I've been dry brushing my body every day before I shower and my skin has never been softer — here's how it works
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- Dry brushing has been touted as a detoxifying, healing beauty treatment that'll leave skin soft, glowing, and cellulite-free.
- While some of the claims are unfounded, dry brushing does a great job of exfoliating and sloughing off dead skin.
- I've been using the Esker Beauty Dry Brush ($18) every night before I shower and my skin has never been so silky smooth.
If Goop queen Gwenyth Paltrow swears by it, it should be enough for me. That — and my perpetually dry winter skin — is what piqued my curiosity about dry brushing, one of the latest and greatest wellness trends.
The hype around dry brushing is pretty major, with sources claiming it can detoxify, help with lymphatic drainage, reduce cellulite, deeply exfoliate, and more. From all of the rave reviews, a dry brush seems like a pretty average beauty tool that yields above-average results. Out of all of the wacky wellness trends out there, dry brushing seemed like a safe bet that I was definitely into trying out, starting with the Esker Beauty Dry Brush ($18).
What is dry brushing?
Dry brushing is pretty much exactly what it sounds like — it's somewhere between a massage and an exfoliating treatment by means of running a soft-bristled brush over dry skin. The bristles slough off dead skin cells and the pressure of the movement is said to stimulate lymphatic drainage, which is supposed to help a slew of ailments, including fatigue, headaches, swelling, and the common cold.
After plenty of research, it became clear that most of the supposed benefits of dry brushing are not actually scientifically-founded. While you may personally feel that the process has helped you detox or rid the appearance of your cellulite, none of these purported effects are guaranteed, or backed by any significant evidence. Still, that didn't stop me from giving this product a try, because there's one area where dry brushing really delivers: exfoliation.
How to dry brush
Most people dry brush before the shower or bath, then wash up, and then follow up with a lotion or oil to lock in moisture. Shannon Davenport, founder of Esker Beauty, recommends starting at your arms, legs, or feet and using short strokes, brushing in the direction of your heart to get your lymphatic system stimulated. Make sure your skin isn't wet. Depending on your brush and your skin type, the bristles might feel a little scratchy — so apply as much or as little pressure as is comfortable for you.
My experience with dry brushing
I've been using the Esker Beauty Dry Brush ($18) and my skin has felt amazingly soft. The brush is made with a grass tree wooden handle, wrapped in hemp twine for an easy grip, and filled with soft, natural bristles. I simply take the brush to my dry skin before showering and brush my skin, almost as if i'm brushing my hair. It sounds weird, but if you can get past the peculiarity of it, you'll reap the silky-soft rewards of well-exfoliated, ultra-soft skin.
I have sensitive skin all year round, but in winter it becomes a flaky, dry nightmare. Lotions are never moisturizing enough and body scrubs are too harsh, so my go-to solution has become lathering my body in coconut oil. While it does wonders for the smoothness of my skin, coconut oil can be a mess to clean up and left me looking pretty greasy when I mindlessly applied it at the wrong time of day (note to self: don't use coconut oil the day of a big event.)
After trying a lot of different exfoliating and moisturizing methods, I can say dry brushing is one of the best (for me, at least). Dry brushing is an easy, affordable way to exfoliate your way to glowy, soft skin. The bristles are gentle on your skin, and give a nice exfoliating effect without much pressure. The $18 upfront cost might seem like a lot for such a simple beauty tool, but the brush lasts pretty much forever, so you won't have to buy another one anytime soon (unlike, for example, makeup brushes). And anyway, topical moisturizers can only do so much when you have a lot of dead skin buildup.
The cellulite myth
You can't actually make cellulite disappear, but exfoliating does increase circulation below the skin which should cause a temporary plumping effect. That, combined with the fact that the brush is sloughing away dead skin cells, should leave skin looking clearer and fuller, which may reduce the appearance of cellulite. While it's no permanent solution, this brush can help you freshen skin up, giving it a smoother look overall.
Bottom line
Beyond the ease of use and cost-effectiveness of the product, dry brushing has been a welcome addition to my beauty routine. Putting aside a few extra minutes before I hop in the shower helps me slow down and unwind after a long day. Plus, it feels really good — dry brushing is kind of like getting a massage, and who doesn't want to end the day with a massage?
Maybe the Esker Dry Brush can't get rid of your cellulite, and maybe you won't be "detoxed," but dry brushing will leave your skin feeling silky smooth, and that is enough for me to keep using it every day.