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.
So what is dry brushing? 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). “It is a powerful Ayurvedic practice that both exfoliates the skin and opens detox pathways to support lymphatic drainage and boost immunity,” says Lauren Berlingeri, co-founder of HigherDose.
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. TCM) too. 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.
“The brisk rhythmic motion creates a sensory reset that I find both grounding and energizing,” Bolvary adds. “Helping to sharpen mental alertness and brighten my mood.” Pro tip: Sprinkle an essential-oil blend (like something with citrus) to your dry brush to further wake up your senses.
My Experience With Dry Body Brushing
I’ve used a dry body brush during episodic health kicks previously, but rarely consistently—but my coworker swears by it before every shower, especially when she’s taking an “Everything Shower.” What I’ve most noticed since making it (at least) a four-times-a-week thing is that my skin is infinitely looking more polished and brighter. It’s an excellent way to quickly slough off the dead skin cells that form a grey veil over what was months before a summer tan, and it’s certainly a good way to wake yourself up in the morning.
I have found that combining it with a “contrast” shower—i.e., turning the temperature hot, then cold, then hot, then cold—makes me feel extremely energized, particularly after a vigorous workout. You also don’t really need to commit to doing five minutes to reap the benefits—give it three minutes and you’ll feel fantastic as you start your day. It’s worth noting that—as hard as I willed it—dry brushing won’t stimulate lymphatic drainage enough to cure a hangover. This is deeply disappointing, but I continue to search for a fix.
Newbies to the practice should know that once you’ve dry-brushed, you’ll likely experience an itchy, tingling sensation, along with some possible redness, which soon settles. This feeling quickly becomes less prominent with regular use, but it’s actually a sign that your circulation is revved up and blood is en route to the surface of the skin.
You also might feel, for lack of a better way to phrase it, like your skin is dusty. This is all the dead skin cells you just exfoliated off—which is why most people prefer to do this practice before hopping in the shower. Don’t fret, a little big of your favorite body soap will take care of it.
Dry body brushing is a really easy—and affordable—ritual to commit to, which is why it gets a yes from me. You can’t always see the many benefits it has on the body, but you can often feel them. I have personally noticed a more even skin tone, slightly lighter-feeling legs (not yet as streamlined as Paltrow’s, unfortunately), and more morning vitality. I also firmly believe that taking a few intentional minutes to do something positive for your well-being each day is underrated.
Next up… time to crack body moisturizing. A look at the dry brushes we’d recommend, below.
Best With Copper Bristles: HigherDose Supercharge Copper Body Brush
Why We Love It: A pick from Bolvary,
Why We Love It: A pick from Bolvary, this body brush is made with a mix of copper and natural horsehair bristles that strike the perfect balance between an extremely effective and gentle exfoliation. After a few uses, you’ll see your skin look—and feel—so much smoother. As a bonus, the copper bristles are known to sweep your body in negative ions to stimulate your lymphatic system, and give you antibacterial and antiviral benefits.
Editor’s Experience: “I have never really gotten into dry brushing (I’m admittedly very lazy and not too keen on adding another step into any of my routines). But I heard such great things about this specific dry brush, I decided to give it a try—and I’m a converted believer. This brush feels so luxe and gentle, I actually like rubbing it all over my skin. And after consistent use, I do notice my skin feels so much smoother and looks more radiant. This is especially important in the summer; when I’m layering so much sunscreen and bug repellent on my body, it’s nice to have something that effectively sloughs away any debris and product buildup. As for the TCM benefits, the jury is still out on that one. But I’m willing to keep trying to see.” —Audrey Noble, contributor
Bristle Material: Copper and natural horsehair
Handle Size: 13 x 8 x 4 cm.
Best Comfortable Handle: Kate McLeod The Dry Brush Exfoliating Body Tool
Why We Love It: This provides excellent targeted exfoliation. The natural blend of horsehair and sisal hair gently clears dirt and dead skin to prep you for any nourishing ingredients you want to treat your body to. We especially love circular, contoured bamboo handles for an easy grip so you can dry-brush thoroughly.
Bristle Material: Natural horsehair and sisal hair
Handle Size: N/A
Best Long-Handled: Goop Ultimate Dry Brush
Why We Love It: The natural sisal fibers on this brush feel great against the skin and provide a really gentle exfoliation to sweep away dead skin cells. “The thing that makes this brush really special—and smartly designed—is the long handle,” says Vogue’s senior beauty and wellness editor Margaux Anbouba. Out of a host of dry brush options, she always finds herself coming back to this one. “It’s perfect for reaching all of the hard-to-get-to spots, like your back. Anybody who suffers from bacne should try dry brushing. I’ve found keeping my back exfoliated has really kept mine in check.”
Bristle Material: Natural sisal fibers
Handle Size: N/A
Best Compact Brush: Joanna Czech The Dry Massage Body Brush
Why We Love It: The tampico bristles
Why We Love It: The tampico bristles are soft, but still give you a hard enough dry brush to really get your blood circulating and help clear away all the buildup on your skin. The result is a smoother surface and a brighter radiance on your body overall. Plus, it’s one of the easier brushes you can throw in a bag and travel with, so you can dry brush wherever you happen to be jetting off to.
Bristle Material: Tampico
Handle Size: 4.75 in.
Best With Natural Materials: Shelter Skin Sculpting Copper Dry Brush
Why We Love It: Another pick from Bolvary, this copper-and-horsehair brush is made with entirely natural materials. You’ll find fine copper wire that will gently neutralize buildup on your skin and give it that energetic boost so skin looks more refreshed. The horsehair will further slough away any debris for supersmooth skin. We also love the cherry-stained hardwood base; it’s just so luxe-looking, and we can’t help but be suckers for a chic aesthetic.
Bristle Material: Fine copper and natural horsehair
Handle Size: N/A
Source: www.vogue.com
