How to Dry Skin Brush + Skin Brushing Benefits

Dry Skin Brushing: optimally 1x a day. Realistically 1-2x a week

When cleansing, it is imperative to allow your body to fully detoxify through your skin. The skin is our largest eliminative organ, so use it!

Dry skin brushing is an excellent way to not only eliminate excess skin that is blocking proper elimination, but it will help to actually balance hormones and meridian points in the body while stimulating the immune system.

The best time to skin brush is right before your shower or bath. Most health experts recommend brushing when the skin is dry for the best results. If you have poison ivy, skin rashes, infections, or inflammatory problems such as psoriasis, do not brush that part of the skin.

Begin with very gentle strokes and adapt the intensity of the brushing to match the sensitivity of your skin. There are different theories about the most effective method for brushing the skin. Here is a simple method that works.

The basic principle is to brush from the outermost points of the body (hands and feet) towards the center. Start by brushing your feet and up your legs with smooth gentle strokes. Brush your hands and up your arms. Brush across your upper back and down the front and back of the torso. Cover the entire surface of the skin except for the more tender skin of the face and breasts.

A slight flush due to increased blood circulation is normal and shows that your skin brushing is working. Be careful not to brush so hard that your skin turns bright red.

The total process takes only two or three minutes. When you are finished, step into your bath or shower. You will feel an invigorating, tingling sensation over your entire body.

Benefits of Dry Brushing for Skin

We dry brush toward the heart, starting at the feed and brushing in circular motions towards the chest. 

I’ve been dry brushing my skin for years, mostly because it's like an instant energy boost and makes my skin smoother, eliminating dry skin and bumps.

Elimination

Since the skin is the largest of all the eliminative organs (sometimes called the 3rd kidney), dry skin brushing is a sure way to get rid of toxins and debris within the body without changing anything else you do (of course we highly recommend eating well, exercising, and maintaining a positive attitude). We often overlook the skin, but telltale signs that your body is crying for help are things like dry, blotchy skin, skin rashes, bumps, cellulite, eczema, rosacea, dermatitis, acne, boils, and the like. Because the skin has a large surface area, it gets 1/3 of all of our blood circulated through it; therefore it should be eliminating at least 1/3 of our toxins as well. If that doesn’t happen because our skin is not getting enough air, or if we don’t exercise or sweat enough, then our other organs become overburdened and we may experience health problems.

Immunity

The skin provides easy access to our endocrine system, which is directly tied to our immune system. And as we know, our immune system is directly tied to our health. Dry brushing stimulates the lymph and glands, helping them to release toxins and buildup, which leads the way to excellent health.

Wellbeing

It cleans, it detoxifies, it stimulates, it awakens, it improves, and it can bring an enormous sense of wellbeing. Once one begins brushing, the skin will begin to tingle, and a sense of wellbeing will flood the body (this begins to happen after the first 2 or 3 weeks of regular practice). It’s similar to having a cup of coffee because you feel so awake and invigorated after brushing, raring to go, ready to start the day.

Beauty

Skin brushing in conjunction with diet and exercise will tone and tighten the skin and will help get rid of cellulite! It is my personal experience after months of regular brushing and eating a high raw food diet that the cellulite on the back of my legs has disappeared. Cellulite is a toxic material stored in the body’s fat cells that do not get eliminated.

Cellulite usually builds up because of eating a poor diet, pollution, and lack of regular exercise. Dry brushing will help stir up the cellulite toxins, releasing them into the bloodstream, and then they will pass out of the body. Because dry brushing also stimulates hormone and oil-producing glands, your skin will be rosy, resilient, and youthful without the use of expensive oils, creams, or cosmetics.

Elaina’s Experience

“When I began brushing, my skin got extremely dry looking. In fact, it turned white and flaky. I had always had a multitude of skin problems such as acne, dry skin, and eczema. After about a week of brushing, the whiteness and flakes went away and I was left with beautiful moist-looking skin. I have never had to use moisturizers on my body again except for the occasional use of olive, coconut, or sesame oil in really dry weather conditions.”

Selecting a Dry Brush

I use a firm, natural bristle brush, which allows me to reach my entire back and easily brush the bottoms of my feet and the backs of my legs.

 This brush is my favorite. It's the perfect amount of firm and is made from all-natural vegetable fiber. If you are new to dry skin brushing, choosing a firm brush could feel intense at first. Take is slow, and gently brush the skin. Over time, the firm brush will feel great!