It seems like every time I watch a get-ready-with-me video, the first step of the routine is dry brushing. And while I’ve tried it here and there, I never found myself committing to the act. But this skin-care practice is beloved by not only the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Tracee Ellis Ross, but also by functional health doctors and medical professionals as well.
It’s the act of running a bristled brush across your skin while working against gravity (so working toward your torso on limbs) to help with moving the body’s lymphatic system. Everybody raves about the myriad of health benefits that comes along with dry brushing—from physically exfoliating your skin and eliminating strawberry skin to increasing blood flow and potentially diminishing the appearance of circulation. Perhaps, then, it’s time to really give it a try.
Vogue’s Favorite Dry Brushes Best With Copper Bristles: HigherDose Supercharge Copper Body Brush, $69 Best Comfortable Handle: Kate McLeod The Dry Brush Exfoliating Body Tool, $26 Best Long-Handled: Goop Ultimate Dry Brush, $25 Best Compact Brush: Joanna Czech The Dry Massage Body Brush, $39 Best With Natural Materials: Shelter Skin Sculpting Copper Dry Brush, $68 What is Dry Brushing? True to its name, dry brushing involves running a bristled brush over dry skin, most commonly on the body (though occasionally, on the face if you’re working with a face-specific brush that’s much softer). A simple pre-shower ritual, it isn’t just used in Ayurvedic medicine to stimulate the skin and the body’s lymphatic system, but in traditional Chinese medicine (a.k.a.
It’s a practice that has stood the test of time, which is always a good sign when trying to understand whether a wellness “trend” is really worth its salt. The Benefits of Dry Brushing As well as stimulating lymphatic drainage, which helps in detoxifying the body, dry brushing is supposed to be effective for removing dead skin cells to smooth skin, boosting blood circulation, and reducing puffiness and water retention. It is a great way to invigorate body and mind, especially at the start of the day.
And some say it’s also great at reducing the appearance of cellulite, but from my personal research, this seems somewhat unfounded. Sophie Bolvary, licensed massage therapist at Sanara, adds that the practice of dry brushing may boost our immune system: “The lymphatic system does not have a ‘pump’ of its own, meaning it only gets working when we start moving our body or when it is stimulated manually by dry brushing or light massage,” she explains. She adds that different brushes can have a different effect on the body.
Dry brushes made with boar-hair bristles are ideal for daily use and exfoliation. Dry brushes with ionic-copper bristles carry the added benefit of sweeping your body in negative ions, which is known for antiviral and antibacterial properties in traditional medicine. It also may bring us full body-mind refreshment as an added self-care benefit.
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