I just finished a 5-day Ayurvedic detox. In the morning I drank ghee, I followed a mono diet of Kitchari, I took cleansing herbs, practiced mindfulness, and kept super hydrated. While I like only like to do a full-on detox twice a year, in spring and fall – you can bet your bottom that I keep up with some daily detox routines to keep me feeling vibrant.
How many daily detox practices do you take part in?
You may already be familiar with some of my Be Vibrant tips: drinking warm water with fresh lemon, including fresh-pressed vegetable juices, practicing a yoga flow with lots of detoxing twists, staying well hydrated, utilizing bitter herbs and greens and making time for a detox bath. These are just some simple self-loving habits that provide your body with a little boost in the healthy removal of toxins.
It’s so worth making time for daily detox practices, as they’re stellar for increasing your energy levels, decreasing stress, keeping the mind clear and supporting digestion – not to mention, practicing self-love and self-care brings on the positive and feel-good vibes that make you proud of yourself. (I don’t always get excited over the bitter taste of dandelion greens, but I give myself a high-five for caring for my liver!)
Taking care of your superstar detoxification organs – aka your kidneys, liver, lungs, skin and colon – is critical for reaching your most vibrant health and well-being.
When you think of detoxing, your liver is typically the first thought, however with your skin being your largest organ – and your largest detoxification organ for that matter, what are you doing to support a skin-detox?
Meet The ultimate skin detox
Did you know there’s a brush designed for your skin? It’s true. This simple action known as dry brushing is going to make your skin glow, and get you detoxing fo-sho (rhyming intentional).
After you read benefit number one – you’re gonna be naked in your bathroom reaping the benefits. Keep reading so that doesn’t sound so super-creepy.
A dry brush is a made up of stiff/dense bristles. Your best quality dry brush will be made with natural fibres – not from plastic or synthetic materials. You can find these in most health food stores – or have one delivered to your door, curtesy of Amazon. Your perfect dry brush will have bristles that are strong enough to feel ‘comfortably uncomfortable’. They shouldn’t be too soft, but it shouldn’t be painful or scratch your skin.
What brushes do I use? Well thanks for asking. I speak from experience here, as it took quite the search (and investment) for me to find the best brand. I can save you the trouble – the best of the best dry brushes are made by P. Jentschura – they’re German made, high quality and utilize natural and sustainable materials. If you take good care of your things – you should never have to replace it!
I started out with their classic Bath Brush, I love this one because of the long handle (it’s the ultimate back scratcher). I recently upgraded to their Energy Brush, which is handle-free but has these super-cool bronze bristles made from a copper-tin alloy, which creates a super soothing effect and a pleasant tingling sensation. I’ve also got this cute little Facial Brush which is a saviour on dry-face days. Yes, I know – three brushes. What can I say, I just love the benefits. Speaking of which:
8 Reasons Why you need to dry brush your skin
Bye-Bye Dead Skin Cells
Don’t get the hebejebes, but each day we lose over one-million skin cells. Yup. Dry brushing not only works to remove all of those lingering dead cells, but the practice also improves the overall appearance of your skin, it clears those clogged pores, and allows your skin to properly breathe.
Hello Skin Detox
I hope you know that one third of your body’s toxins are excreted through your skin. By loosening up and removing all those dead skin cells, you’re allowing for proper cell rejuvenation. This also opens up a major pathway for excreting toxins from the body. Dry brushing is for your skin what milk thistle is for your liver.
Lymphatic Love
Dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, aka your network of vessels, glands and organs which transport nutrients and metabolic waste. This is a super important detoxification system, that for most of us – is sluggish. When your lymph system isn’t properly flowing, your immunity may suffer from attacks by foreign invaders, and you may be more prone to sinus infections and generally speaking, feeling less than optimal (better known as ‘blah’).
Movement is essential for your lymphatic system, as it does not have a pump. It relies on muscle contractions (exercise), jumping (hello trampolines), yoga and dry brushing!
Circulatory Stimulation
When you dry brush, you’re showing attention to your entire body, it’s like a full-body treatment and the practice manually increases your blood flow – which aids in healing and carrying nutrients throughout your body.
Glowing Skin
You’ve gotta look at least a little different after brushing off a million dead skin cells. Brush off those dead cells and get your natural glow on!
Reduce & Prevent Cellulite
I’ve got friends that swear by this method. Another ‘win-win’ for dry brushing – cya-cellulite! Since toxins are stored in fat, and when we dry brush, we’re helping to eliminate toxins… Dry brushing shows a potential in cellulite reduction, while also helping to tighten the skin!
Baby Soft Skin
Glowing AND super soft skin? Unclogging those pores from dirt and oil is one way that dry brushing makes your skin silky-smooth. This practice also stimulates our hormone and oil producing glands, giving us irresistibly soft skin.
Energizing & Invigorating
There’s a huge reason why I recommend dry brushing in all of my online programs as a self-love practice. This is such a simple and inexpensive way to introduce new energy. Dry brushing is so invigorating and gives you a total boost. It’s like a spa treatment that you can do yourself and it’s an opportunity to show your entire body some love.
Your New Morning Routine
If you’re a morning bather, this is the ideal time to dry brush (with the associated energy boost and such). Now let’s take part in some good ol-dry brushing. You’re probably only going to need to read this once or twice – while dry brushing is uber simple to do, you want to make sure your optimally executing the skin detox mission:
- Your skin should be dry before you proceed, it’s not ideal or enjoyable right after a sweaty workout. Now grab your brush, and get naked, for-real. Lock the doors if you need to.
- Tell yourself how amazing you are, and only then we will get started. Pick up your dry brush or my favourite Energy Brush.
- Begin with the top of your feet. I always start on my left side (since I am right handed). Begin by making gentle circular upward motions, from the tips of your toes all the way up in the direction of your heart. Then repeat on the other side before you get started on your arms.
- You always want to start at the bottom of your body and slowly make your way up to your chest. It’s important to work in this direction as it supports the natural highway of your lymphatic system.
- Brush slowly and be gentle, if you’re ticklish like me – it can be a challenge to brush over your tummy, sides and chest without sniggering. Always avoid any scratches, irritated skin or open wounds – that would just be unpleasant.
- Make sure you get your entire body from feet to neck and don’t forget your back – a brush with a handle such as this Bath Brush helps reach those sweet-spots
- Don’t even attempt dry brushing your face, unless you have a Facial Brush, which has much softer bristles.
- Once you’ve shown some dry brushing love to your entire body, hop in the shower and wash away all those lovely dead skin cells. Have your water anywhere from warm to hot for increased blood circulation.
- Be sure you’re using natural shower products (maybe your next mission is a Beauty Detox?)
- Practice Dry Brushing before every shower, or 2-3 times a week. You can even complement your new routine with the Jentschura AlkaBath; a mineral rich, alkalizing detox bath.
It’s time to feel fabulous! (Even more than you already are).
