SELF CARE SERIES #13:
THE SECRET TO SUPERNATURAL SKIN
Dry Brushing is an incredible and invigorating self-care ritual that has been around for ages. It is the secret to radiant, beautiful, supernatural skin. This ritual of stimulating the skin by dry brushing has been used in several cultures from Ayurveda to Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and traditional Chinese medicine.
In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), skin is considered so important, that it is referred to as the third kidney that conducts vital Chi (energy).
Maintaining the flow of Chi, balancing the absorption of nutrients with the elimination of waste through detoxification, is vital to health and beauty.
"Beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle."
- Erno Lazlo
Detoxification is performed by a number of organs, glands, and transportation systems, including lymphatic drainage. Just below our skin, the lymphatic system is a network of vessels that carry nutrients to cells and remove toxins.
The Benefits of Dry Brushing
The benefits of brushing your entire body with a stiff bristle brush are plenty.
Not only does it show it on your skin, it goes skin deep. Let's take a look.
Dry brushing gently exfoliates and eliminates dead skin cells, leaving skin feeling soft and helping the skin renewal process. This encourages cellular turnover and can be really helpful for avoiding ingrown hairs and keratosis pilaris.
The motions of dry brushing help to sculpt and tone muscles and tissues below the skin’s surface. These same motions stimulate blood flow, increase circulation, boost the natural flow of lymph creating supple, rejuvenated, glowing skin.
Similar to massage, dry skin brushing is a self-care technique that can decrease stress. When in a state of relaxation, your body can function optimally and heal faster. Chronic stress eventually leads to an imbalance in hormone levels that can increase inflammation and result in poor endocrine system functioning.
Cellulite is stagnant fat deposits that have accumulated just beneath the skin. Dry brushing may help to soften these hard fat deposits by breaking down trapped toxins and eliminating them, naturally diminishing the appearance of cellulite.
The lymphatic system lies just below the skin’s surface. Daily dry brushing can stimulate the lymph canals to aid in the body’s natural detoxification process by draining toxic matter into the colon, thereby improving immune function and helping keep skin healthy and glowing.
The importance of clearing Lymph
Lymph, a clear fluid containing white blood cells, works to remove unwanted toxins and bacteria from the tissues in the body. Unlike our circulatory system, where the heart is pumping blood through the body, lymph can be stagnant, as it requires outside forces like muscle contraction to keep it moving.
Lymph channels run very close to the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, so rubbing a dense bristle brush over your body can actually stimulate healthy lymphatic flow. While our bodies do a pretty fantastic job of ridding themselves of toxins on their own, a little help from the outside can't hurt and your usual body scrub certainly wouldn't be able to do so.
How to Dry Brush
For those who are new to dry brushing, select a brush that is soft on your skin. Our Jute Meridian Body Dry Brush is made with Jute fibers, which are soft, and ideal for those with thin and sensitive skin. The jute bristles are gentle yet firm, but just as effective as the more commonly known Sisal fibers. As skin gets acclimatized, one may then opt for the more vigorous and stimulating Sisal Meridian Body Dry Brush.
- Starting at the feet, up the legs then up the back and the arms. Followed by circular motion around the stomach area, and over the breast and armpit area towards the heart and chest area where the lymph system drains.
- As a good rule of thumb, always brush toward the center of the body and in the direction of the heart.
- Shower and moisturize.
Dry Brushing should be done "dry" before bathing by exfoliating skin with a body brush. Exfoliating on dry skin creates more friction than on wets skin, making it more effective.
How often to Dry Brush
We recommend to dry brush 2–3 times per week to see noticeable benefits without over-exfoliating the skin. For those with sensitive skin, starting with once a week and gradually increasing can help avoid irritation.
Key Points to Keep in Mind:
- Moderation: Overdoing it can lead to skin irritation or dryness.
- Skin Type: Adjust frequency based on your skin’s sensitivity.
- Consistency: Regular use yields the best results, such as smoother skin and improved circulation.
After dry brushing, always follow up with a hydrating product like a body oil to keep the skin nourished and moisturized.
Aftercare
After Dry Brushing, your moisturizer will work better because you will have brushed away the outermost dead skin cells. Not only will nutrients from the moisturizer be readily absorbed to nourish skin but it also will seal and lock in moisture.
We highly recommend applying body oils straight after showering when skin is still damp and warm. Oils such as our nourishing Replenishing Juniper Body Oil, therapeutic Lavender & Ginger Oil, or Hydrating Coconut Oil.
Our Lavender Ginger Body with hydrating and nourishing plant oils of Coconut and Apricot Kernel infused with Fresh Ginger, Lavender and Eucalyptus rejuvenates your energy and helps keeps skin nourished and moisturized.
Hydrating Coconut Oil makes your skin hydrated and replenished with the tropical aromas of fresh coconut and sweet orange. Sweet orange, known to promote feelings of happiness and warmth combined with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of coconut and fresh ginger oil makes this the perfect blend for glowing, healthy skin.
In TCM, Juniper is known for its ability to promote Chi circulation, disperse cold, clear heat, resolve dampness, expel wind, and resolve phlegm. It also helps to treat symptoms of both damp-heat and wind-damp-cold.
Juniper is one of the best essential oils for cleansing both the body and mind. It can prevent or eliminate water retention and bloating by ridding the body of excess moisture. Juniper oil not only purifies the body physically, it is also an inner plane synthesizer, especially when emotionally draining situations or people interfere with balanced mental vibrations.
Read all about Juniper in our Herb & Mineralogy section.
TIP: If you prefer to you use a moisturizer or lotion, apply Body Oils as the final step to seal in moisture.
Fun Facts
1. You may be wondering what our Dry Brushes made from. Our Sisal Meridian Body Dry Brush is made with fibers from the Sisal plant. The leaves, are harvested and dried to produce, besides dry brushes - plastics, textiles and paper. Our Jute Meridian Body Dry Brush is made with fibers from the outer stems of Jute plant. Long, rough, shiny bast fiber are spun into coarse, strong threads to manufacture cloth such as hessian, sacking, rugs and carpets - as well as the bristles of our Dry Brush. Jute fibers are softer than Sisal, and ideal for those with thin and sensitive skin or those who are new to dry brushing.
3. The Ancient Greeks and Romans used strigils (a bronze instrument with a curved blade) with olive oil, to remove dirt, sweat and oil before they bathed. The famous ancient physician Aristotle – the Father of Medicine was said to be a fan of the strigils. Many people in these times were buried with their strigils.
We hope you enjoyed this article and will be inspired to add Dry Brushing to your Beauty Regimen. Please let us know if you have any questions or if there's a specific piece of article you would like to read.
♥
GingerChi
