Dry Brushing - How To Tips
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free skin care · Tue May 27, 2008 3:25 pm

I'm posting this info in response to Mars' question about dry brushing on the 55 and Over Skin Care Issues thread.

While doing an EDS search, I found many mentions of dry brushing. Here are two good ones:
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=3204
Can You Dry Brush Your Face?
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=21409&start=0
But there isn't that much info on EDS about how to dry brush.

You can find info online by placing "dry brushing" in a search engine. But I figured I would post some pointers about dry brushing. The general rule is to always do the brushing toward the heart. And, it's best to use a brush with natural fibers (like tampico) v. a sythetic brush. I use a tampico brush made by Yerba Prima but I hadn't been doing dry brushing regularly. You can sometimes find this brush in Whole Foods or your local health food store. Or online:
http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Yerba%20Prima%20dry%20brush

Well, dry brushing has gotten bumped up on my to do list. It's great for your skin (your largest organ of detoxification) and moving your lymph. I recently got back from my Donna Eden Energy Medicine program class and had an "expert" give me instruction in dry brushing. Her name is Eva and she teaches it to her clients.

Anyway, I can offer some tips I got from Eva:

- you definitely want to get a brush with some friction - not too soft!!! - that's counter the purpose. She's found that people who start with a soft brush don't want to bump up to the one they should be using

- you will not get the same effect with loofah as dry brushing. For the full effect of dry brushing, the brush must be DRY

- you brush equally on each side of the body - otherwise, you may promote imbalance. Thus, pick a #. If it's 3, it's 3 brushes up from foot to knee on the right side of the body; then 3 brushes up the foot to the knee on the left, etc.

- Start the process using the back of the brush. Pick the # you're going with. If 3: First thump near the clavicle (3); then the groin (3); then back of the knees (3). This is to get the lymph moving/activated.

- you follow the lymph flow and always brush toward the heart; you do the body in natural sections (from joint bend to joint - like from foot to knee, knee to groin, etc.)

- because of the way the lymph flows on the right and left side below the arm pits, always start on the right foot; then do the same on the left side until you get above the waist. After that you can start on either side - but remember to do balanced (3-3).

- at the solar plexus area - start at the illeocecal valve on the lower right side of the abdomen and go in a circle in the direction of the digestive tract. This will help your digestion.

- if you are not big chested (like me) or a man, you can do figure eights above and under around your breasts. Don't brush your nipple area.

- when doing the arms, don't forget the armpits (down toward heart) - much lymph gathers here

- when doing the back as you reach the shoulders, do go continue over the shoulder toward the heart

- definitely do the neck

- for the face, you could have a separate brush or use the one you have gently. The most important parts for lymph drainage on the face are near the cheekbones (under I think) for sinus drainage. If you don't want to use the brush, you can use your fingers (tapping or massaging). Just massage or brush out to side of face.

- a good way to end your session is to do some cold-hot-cold 30 second (doesn't matter which first - hot or cold) or so bursts in the shower to open and close, thus, pumping the lymph. Then you can take your usual shower.

But, Eva said you don't have to shower afterward. It's just that you probably will want to - especially if you have any dead skin clouds coming off - as it helps rinse off what's started to come out (toxins).

free skin care · Tue May 27, 2008 4:47 pm

Thanks for doing this! Very helpful! I'm adding it to my 'favourites' so I'll have it on hand.

free skin care · Tue May 27, 2008 5:33 pm

lunarmm, this is wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to share this great information.

Now all I need is about 2 more hours in each day, for all my beauty treatments.. Very Happy

free skin care · Wed May 28, 2008 1:24 pm

Kris_*Kringle* wrote:

lunarmm, this is wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to share this great information.

Now all I need is about 2 more hours in each day, for all my beauty treatments.. Very Happy

No joke...along with someone to manage the treatment schedule, someone to apply all the treatments, and.... Very Happy

free skin care · Thu May 29, 2008 4:29 am

bethany wrote:

Kris_*Kringle* wrote:

lunarmm, this is wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to share this great information.

