Many skin care experts believe that daily all-over dry brush massage is essential for lasting vitality and health. Dry brushing for 5 minutes each day helps to open pores, promotes blood circulation and lymph flow to help your body excrete toxins and invigorate the nervous system by stimulating the nerve endings.
Skin brushing can help enhance immune system functions, promote muscle tone and help break down cellulite. Skin brushing also helps to exfoliate the dead skin cells. This becomes increasingly important as we age, as inactive aging skin does not shed dead cells as easily as does youthful skin. “Older” skin is susceptible to cellular build-up which accounts, in part, for the dry, thick, leather-look that comes with aging. In addition, skin brushing can help to stimulate sweat and oil glands, and help you restore your skin to a more supple state, and regain a more youthful appearance.
Skin brushing can be very relaxing, as the skin is impregnated with nerve end-fibers, which play an indispensable role in nervous system activity. Brushing provides a relaxing effect, including decreased muscle tension, improves lung capacity, digestion and clearer thinking.
Cellulite is a structural disturbance of fat tissue and can also be impacted by skin brushing. The fat content of cellulite containing tissue is normal, but fibrous nodules surrounding the fat cells give affected skin areas their typical orange-peel appearance. Cellulite formation is related, in part, to local vein and lymph congestion. With regular skin brushing, you can help to restore proper circulation to the troublesome areas and potentially decrease cellulite.
Daily Dry Brush Routine
- Begin by brushing your hands and fingers in any direction seven or eight times.
- Brush in long strokes from the wrist to the elbow, and then from the elbow to the shoulder. Brush toward your torso and toward your heart.
- Brush across the tops of your toes, then the soles of your feet, toward your ankles. The soles of your feet will eventually become desensitized to this ticklish feeling.
- Now, brush the entire surface of your leg, from ankle to knee, then knee to thigh, remembering to always brush with light upward strokes. Repeat on both legs.
- Gently hold the brush against your neck, keeping it in place, and gently vibrate the bristles. Next, brush down your neck, back and front and swing the brush gently across the top of your shoulders.
- To stimulate lymphatic circulation, hold the brush under your left armpit and rotate it back and forth several times. Repeat on the other armpit. (This is not easy if you are extremely ticklish, but persevere!)
- On the front, sides and back of your body, use long sweeping single strokes, always upward in the direction of your heart.
- To help with ridding cellulite from the tops of your thighs and buttocks, brush upward in circular strokes.
- Try a high quality salt or sugar scrub after dry body brushing your skin, and continue the exfoliating process.
Turn Your Shower Into A Spa
With one bottle of high quality, therapeutic grade essential oil, a body brush and 15 minutes of spare time, you can transform your shower into an all-over aromatherapy treatment that will keep you feeling energized all day.
- Select a skin-friendly essential oil, such as mandarin, grapefruit, lavender, ylang-ylang, or one of your own personal favorites.
- Add several drops of oil to a dry skin brush, and exfoliate as outlined in the steps above.
- Close the drain, pour a few drops of essential oil onto the shower floor, and run the water as hot as you can tolerate for a minute or two. You want to create a steamy environment. Slowly inhale the healing essential oils.
- Stay in the hot water for at least two minutes. Turn down the water temperature to get a blast of cold. Ending a shower with cold water can strengthen the circulation and close the skin pores. Alternate between hot and cold water several times if you like – the greater the difference between the two temperatures, the greater the health benefits.
When you begin your morning with intention, pleasure and natural body care, you can reap health-giving benefits for body and mind. What a way to start the day!
Wash your brush with warm soapy water and allow to air dry.
Contact me for natural bristle brushes and therapeutic grade essential oils … just for the health of it.