Greetings Everyone! Hope this spring is finding you in good health and with good energy! I certainly feel top-of-my-game right now. The sunshine is just what I need after a long winter to lift my spirits and deliver a mega dose of skin-starved vitamin D.
My garden is coming along - a little bit at a time. Planted Russian banana fingerlings and Rose Finn fingerling potatoes last week and planted snap peas yesterday. I'll hold off on the rest of the garden until the threat of frost has passed - which is towards the end of May up here in Maine.
Today, as promised, I'm going to provide you with the details on "Dry Brushing" . . . how to do it and what it does for your body and cellulite. I'm sure you'll want to take up the daily dry brushing habit and make it a morning ritual.
Dry Brushing: What It Is, How To Do It, And Its Beautifying Benefits
To eradicate dry skin and cellulite, I recommend that both men and women adopt a simple yet invigorating morning ritual - dry brushing - for epidermal and lymphatic stimulation. Dry brushing revs up the circulation better than your morning cup-o-joe, guaranteed! Perfect for those of you who suffer from fatigue, winter snake skin, and that "orange peel" lumpiness otherwise known as cellulite.
Dry brushing is a must for smooth, sleek, clear skin. Over the course of a day, your skin eliminates more than a pound of waste through thousands of tiny sweat glands. In fact, about one-third of all of the body's impurities are excreted this way. If your pores are clogged by tight-fitting clothes, aluminum-containing antiperspirants, and mineral oil-based moisturizers, there's no way for these toxic by-products to escape. Over time, these wastes build up, causing your skin to look pale, pasty, pimply, and and your thighs and belly to become pock-marked with cellulite. The dead skin cells also build up on the epidermis, resulting in a dry, flaky, lizard-like texture that forms an impenetrable barrier. Ever keep applying moisturizer over and over again to your legs and arms and still have the parched feeling, even though the bottle promises to alleviate even the most severe rough, dry skin? You have to get ride of the dead cell buildup before the moisturizer can do any good! This is where dry brushing lends a helping hand.
Contrary to what you might imagine, you can dry brush over eczema and psoraisis. Granted, you may have to lighten up on your pressure a bit, but the stimulation is superb for those thickened, scaly, rough patches.
Step #1: Dry brushing is performed on dry skin - not oiled, not damp, but dry, before you bathe or shower. Using a natural-fiber brush the size of your palm, preferably one with a handle, brush your entire body, except your face (and breasts, if you're a woman), for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not brush hard. Initially, you will have to start very gently and work your way up to more vigorous brushing, but never scrub until you're red. Begin brushing your hands first, in between the fingers, then the arms, underarms, neck, chest, stomach, sides, buttocks, and back. Then brush each leg, beginning with the feet and work upwards. You will feel wonderfully invigorated when finished, and your skin will glow!
Step #2: Now, pour a tablespoon or so of sesame, almond, olive, apricot kernel, organic soybean, or avocado oil into a small bowl and add a drop or two of geranium, lavender, fir, juniper, eucalyptus, rosemary, grapefruit, or lemon (all have a skin-tightening effect) essential oil. Massage your entire body, including your face, ears, and scalp - if you're washing your hair that day. Do this for about 5 minutes and allow it to soak into your pores for another 5 or 10 minutes. Next, jump in the shower, bathe as you usually do but don't use soap on your body except for the "private parts", and all of the dead skin you just exfoliated is washed away. There is no reason to use soap because the dry brushing actually cleaned your body without the use of a foaming cleanser. Neat, huh? No soap to dry out your skin either.
Step out of the shower and rub your skin dry. Apply a light moisturizer if you desire. Repeat this ritual daily. It's a good idea to wash your body brush with soap and water every week or so to keep it free of skin debris.
Weleda - the German chemical-free cosmetic company - makes an anticellulite body oil that includes birch extract and other natural essential oils. It's called Brich Cellulite Oil and with daily use, improves skin tone and appearance. I love the natural aroma. Highly recommended! They also make a fabulous Birch body scrub, as well.
I love dry brushing and rarely skip a day. I hope you learn to enjoy it, too. Over time, combined with a good diet and plenty of fluids and daily exercise, your cellulite will disappear or at least be minimized! Until next time . . . be well!
NOTE: This blog was adapted from the book, "Naturally Healthy Skin", by Stephanie Tourles, Storey Publishing 1999. The information is true and complete to the best of Ms. Tourles' knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of Ms. Tourles. She disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information. It is for educational purposes only.
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