With ancient, natural ways of living making a comeback, one skincare ritual that is seeing a revival among a lot of celebs is dry brushing. Wondering what it is? And, can it really be done on all skin types?
Well, it is basically another way to exfoliate your skin, albeit with a dry brush. Known to be an effective way to remove dead skin cells, this article will answer all your questions about the technique and how you should be doing it. Keep scrolling.
Highlights:
What Is Dry Face Brushing?
Dry brushing is an ancient skincare ritual that is now back in trend among skincare experts. It is the practice of using a brush with fairly firm bristles to exfoliate your facial skin gently.
According to users of this technique, dry brushing helps to restore the firm texture of the skin, removes dead skin cells that causes flaking and promotes blood flow. It can be done on the entire body and face.
A reason many people in the know prefer dry brushing over other exfoliating and massaging techniques is because it is an inexpensive and chemical-free method.
Benefits Of Dry Face Brushing
According to studies conducted and reported user experience, here are the main benefits of dry brushing:
1. Improves Blood Circulation
When you dry brush your face, you might find your skin go slightly red. This is due to the enhanced blood circulation caused by the dry brushing.
2. Lymphatic Drainage
Dry brushing your face may help in stimulating the drainage of lymphatic fluid [1]. When lymph nodes malfunction and don’t drain out the fluid fully, it can lead to swelling of your arms and legs. It also increases the possibility of cellulite appearance on your skin.
There is not enough research connecting dry massage with the stimulation of lymphatic drainage. But, studies [2] indicate that a manual lymphatic drainage massage can reduce swelling and the appearance of cellulite over several sittings.
3. Exfoliates Your Skin
Dry brushing definitely works to exfoliate your skin. If you live in places where the weather is dry and extreme -- hot or cold -- the skin can get very dry, which can lead to itchy skin due to flakes and blocked pores. Dry brushing helps remove dead skin cells and in turn prevents acne.
4. Can Reduce Wrinkles
Exfoliation is often linked to delayed appearance of wrinkles. Professional treatments and formulations to exfoliate the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles include chemical skin peels, glycolic acid [3], retinoid creams and laser ablation [4] treatments.
Dry brushing may not work as strongly as the above treatments, but certainly exfoliates the skin mildly, which may help to reduce wrinkles.
How To Dry Brush Your Face Step By Step?
Step 1: The Right Brush
Dry brushing needs to be done with a body brush that has soft bristles made from natural materials. You can use a smaller one for your face.
Step 2: Start With Your Forehead
You can start by moving the brush upwards in circles from the space between your eyebrows towards your scalp.
Step 3: Be Gentle With Your Cheeks
Once your forehead is done, brush your cheeks in circles, moving downwards slowly towards your chin. The pressure you apply has to be very slight. If you brush too hard, you could scrape your skin.
Step 4: Brush Down Till Your Heart
You can brush your neck and the shoulder areas too in circular motions till you reach your heart area.
Step 5: Dry Brushing The Body
When you are dry brushing the rest of your body, start from your ankles and move upwards towards your heart. Brush in circular movements.
What To Do Before And After Dry Brushing?
Before
- Your face and body must be completely dry when you use this method to exfoliate.
- The best time to dry brush is just before you have your bath.
After
- Rinse your face with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser to remove any remaining dead skin flakes.
- After you have dry brushed your face and washed it with a cleanser, apply sunscreen as it can make your skin more sensitive to sun damage.
- This is the most important step to follow after dry brushing. You must apply a moisturiser or a serum on your face and neck to maximise the benefits of dry brushing.
What Are The Risks Of Dry Face Brushing?
Dry brushing should be done carefully and not too frequently as it can irritate your skin and cause skin damage. Those who have rosacea, psoriasis or eczema, should refrain from dry brushing as it can make your condition worse.
Can I Dry Brush My Face Everyday?
No, dry brushing your face everyday can cause more harm than good. Ideally, you should dry brush your face once or twice a week only. If you have sensitive skin, you can dry brush once every two weeks.
Other Tips For Dry Brushing Your Face
- You should wash the brush you use for dry brushing with baby shampoo every week to remove all the dead skin collected in its bristles.
- Your moisturiser will be more effective when applied after you have dry brushed your skin and washed your face.
- If you are vegan, opt for a brush with synthetic bristles as the natural ones may be made from animal hair.
- There are brushes with ionic copper fibres available too; but these are best used by those who have a lot of experience with dry brushing. Copper fibre brushes apparently help to detox the body but are not to be used by those not familiar with the practice.
- While brushing your limbs, use long, firm strokes to help move the lymphatic fluid. Apply only medium pressure.
- Repeat the brush strokes more than once.
- On areas like your elbows and knees, keep the strokes shorter.
Wrapping Up
If you wish to dry brush your skin, it is important to use the right kind of brush and follow the correct technique. Also, keep in mind that if you have sensitive skin, you should avoid doing it too frequently.
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