About a year ago, I started hearing of this bizarre thing called dry skin brushing. It sounded (well, let's be honest) incredibly hokey and about as legit as all the other New Agey beauty treatments. But people were swearing by it, so I added the Yerba Prima Tampico Vegetable Fiber Skin Brush to my Amazon wishlist and moved on.
Well, now I have one!
AND IT IS FANTASTIC.
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| The love of my life |
The idea behind dry skin brushing is that it removes dead skin cells without touching the body's natural oils, cleaning without drying, and helps new skin cells to regenerate. Essentially, it's a form of dry exfoliation. It's a recommended part of the detoxification process and stimulates blood circulation and the lymphatic system. It's even said to help you lose weight because it breaks up cellulite. Personally, I have no idea about how true any of this is, but I have noticed that my skin is much clearer and more even all over, and I never get ingrown hairs anymore (aughhh bane of my existence). I suffer from keratosis pilaris on my arms and legs (chicken skin, if you want to be mean) and ever since I started dry skin brushing, they've all but vanished. It's a Thanksgiving miracle!
So now that you've run out and bought a dry skin brush of your very own (based solely on my testimony!), here's what you do:
Before you shower, start brushing the soles of your feet in the direction of your heart, slowly moving upwards. Brush either in short strokes or in small circles, whichever feels most comfortable. If this is your first time, don't brush too roughly. Over time your skin will get stronger. Avoid bruises, scratches, and other irritated areas.
Put one arm up and brush gently towards your armpit, then do the same with the other arm. Don't forget to concentrate on your armpits, where there's a whole host of lymphatic nodes just crying out for attention.
Brush up your belly towards your heart, then do the same with your back and butt (this is where having a long handle on your brush really comes in handy). Brush over your neck and shoulders, as well as the underside of your chin.
Be careful to avoid brushing your face! You need a specialized, softer brush for that. Clean your brush gently with soap and water every week or so.
Doesn't this sound crazy? But I'm a total believer now! When I'm done, I just hop in the shower and wash off any remaining dead skin cells. My mom asked what the giant brush in my room was for and totally laughed at me. But this shall help me to remain young and beautiful foreverrrr... or at least until marriage when it's too late to run away! (True fact: I sometimes wander around my dorm halls with grayish-white clay smeared all over my face, looking something like a geisha ninja in pajamas. I am an attractive person!)
What are your totally weird skin secrets? Or your not-so-weird ones? Share in the comments below!
