There are plenty of dry body brush benefits - get scrubbing to see results
A couple of years back the BBC show The Truth About Looking Good reported that body brushing is the best way to improve the appearance of cellulite, but despite this concrete evidence supporting it I still hadn’t got round to trying body brushing.
Blame a lack of time or not knowing how to do it properly but I’ve been reluctant to add dry brushing into my shower routine but since learning that she of gorgeous, smooth limbs model Lisa Snowdon, 49, body brushes every day , I’m going to get to grips with how to dry body brush. Fingers crossed I'll have toned, firm limbs in time for June 21...
“I used to think dry body brushing was a load of old rubbish but I love it now and do it most days religiously,” says beauty editor Amanda Pauley, a recent convent of body brushing. “I’m finding it’s actually a lot more effective than a body scrub. I do it every day while standing in the shower, brushing my legs, bum, arms and back before turning the water on. This takes about two to three minutes to do and after two weeks I noticed my skin was smoother and the texture better, especially on the backs of my legs.”
When to dry body brush
Body brushing should be done on dry skin, before your bath or shower. “You can body brush morning or night, it really depends on personal preference,” says ayurvedic beauty brand Urban Veda 's brand director Tanya Mayers Shah. “Body brushing in the morning sets you up for the day with an uplifting feeling, a revived outlook and a renewed focus.”
How to dry body brush
“Start at your feet and work upwards to the neck, brushing the body in sweeping motions towards the heart centre,” says Tanya. “Use circular strokes on the stomach and joints and long sweeping strokes on the arms and legs.”
“Body brush your back as best you can in a self-hugging position,” adds Christina Salcedas, global director of education and wellbeing at Aromatherapy Associates.
How long should I dry body brush for?
“It normally takes me three minutes to do my body,’ says Christina. “I do five strokes on each location before moving onto the next part of the body. I keep going until I can see some redness due to increased blood flow.”
"Body brushing shouldn’t take any longer than five to seven minutes," adds Nicola Baillie, head of education for ESPA . "It's very stimulating and over brushing an area could cause damage to the skin over time."
The benefits of dry body brushing
Cellulite treatment
As mentioned, dry body brushing is widely promoted as a good treatment for cellulite. “It encourages the renewal of new healthy cells in the body, aids in lymphatic drainage, stimulates blood circulation and ensures that products used afterwards are more readily absorbed as it removes the top layer of skin cells,” says Christina.
Skin softening
“One of the first physical benefits you will see from body brushing is skin softening. You will feel this instantly - skin will feel silky smooth,” says Tanya.
Exfoliation
“This dry form of exfoliation removes dead skin cells more rigorously than scrubs and it also helps with ingrown hairs on the legs,” says Tanya. “Removing the dead skin enhances the appearance of the body, making skin look healthy.”
Boosts blood circulation
“By starting at the feet and working upwards in the direction of the heart, this ritual pushes the blood up on its journey to back to the heart,” says Tanya. “People who tend to have cold hands and feet through poor circulation will benefit from this as it gets the blood pumping around the entire body reaching those harder places and warming the body up internally.”
Lymphatic drainage
"We have lymph nodes throughout our body and dry body brushes help to dislodge any toxins stuck in the nodes and allow the body to flush them out," says Tanya.
Mental clarity
"Body brushing also helps to clear the mind," explains Tanya. "Whilst it brings many physical benefits to the skin and removing internal toxins, it also helps with balancing our mental health. Our bodies appreciate this simple daily self-care ritual and we very much believe that this ritual will promote body positivity as well. How we feel on the inside translates to how we are on the outside so by caring for ourselves, our skin will not only glow from the physical benefits that this ritual does bring, but the mental clarity and element of self-love will boost this even more."
When will I see results?
“Physical results will happen almost immediately. You will feel your skin become super soft through exfoliation,” says Tanya. “The internal and mental benefits will start to happen over time so including this in your routine will really help to get the blood and toxins moving internally.”
"You will feel immediate results in the texture and tone of your skin after brushing because of the removal of dead skin cells," agrees Nicola. "If you have cellulite you will see an improvement over a month of use and this will continue to improve in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle and diet. These changes encourage you to continue to include it in your home care routine."
Ready to start dry body brushing? Read our edit of the body brushes we tried and recommend .