Don't Make This Mistake When Dry Brushing Your Skin
Skincare is expanding from just taking care of the skin on your face to taking care of your body, too. Take a look at your vanity; you may find a few or a ton of skincare products for your face. From cleansers to serums and moisturizers, the skin on your face gets so much love. Every day, there are also newer skincare trends that focus on the face, and who doesn't want glowing skin every day? According to ET, some of the biggest skincare trends of 2022 include spring "skinimalism" with the growth in multitasking products to save time and are sustainable and slugging to seal in your hydration. Glamour even shared that body skincare will get a lot of attention this year.
Hope Smith, founder and CEO of beauty brand MUTHA, told the outlet, "More people seem to be taking the extra time in their routines to take care of their bodies." The skin on our body is also prone to aging and needs a little extra TLC sometimes. That's why there has been a growth in body moisturizers with active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, alpha hydroxy acids, and retinol.
In addition to just hydrating the skin, dry brushing is going viral on social media. You may wonder if dry brushing your skin actually works, but it may well take care of the skin on your body from the neck down, which often doesn't get as much love as our faces. Dermatologists and celebrities are huge fans of this extra step of physical exfoliation, and there may be some truth to it.
What is dry brushing?
Most people exfoliate the skin on their face to get rid of dry skin, but many don't do the same to the skin on their bodies — and that is where dry brushing comes into play. According to Healthline, dry brushing is actually an ancient Ayurvedic practice where you use a brush with "coarse, natural-fiber bristles" all over your body. It is believed that dry brushing helps you relax as you massage your body with a circular motion, and it can also help release toxins through the pores.
On this technique, model and founder of Kora Organics Miranda Kerr told People, "It's a great way to get your circulation going, remove dead skin cells and stimulate lymphatic drainage. I also find it really energizing!" Kerr has been doing it every morning before taking a shower for over 10 years.
Triple board-certified dermatologist Mamina Turegano, M.D. is a strong advocate for dry brushing, too. She told MindBodyGreen, "We don't really touch our skin–and doing so can be an excellent form of self-care. It's important to acknowledge your skin," adding that it can be "very nurturing and healthy" for you. It's advised that you brush dry skin before you shower, but there is something you need to do after too to get the full benefits of dry brushing your skin.
You must moisturize your skin after dry brushing
New York-based dermatologist Mara Weinstein told Byrdie, "The purpose of a moisturizer is to prevent the loss of water in the outermost layer of our skin, the stratum corneum, but it also helps to prevent environmental damage to your skin as it acts as a protective barrier." Many people know the importance of using a moisturizer, but you should also know that you shouldn't forget to do so after dry brushing.
According to holistic dermatologist Mamina Turegano, you should apply moisturizer on damp skin post-dry brushing because the process of dry brushing exfoliates your skin, and you are more likely to lose moisture from the top layer of your skin, leading to more skin dehydration (via MindBodyGreen).
It's more beneficial to moisturize your skin after dry brushing because a lack of dead cells will help the nourishing ingredient from your body lotion go deeper into the skin for better hydration as well. It looks like your thirsty skin might better absorb all the hydrating and moisturizing ingredients after revealing smoother and softer skin. MindBodyGreen recommends choosing a moisturizer with humectants that attract moisture to the skin, as well as one that also contains emollients and occlusives to condition and form a protective barrier on your skin.
Enjoy dry brushing to reveal baby soft skin by getting rid of all the dead skin cells, but don't forget to moisturize it afterward to potentially get the best skin of your life.