I have recently joined the Church of Dry Body Brushing and would like to convert you. This is probably the best natural skin care technique you probably aren’t using and it’s absolutely heavenly!

8 good reasons to body brush

Exfoliates – removes dead skin cells and unclogs your pores, leaving your skin so soft It boosts surface circulation and leaves skin with a healthy glow Improves lymphatic drainage and stimulates more effective natural internal toxin clearing Reduces the appearance of cellulite (rumor has it) and improves skin tone Leaves skin more receptive to absorbing good moisturizers and oils Rejuvenates the nervous system – you can feel the tingle of your lymphatic system working Improves Digestions Supports a stronger immune system

All of this great lymphatic system awakening and detoxifying mumbo jumbo aside, I started doing it because I heard it could reduce cellulite. YAY!!!! I am genetically predisposed to carry extra weight in my thighs, butt and tummy (thanks MOM, Aunt Agnes, Aunt Luella) and those dimples and lumps and bumps have meant I haven’t worn a swimsuit in public since 1995. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to actually put on a pair of shorts without thinking about it?!

So in the hopes that dry brushing would be a natural, low cost way to improve my skin’s texture, and maybe help in my weight loss efforts, I decided to give it a shot. I’m finding my skin is soft. Baby butt soft. And after a good dry brushing, I feel all tingly and ALIVE. Now I am also predisposed to skepticism about this whole cellulite reduction thing. I mean, come on, don’t they tell you that there is no cure for cellulite? But I really do think the dry body brushing is helping.

Don’t expect any revealing “Before” and “After” shots of my thighs on this site! I’m not THAT brave. But here are some of the technicalities of body brushing, the lymphatic system, and whatnot.

Your Lymphatic System

For those of you who were too hung over to remember college anatomy – here’s a little refresher on the lymphatic system. Your lymph system is the largest circulatory system in your body. It’s twice as big as the arterial system that carries blood. In fact, we have roughly three times as much lymph fluid as we do blood. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells, and the lymph system hauls away toxins and waste. So you can see there would be obvious benefits of dry brushing to get your lymphatic system to do its thing.

In order to do its job properly, the lymphatic system requires movement. Muscle contraction is what moves the fluid through our bodies. Those of us who have desk jobs or with a sedentary lifestyle can experience a 94% decrease in the function of their individual lymph systems. YIKES! Think about it! That’s almost a complete system shut down, and means you are almost stewing in toxins. Thankfully, a lymphatic dry body brushing detox is quite simple.

What to Look For in a Dry Skin Brush

• Natural bristles that are stiff, but soft enough not to scratch your skin. (No plastic brushes!)
• Either a removable handle for brushing the back and getting to those hard to reach places, or a second brush with a long handle. Now this is a matter of preference, because some people like a shape that fits easily in the palm of their hand, but I like sort of a paddle shaped handle to my brush.

How to Dry Brush Your Whole Body

Start with your feet – Don’t neglect the bottom of your feet, that is where you should start and go up from there. I like to kind of prop my foot up on the bath tub or toilet seat. Brush your feet, working back towards your core and up towards your heart. Do both legs before moving up.

As I am doing my legs, I also brush up my tush/bum. (Thus the propping the leg on the toilet seat works great here.)

Next I brush my arms, starting with my hands. I raise my arm up and brush towards my shoulders. Give your elbows a little extra love.

After I do my arms I do my back, brushing down towards my torso.

On my front, I start on each side and brush from my hip up my obliques to the bottom of my armpits. Then brush my stomach working upwards in lines towards my heart, stopping just below the bust line. I like to brush in a circular motion as well on my stomach, to follow the direction of my digestive system.

If I brush the décolletage, (don’t you just love that word?!) I’m very gentle, since the skin in this area is quite delicate. Brush down and in towards the heart, if you do so.

Extras: Tips to Keep in Mind

• Best time to dry brush is in the morning before a shower
• Always brush towards the heart
• Use long upward overlapping strokes
• Avoid brushing areas that have a cut, abrasion or rash.
• Tougher parts of your body, like your legs and feet, can be brushed more firmly. Delicate areas should be brushed very gently, if at all. Avoid your face with the body brush. Softer brushes are made specifically for the face
• Periodically clean your brush with a bit of liquid soap (I clean my brush once a week)