WHY DRY BRUSHING MAY BE YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE RITUAL
THE ART OF DRY BRUSHING FOR INNER & OUTER GLOW!
Today I want to share another powerful practice called dry-brushing. And no I’m not talking about blow-drying your hair, but rather I’m talking about giving your body a boosting shine with a specific brush called a dry-brush ;-)
So what is dry-brushing actually?
In Ayurveda, dry-brushing is called garshana (pronounced gar-shun-uh) and it’s a self-ritual that promotes lymphatic cleansing and is also a powerful way to support the removal of ama (cellular waste products) from the body (* remember we talked about ama in our tongue scraping ritual that you can read here if you missed it!).
This self-ritual is mostly recommended on a daily basis for people who have higher signs of ama (or accumulation of toxins in the body) like fatigue, sluggishness, feeling physical or mental dullness, constipation, and a taxed immune system.
Because garshana (or dry-brushing) is quite stimulating for the body, people who are predominantly Kapha in their constitution will benefit from practicing garshana every day. Those who are predominantly Pitta can do this practice 4–5 times per week, and those with more Vata would best benefit from doing this practice only 2–4 times per week. * (To find out which dosha is most predominant for you, you can take our dosha quiz here).
If your skin is on the dryer side or you are prone to experience mental anxiety (indications of increased Vata), it is highly recommended to do abhyanga (the Ayurvedic self-massage we talked about in our last email) with our Wild Grace Vata oil after dry brushing to lubricate the skin. This will help to bring the Vata dosha back into balance by calming the nervous system.
Dry-brushing is done in the morning (before taking a shower) on dry skin using a wooden brush with stiff bristles that we rub against the skin to help exfoliate dead cells from the skin surface and enhance blood flow. The “dry” part of dry- brushing refers to the fact that neither the brush nor your skin should be damp while you do it.
What are the benefits?
The main benefits of dry-brushing are:
Boosts circulation: If you've noticed that your skin is red after dry brushing, it's not just a result of irritation, the redness is the result of increased circulation in the areas you've been dry brushing. Your body is simply pushing more blood to those areas which is a good thing.
Aids with lymphatic drainage: Aside from leaving you with glowing skin, dry-brushing can encourage lymphatic drainage. All blood carries lymph fluid, which filters through the lymph nodes. Dry brushing speeds up the rate of blood pumping, which helps get the lymph through the body, therefore removing toxins and pathogens more quickly.
Exfoliates dead skin: As with all methods of exfoliating, dry brushing gets rid of the oil as well as dead skin cells. The result is increased cell turnover and more radiant, smooth skin.
Depending on your dosha (as mentioned above) dry-brushing can be done as a daily ritual and is an amazing way to get your body ready for the day! It will leave you energized and glowing from the inside out. On the other hand, people with specific skin or health conditions like very sensitive skin, a skin condition such as psoriasis or eczema an open wound (skip the area) inflamed skin due to sunburn or an allergy and any serious illness should avoid garshana or consult a health practitioner in case of any doubts.
How to dry-brush?
As mentioned above, skin brushing is best done in the morning before bathing, with dry skin that is free from lotion or oil.
- Stand in the bathtub/shower or on a towel to avoid getting flaky skin on the floor
- Using gloves or a brush, massage vigorously to stimulate the skin and lymph
- Keep the direction of the stroke always toward the heart
- Use circular strokes on the stomach and joints (shoulders, elbows, knees, wrists, hips, and ankles), and long sweeping strokes on the arms and legs (toward the heart)
- Massage from the feet upward, continuing to the torso and on to the neck
- Massage from the hands to the shoulders
- Massage the stomach and buttocks in circular clockwise motions
Make sure you apply a light pressure where the skin is thin or sensitive and a firmer pressure on thicker areas like the bottoms of the feet. Remember also that the brush should never break the skin and it shouldn’t hurt too much. We do want to stimulate the blood flow, so yes it will feel as if your skin is tingling, but the sensation should always be bearable! It is a self-love ritual after all, not a torture practice :).
Once you are done, take a shower and anoint your body with your WILD GRACE Body Oil according to your dosha! You can find all the information about which oil to use here.
I hope you’ll love dry-brushing as it is such a beautiful way to start the day on a fresh vibrant note! Don’t forget to follow us on social media and to tell us your favorite ritual so far! I love hearing from you….
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INSTAGRAM @wildgrace.ca
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With love,
Kim
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crédit photo @myriamrochefort
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