It’s time to upgrade your shower routine. Just like the skin on your face, your body deserves so much more than just soap and water. Especially as the weather starts warms and there may be a little bit extra skin on show, spending an extra 5 minutes in the shower can really transform your skin with minimal effort.
Body brush and prep
A skin enhancing phenomenon, and rightly so, body brushing is one of the easiest ways to step up your shower routine and leave you with skin worthy of a Kardashian. Famed for its multitude of benefits, just 5 minutes of the Ayurvedic practice of body brushing can help you to reduce the appearance of cellulite, increase blood circulation, reduce water retention and exfoliate ingrown hairs.
For the most effective results, we recommend using your body brush on dry skin before you jump in the shower. But if your skin is on the more sensitive side, body brushing on wet skin can be equally effective.
How to body brush effectively
When it comes to body brushing, there are a few common practices to follow to get the most out of your routine.
- Always brush upwards in the direction of your heart. Just as you would avoid dragging the skin on your face downwards, make sure you brush in upwards motions. Work your way up the body towards your heart, keeping the brush strokes vertical when you get to your chest and neck, so not to pull down on the skin.
- Body brush in circular motions. Use swift, circular motions over your skin to stimulate the blood flow to the surface of the skin. Increased blood flow can help with numerous skincare concerns, including achieving the coveted ‘glow’ and reducing acne. Stimulated blood flow stimulation helps the body to eliminate toxins, so is great for those who suffer from pesky ‘bacne’.
- You should be firm when body brushing. This may take a little while to get used to, but when body brushing, the best results come when you use a firmer pressure then you think you should. You want body brushing to feel like it’s actually stimulating the skin rather than just a little tickle. Don’t be alarmed if you’re left slightly pink afterwards.