A few days ago, I entered my bathroom expecting to reach into the wicker basket above the toilet and pull out my skin brush. On this day, my hand reached into the wicker basket, but my renewer of skin cells was not found. Where could it have possibly gone after my shower yesterday morning? I searched underneath the sinks and tore my room apart, but to no avail. I thought my brush must be lost or a guest may have taken it.
Nurture Your Skin
If the brush had been there, I would brush the bottoms of my feet, followed by my legs and the rest of my body in long strokes, reaching towards my heart. The beige brush would lick my skin like the soft, sandpaper tongue of a mother cat, waking her kitten and removing all of the dullness from yesterday. Today was a new day, a new start, and it was time to make my new skin glow in celebration before a luke-warm shower.
Many of us know that the skin is the largest organ on the body. It is responsible for 1/4 of our body's detoxification process while receiving 1/3 of all of our blood flow. Now, what if our blood has toxic materials in it? That must be doing a number on the skin, and it shows!
The Benefits Of Dry Skin Brushing
So, for all of us skeptics, here are 5 reasons to wake up and dry brush your skin daily before taking a shower.
1. Skin Renewal
Dry skin brushing Removes dead skin cells and leaves skin "glowy" because of an increase in skin renewal.
2. Anti-Aging
Dry skin brushing has an anti-aging effect, due to a tightening of the skin. We're waking up our blood flow in those areas!
3. Pore Cleansing
Dry skin brushing clears out clogged pores and absorbs nutrients. Think about all those new facial "skin care brushes" and imagine doing it to your whole body.
4. Anti-Cellulite
Dry skin brushing gets rid of cellulite by eliminating toxins and distributing fat deposits.
5. Digestion Support
Dry skin brushing helps digestions, including colon health, by breaking down toxins.
Don't think that this daily ritual is going to take time away from your morning routine either. I normally only take 2-3 minutes to brush my skin.
The Right Brush
Just like the girl in The New Kids on the Block song, the right brush can make your dreams come true. The trick to finding your luck in skin care is in the bristles. Find a brush that has a long handle and is made of all natural bristles because synthetic ones will end up scratching the skin's surface instead of healing it. Once you have found your brush in your favorite store or ordered it on-line, make sure it stays dry, that is unless you are washing the brush.
After a couple of weeks, your brush will need a thorough scrub down with soap and water. This keeps you clean too! Let the brush air dry afterwards.
How to Do Dry Skin Brushing
I Brush My Skin Back and Forth…No seriously, don't do that. Although it does make a fun song to sing, a la Willow Smith, while you're brushing.
Be kind to your largest organ that protects you and brush in gentle, long strokes in one direction towards your heart. Start at the bottoms of your feet and move all the way up to your neck. There is a different brush for your face, so do not use this brush on your face.
Your skin should not turn red. If it does, you should brush much softer.
By now, you should be ready to get started on your new skin care regimen. I will be joining you in the purchase of a new brush because later that afternoon I found out my mother can find another great use for skin brushing– brushing carpeted stairs instead of lugging out a vacuum. Needless to say, mine is now covered in dog hair and will not be salvaged.
Cheers to new brushes and new routines!
