands to your arms.

You always want to brush towards your heart. For your stomach brush in counter-clockwise strokes.

You should brush in robust strokes, but be gentle around more sensitive parts of your body.

When you are done, take a warm shower, followed by a quick cool rinse that helps with blood circulation.

Now the best part. Drybrushing: tightens skin, helps remove cellulite, removes dead skin, stimulates circulation, strengthens the immune system, stimulates glands, and cleans the lymphatic system.

This is a pre-shower ritual to get behind.

 

-Arianna Schioldager