Now all I need is about 2 more hours in each day, for all my beauty treatments.. Very Happy

No joke...along with someone to manage the treatment schedule, someone to apply all the treatments, and.... Very Happy

He..He...
I just ordered another gadget...and I would love to try dry brushing..how to fit it all in...yikes..may have to give the kids away..(only kidding)

free skin care · Thu May 29, 2008 11:42 am

Thanks for the tips, also i read you can dry brush towards lymphatic nodes which helps remove toxins.

free skin care · Thu May 29, 2008 12:05 pm

saz07 wrote:

Thanks for the tips, also i read you can dry brush towards lymphatic nodes which helps remove toxins.

Well, these tips ARE all about brushing along with the lymphatic system toward the heart Wink

free skin care · Fri May 30, 2008 2:45 pm

Thanks so much lunarmm for the tips!! I just started dry brushing about a month ago using a sisal merben brush and it makes my skin feel great! I guess I have been doing it wrong or not as well as I should have been. I always started with the left leg and I never counted Embarassed

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 11:36 am

Thank you very much lunarmm!

Yesterday was the first day that I started dry brushing. So far I did it only two times and I like it. By doing some research, I came across Dr. Berkowsky's Vital Chi Skin-Brushing System. Do you know anything about it? If yes, what is your opinion?

I am thinking of buying his book and DVD. Here is a link to his website:
http://www.naturalhealthscience.com/vital_chi_skin_brushing_system.php

Thank you.

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 11:42 am

doba wrote:

By doing some research, I came across Dr. Berkowsky's Vital Chi Skin-Brushing System. Do you know anything about it? If yes, what is your opinion? I am thinking of buying his book and DVD. Here is a link to his website:
http://www.naturalhealthscience.com/vital_chi_skin_brushing_system.php

I have heard of it and am interested in purchasing it - especially the advanced techniques that work with meridians and acupressure points. But I'm trying to hold off on purchasing as I have a stack of books and DVDs waiting for me to devote time to Laughing

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 2:06 pm

I agree with you re dry skin brushing. The only thing I would add, is that if you have any lose skin or sagging, one of the things that I would usually recommend to people is to take a multi-mineral.

Skin becomes lose and spongey when it begins lacking in minerals. And often when people do dieting etc, the minerals go out the window and as a result the skin is delayed in snapping back or around the muscles etc. So if you want to make the most of skin brushing, adding a multimineral is really effective. You can get them in tablet or liquid form and there are loads out there. Minerals are such an overlooked thing, because the media advertises that we need and are lacking in vitamins - but for the body to make full use of vitamins it needs minerals.

I love Dr. Berkowsky's Vital Chi Skin-Brushing System. I have just ordered the dvd (it only recently became available) but it is such a great system and he really did research it well. The dvd hasn't arrived yet, but Toby I think said she had got it and felt she had good results from it. Apparently the dvd is a full demonstration of the book (which I do have and is fantastic). It should get here any day now.

As for the face, usually body brushes can be a little too harsh, so many people drop to natural nail brushes (of the softer variety) but still enough to exfoliate. I tend to work from the top to bottom of the face, from centre outwards (so will start mid forehead and brush outwards on either side, nose bridge to tip, and then cheeks outwards to ears, I also do behind the ears and under the eyes (lymph glands go here too), and then the chin and jawline. The one place I have differed though from the regular norms is that I brush upwards on the neck (and not downwards as per the book above mentioned).

I do this because usually if a blockage is there, brushing downwards simply moves the blockage and doesn't disburse it, whereas brushing upwards tends to stimulate the blood and alert the brain that there is a blockage and as a result when it comes to doing the rest of the body you can feel the blockage disburse, but it might not be for everyone to do it that way (just my understanding of it at the moment).

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 3:52 pm

thanx. This is very informative!!

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 4:09 pm

The Vita Chi Skin-brushing from Dr. Berkowsky is excellent. I haven't followed a format of others so I can't compare, but his focuses on generating chi energy and lymphatic drainage. Of course the benefit of what it does for the skin is there. I ordered the book and dvd but if you are in the saving mode the dvd is very complete and it is 14.95. The webiste is www.NaturalHealthScience.com. I highly recommend it. I was absolutely amazed at the energy I have from 12 minutes of brushing. It is solid energy that last beyond a day.
Toby

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 5:09 pm

Thanks lunarmm for all the tips. I did dry-brushing a few yrs back but have gotten lazy. I'm going to try to be more diligent now. Does it matter whether I brush up-and-down? Somewhere I read that one should brush in circles.

