Body Brushing

And why your going to fall in love with it!

We’ve all seen them in the shops, you may have even purchased one believing you will use it to scrub your back in the shower (that’s what it’s for right?), but how many of us have actually stuck to using it or even used it in the right way?!

So today I want to share with you the effects of body brushing, how to do it and why it’s going to become a new staple in your self-care regime.

Why body brush?

Cellulite

Body brushing has loads of great benefits for the body. First off the bat, it helps to get rid of cellulite. Cellulite is most commonly found on the outer sides of thighs and is more common in woman (lucky us!) It is basically a build up of fatty deposits. It has nothing to do with being over weight and is in fact hereditary. Body brushing helps to disperse these deposits and so breaks down the cellulite.

Brighter Skin

Body brushing removes the top layer of dead skin from the surface, leaving a fresh, healthy layer of skin. Much the same as body scrubs work, by removing the top dead layer of skin, you leave yourself with a beautiful layer that will absorb products much better. If you are applying products to skin which hasn’t been body brushed or had a body scrub then the products you apply to your skin are going to get trapped at the top on the dead skin, unable to penetrate to the deeper levels, meaning you are not getting the best from your products. So that expensive moisturiser your applying? Wasted! Even if you’re not applying any products to your skin, body brushing will still leave your skin much softer to the touch and with a healthy glow. 

Helps rid the body of Toxins

Body brushing is also amazing for your lymphatic system. This is what carries toxins away in our body, but unlike blood circulation, the lymphatic system doesn’t have anything to pump it around (the heart) and so is very dependent on us moving to get it going. Body brushing will give that circulation a boost, which gets the toxins shifted out of our body and therefore leaves us feeling and looking fresher!

Wellbeing

Although this is just a little, simply step to add into your life, it will have an impact on your wellbeing. Anything we do as an act of self-love for ourselves has a positive impact on us emotionally. Taking a few minutes out to body brush may be just as simple as conditioning your hair, but adding it into your routine may then encourage more acts of self-love, like moisturising when you get out of the shower, afterall, you have taken the time to brush it, why not now nourish it with some lovely coconut oil? One small act of kindness to ourselves can snowball, so watch out, before you know it your going to be totally in love with yourself!

I know! Who knew! A little brushing can achieve so much!

Now, the how to's...

How to Body Brush

Body brushing is done on dry skin, it is super easy and takes very little time. The optimum time to do it is right before you get in the shower or bath, that way you wash the dead skin straight off. Some people like to do it in the morning as they find it invigorating and great for helping them to wake up and get the body going!

Plus starting your day with a little self-love sets a great tone for the day!

The technicalities:

• Firstly, you want to buy a body brush made from natural fibres.

• When your body brushing you want to use a gentle pressure, think of it as gently sweeping across your skin, you don’t want to be scrubbing the skin off!

• Start at your feet and work towards your heart, using long, sweeping movements. On the stomach you want to move in a clockwise circular movement, to assist digestion.

• You may want to pay extra attention to the armpits and inner thigh as this is the locations of two main lymph nodes, where your lymphatic system drains toxins to.

• Once your finished brushing the skin jump in the shower or bath to wash dead skin cells off.

Now if you feel like taking your self-care routine up another notch then check out my Soothing Bath Salts post or (and) indulge in a full body moisturise after your bath or shower. With that lush new layer of skin, the products will penetrate to the deeper levels, with this in mind I would suggest using a natural and organic product like coconut oil or one of the Neal’s Yard luxury organic body moisturisers, they have a great selection, and although for some they may seem a little expensive, I promise you won’t regret the investment!

Lisa

xoxo