Body brushing is something everyone, especially girls, should do. I’m a beauty therapist and I’ve decided to start a series on my blog called ‘Beauty Decoded’ a section where you can read up on treatments before you have them – or find out about treatments you don’t even know about – to see the benefits and cons of them. I hope this saves you money – avoiding treatments that aren’t necessary and time.
First on my list is body brushing.
This is something that can be combined as a dry spa treatment as an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells before a wrap or mud mask – or it can simply be an at home treatment you give yourself.
Body brushes come in all shapes and sizes, some with handles, some more like a horses curry comb. It totally depends on which ones are suitable and easiest for you to use. The bristles can be quite firm, so anyone suffering with fibromyalgia or any sensory/pain disorders should avoid.
Body brushing is the act of brushing the skin in an upwards motion, towards the heart, that removes dead skin cells. There are so many benefits of body brushing, firstly is smooth skin – your skin will feel so silky smooth after you’re done – you’ll wonder why you didn’t do this years ago. The upwards motion of the brush increases circulation to the area, so you may see the skin getting red. This is what we call erythema, which simply means reddening of the skin. Increased circulation has a variety of benefits, including increased healing of any scrapes (it is important not to brush over any open wounds), and it also helps reduce the appearance of cellulite. Not having the top dead layer of skin hanging around also means that any products you put onto your skin will be absorbed quicker and more effectively.
You can pick up a Body brush from places like the body shop for as little as £10. If you get one with a long handle it will allow you to get to your back area. if you suffer with back acne then this is extremely beneficial to exfoliate your back and get rid of any buildup of skin cells that can cause a breakout.
The body brush can either have very soft or very harsh bristles, both are fine but it just depends on what you can handle.
Overall Pros:
Exfoliates
Allows Products to absorb properly
Increases circulation
Lessens the appearance of cellulite
Helps to ease sore muscles
Overall cons:
Erythema (redness)
Can be sore for those with sensitive skin – a soft bristled brush is recommended until tolerance has built up
I personally think it’s a great way to exfoliate and is much more natural than using scrubs and fragranced products.
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