How To Dry Body Brush Properly

Health experts are always extolling the virtues of dry body brushing – and for good reason. Not only is it an amazing way to exfoliate skin and leave it glowing, it also jumpstarts the circulation, so has a host of internal benefits, too. We chatted to one of the technique’s biggest fans, facialist Jocelyn Petroni, to get her tips on how to really get the best out of your brush.

IMAGE: INSTAGRAM @BRIDGETMALCOLM

1. Do it on dry skin – after a shower

It ain’t called dry body brushing for nothing. It’s important the skin is dry as this increases the exfoliation process, and Jocelyn recommends doing it after your shower. “Then you’ve washed away any sort of surface dirt, or oil or body moisturiser that may otherwise adhere to the brush,” she explains. “Plus, if you’ve just had a shower your skin’s going to be soft and it is more likely that the brush will stimulate the sloughing off of skin cells”.

2. Know your stroke

Start at your feet and work your way up, says Jocelyn. “It’s important to brush in the direction of lymphatic flow or drainage, which is from the limbs to the heart. And use light, long brush strokes.”

3. Be firm, but gentle

As for pressure, it should feel firm but not painful. “Lymphatic drainage is stimulated by a light pressure – you don’t want your skin to be going too pink or too red.” And avoid delicate areas like the face, neck, décolletage and breasts. Jocelyn says doing it once or twice a week will give great benefit.

4. Hydrate straight after

If you’ve exfoliated a lot of skin cells off you may want to jump back in the shower for a quick rinse down, and then dry off and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. “Post-dry body brushing, apply some oil or moisturiser, and it will soak in beautifully because you sloughed away that barrier.”

5. Keep it clean

Because the brush is being used to slough dead skin, it’s a good idea to keep it hygienic. “Spray it with a mixture of water and tea tree after each use, and if you’re using it a couple times a week maybe you want to replace your brush every few months,” says Jocelyn.

SHOP THE LOOK

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Story by Sigourney and Melinda Nanovsky

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Comment (0) Cancel reply

September 13, 2016
Tajna

I love dry body brushing so much, it’s made my skin much more softer and toned. It also has led me to use different body scrubs in the shower and also use Bentonite clay in the bath. The latter is incredibly beneficial in making your skin like silk.

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