Do you ever look in the mirror and think “yikes”? We’ve all been there. For a lot of us, all it takes is one pimple to ruin the day. Our skin is our body’s largest organ and it’s also the one that’s the most visible (and telling of your age). Because of that, it only makes sense that so many of us are pre-occupied with making sure our skin always looks its best.

Keeping your skin in its best shape can be an intimidating proposition. There are dozens of articles out there telling you different ways that you can keep your skin healthy. What to clean it with and different methods of exfoliation …it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that there are hundreds of articles out there on skin care.

Here’s a technique that you may not have heard of. Dry brushing is a little-known technique that is incredibly effective at both cleansing and exfoliating your skin.

What is dry brushing?

Dry brushing is a great form of exfoliating because it is multitasking. It is particularly great for stimulating your lymphatic system which really helps move out toxins and bring in nutrients to every cell in the body. Dry brushing also increases elasticity and lifts those trouble areas like the butt and back of thighs.

How does it work?

Dry brushing increases blood flow but its main purpose is to stimulate collagen production which will help thicken the skin and lessen the appearance of fat cells. It can also dramatically increase elasticity.

Best practices for your face:

• Wash Your Face

Before you begin, it is always important to make sure that you are beginning this process with completely clean skin so that you are not opening all your pores only so they can be clogged up make up and/or other irritants.

• Work From the Chin and Up

Gently brush from your chin and work your way up to your hairline on one side of the face and then move to the other side. The brush exfoliates and rejuvenates the skin as you move along, but you don’t want to repeat the same area twice otherwise you risk damaging your skin. We recommend our Nourish: Facial Cleansing Brush 3 pack available here.

• Don’t Forget the Neck

Once your face is done, gently brush around your neck, from the top under your jaw down to your collarbone.

• Conclude With a Nutrient-Rich Oil

You will want to make to hydrate your skin after exfoliating. This helps protect your newly exfoliated skin from drying out or becoming irritated. We recommend a natural oil such as avocado or coconut which will absorb readily into your skin.

• Clean the Brush

To clean your brush, use warm water and clean soap and/or makeup brush cleanser at least once week. Be sure to set it out to dry, that way it doesn’t collect any mildew or bacteria. You could also lightly mist your a brush with a tea tree solution, so that it stays clean between washes. We recommend our Tea Tree Therapy Oil which comes in several sizes available here.

I know looking at this written out, it may seem like a lot of steps. You may be wondering why this is necessary. The benefits to your skin and the confidence that you will gain cannot be stressed enough, though. Taking a little bit of extra time to take care of your skin now while you’re healthy and motivated will pay off ten times over in the future. In twenty years, I’m sure that you still want to look like you do now. Taking care of your skin is the best way to achieve that goal.