Dry Brushing: Fleeting Fad or Feel Good Ritual?
Feel invigorated and improve your skin’s texture and appearance? Yes please! We tested out dry brushing just for you and we think this trend is here to stay
It’s nearly impossible to peruse any wellness or beauty site without being slapped in the face with a dry-brush. It has rapidly become the IT mind and body trend doted upon by docs, yogis, and beauty gurus alike. So, we wondered: is dry-brushing all it’s cracked up to be or is it just the next fad we should…brush off. Does dry brushing work? Find out in our review.
The product:
Step one was to pick out a dry brush, which you can easily find at any natural beauty shop these days. You can’t really go wrong; the brushes themselves are mainly the same construction of natural sisal fibers and pleasantly priced given their popularity. We opted for this one from Follain.
The claim:
We were all too intrigued by the number of proposed benefits of dry brushing to look the other way. Beyond the surface promises of glowing, soft skin, and reduced cellulite, dry brushing has claimed to have a hand in cleansing toxins, organ, and lymphatic stimulation and increased energy. That’s a lot of deliverables and we are in.
The test:
It’s not brain surgery or anything, but there is a science to dry brushing. You’re not just exfoliating willy nilly as you would with your loofah in the shower, but rather, working in short strokes all toward your heart. This motion is crucial to activating all of its benefits, stimulating the lymph nodes and blood vessels, and increasing circulation and cell turn over. I followed the process as instructed and I’m not going to lie, the first time it feels surprisingly rough! But, in a strangely good way. The second go of it was significantly less surprising and I learned to breathe deeply into each stroke which for me enhances the curative, cleansing experience. While not necessary, I like to follow it up with a body oil to feel extra cushy.
The verdict:
I’ve been dry brushing for two weeks now and although no one has stopped me to report how newly revived and incredible I look, I have become quite fond of my daily ritual. Something about roughing the brush over my body, with just enough scratch to be invigorating, but not too much that it reads as painful, is therapeutic to me. I feel cleansed and almost relieved after a good slough session. My skin feels softer than ever and while I can’t ask my lymph nodes how they’re doing, it just feels good. All in all, for the $10 investment, why not? And if you’re having the pregnancy blues, or feeling first trimester crumminess, this may just be there ritual to help you snap back to your happy self.