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 5:20 pm

SeanySeanUK wrote:

I love Dr. Berkowsky's Vital Chi Skin-Brushing System. I have just ordered the dvd (it only recently became available) but it is such a great system and he really did research it well. The dvd hasn't arrived yet, but Toby I think said she had got it and felt she had good results from it. Apparently the dvd is a full demonstration of the book (which I do have and is fantastic). It should get here any day now.

Thank you very much.

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 5:28 pm

Toby wrote:

The Vita Chi Skin-brushing from Dr. Berkowsky is excellent. I haven't followed a format of others so I can't compare, but his focuses on generating chi energy and lymphatic drainage. Of course the benefit of what it does for the skin is there. I ordered the book and dvd but if you are in the saving mode the dvd is very complete and it is 14.95. The webiste is www.NaturalHealthScience.com. I highly recommend it. I was absolutely amazed at the energy I have from 12 minutes of brushing. It is solid energy that last beyond a day.
Toby

Thank you very much.

Could you please tell me if the book provides practical information in addition to the DVD? If yes, I will order both.

Thank you again.

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 6:36 pm

I really feel the dvd is sufficient. I doubt i will use the small book because it is all explained in the dvd. I am usually a person that likes to read the book and also watch a video but in this case the dvd is complete. If Sean has both maybe he can share his opinion.
Toby

free skin care · Sat May 31, 2008 9:15 pm

Toby wrote:

I really feel the dvd is sufficient. I doubt i will use the small book because it is all explained in the dvd. I am usually a person that likes to read the book and also watch a video but in this case the dvd is complete. If Sean has both maybe he can share his opinion.
Toby

Thank you Toby,

I just placed an order for DVD only.

free skin care · Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:13 am

Depends on your learning preference. I like the dvd, but its easy to miss out options when you watch, whereas the book is great for info, but doesn't help you get the full technique. Some people learn better by demo, others need it in writing and some are combo learners (I fall into that category for definite).

I have found that reading the book and then watching the dvd gave me insights that I didn't get when I just watched the dvd. The dvd is the whole book though near enough.

free skin care · Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:22 am

SeanySeanUK wrote:

Depends on your learning preference. I like the dvd, but its easy to miss out options when you watch, whereas the book is great for info, but doesn't help you get the full technique. Some people learn better by demo, others need it in writing and some are combo learners (I fall into that category for definite).

I have found that reading the book and then watching the dvd gave me insights that I didn't get when I just watched the dvd. The dvd is the whole book though near enough.

Thank you.

free skin care · Mon Jun 09, 2008 11:15 pm

Goodness I was away for a couple of weeks and I'd missed this thread! Cool Lunarmum, way cool thanks so much! Thanks also everybody who shared tips and info in this thread. VERY helpful!

free skin care · Mon Jun 09, 2008 11:31 pm

lunarmm wrote:

...

Don't brush your nipple area.

...

I have found, however, when I was pregnant and then later nursing my kids, that drybrushing the nipples helped to toughen them up (in preparation for the baby's suckling) and to prevent clogged milk ducts (big time owwie, for those of you who've not had the (lovely) experience of breastfeeding Laughing

). I have forgotten now where I got the advice from (most probably the breastfeeding.com forums - awesome site, btw, for those needing bf support. they are just like the people here - except that they talk about bf and babies, obviously!).

Anyways - I guess the trick is to be gentle if you do want to brush the nipple area. In my case (when I was bf) it helped a lot. Not sure I want to do it now though, now that I'm not bf.

free skin care · Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:22 am

Well the general consensus is that you brush towards the heart... but like most things there are many different schools of thought out there. I would say experiment and find out which works for you!

stardust wrote:

Thanks lunarmm for all the tips. I did dry-brushing a few yrs back but have gotten lazy. I'm going to try to be more diligent now. Does it matter whether I brush up-and-down? Somewhere I read that one should brush in circles.

free skin care · Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:12 am

Many great tips here, but I would like to add that you don't need fancy books and DVDs to succeed with brushing. I am afraid that some people get put off the concept of dry brushing because they think it's too complicated and time-consuming.

I brush upwards my arms and legs and towards my heart with circular movements for three minutes every day (or every other day) and get all the benefits of exfoliating, increased circulation and smooth skin. Smile

free skin care · Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:12 am

Is it safe to dry brush daily AND use the dermalogica buffing cloth/SALUX wash cloth? Will we be over exfoliating?

thank you

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