Dry Brushing Your Face Is A Beauty Routine Game-Change

The ancient method of dry brushing, with roots in Ayurvedic medicine, has been practiced for centuries. Also known as Garshana, dry skin brushing is where the skin is massaged with a dry brush in order to increase circulation, exfoliate, and help the skin become invigorated — among many other health benefits (per Buddhist Studies Institute). Many people dry brush their skin after a shower or bath when the pores are open for increased benefits. However, we typically stop short of the face, shifting to our daily skincare routine, and missing out on all those dry brushing benefits for the face.

So, why haven't we been dry brushing our faces all along? Oftentimes our faces get neglected when it comes to dry brushing because we are so focused on applying that new face serum or our favorite eye cream. However, taking the extra time to dry brush the face can be a game changer, and our faces will thank us for including this important step in our beauty routine. Let's explore everything about dry brushing your face so you can get that beautiful glow you deserve.

Before learning how it all works, it's important to make sure dry brushing the face is right for your complexion. If you have very sensitive skin, you may want to skip dry brushing altogether. According to VeryWell Health, never dry brush your face if you have rashes, eczema, wounds, psoriasis, sunburn, or any skin irritations. Also, if the skin on your face is really dry at the moment, brushing it may cause over-exfoliation of the protective barrier (via Net-a-Porter).

So, how does it work? Beauty industry expert Tracey Woodward tells Net-a-Porter to brush dry clean skin from the neckline up. Be sure to brush in circles, and reach all the way to the hairline. However, always skip brushing the thin, delicate skin around the eye area. Woodward spends about three minutes dry brushing the face before applying any serums, oils, or moisturizers. Keep in mind that dry brushes are different from electric cleansing brushes, which are intended to deep-clean the face. Therefore, when buying a dry brush, look for a gentle brush, mitt, or cloth intended specifically for dry brushing. 

There is a reason dry skin brushing has been around for so long. Turns out, dry brushing acts to exfoliate the skin by removing dead and rough skin cells from the face, according to Healthline. In other words, it allows our serums and creams to get deeper into the skin layer, revealing smoother and softer skin. Dry brushing the face also gives added invigoration by increasing circulation through the motion of circular dry brushing. Nonetheless, because the benefits are temporary, it's important to make this a regular step in your routine. On top of a glowing complexion, dry brushing could offer a calming holistic exercise to your often hectic day.

There are also a few myths to debunk when it comes to dry brushing. For starters, there is no research to support the notion that dry brushing encourages and drains the lymphatic system (per VeryWell Health). Dry skin brushing also doesn't redistribute fat to other parts of the face or body. It can plump the skin temporality, but dry brushing doesn't remove cellulite, as some people may believe. Although you can't brush toxins out of the body or remove cellulite, you can use dry skin brushing on your face to reveal a gorgeous glow.