Here at The 889 Shop we stock the highest quality dry and wet brushes for cleansing and detoxing the body. All our body and face brushes are hand made in Sweden by the talented visually-impaired artisans of Iris Hantverk.
Made sustainably and slowly with hard woods and bristles of varying textures, like horse and goat hair, they are objects of both beauty and function. Also note, that no animals are harmed in the collection of their lovely hair.
Dry brushing continues to remain in vogue, dare we say for the last ~5000 years?! This ancient ritual has its roots in Ayurveda, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Roman and in Traditional Chinese Medicine. With so many people brushing, and for so long, this isn't a new beauty trend, its a way of life!
If you haven't tried dry brushing, or aren't quite sure what all the fuss is about, read on sweet friends! This is a ritual we can't wait to share.
THE BENEFITS OF DRY BRUSHING
Hello, Soft Skin. Dry brushing gently exfoliates and eliminates dead skin cells that sit on the surface of the skin. Dry brushing removes these cells a little quicker than your body would naturally slough them off, leaving skin feeling soft while also helping the skin renew with ease. Quicker cellular turnover is useful for avoiding ingrown hairs and keratosis pilaris.
Natural Lift and Toning. The motions of dry brushing help to sculpt and tone the delicate muscles and tissues that are just below the skin’s surface. These motions also encourage blood to the surface of the skin, giving you a nice rosy glow.
Lymph Love. Just below the skin is one of our body's best detoxing systems, the lymph system. Regular dry brushing can stimulate the nodes, vessels and glands in the lymph system to help the body’s natural detoxification process. In turn, this improves immune function, something we can all benefit from.
Bye bye, Breakouts. By encouraging cellular turnover, stimulating the lymph and unclogging pores, dry brushing helps to keep breakouts at bay. This works exceptionally well for painful cystic breakouts.
HOW TO DRY BRUSH
Set aside 3-5 minutes for this self care ritual.
Use firm, small upward strokes or work in a circular motion.
Start at your toes and brush upwards towards the heart. When you start on your arms, begin at the fingers and work towards the centre of the body.
Dry brushing is a delicate exfoliation, so don't press too hard or use a brush that is too stiff. You don't want to see scratches on the skin.
For the stomach, work in a clockwise direction.
Dry brushing can be done as often as a couple times a day, perhaps a morning and night routine, or a few times a week. Building up consistency with a regular routine is key to keep your skin glowing. If you want to stick to just once a day, make room in your morning schedule as dry brushing is an invigorating practice, bring energy to the body's biggest organ. Who knows, maybe you can ditch the caffeine too!
Dry brush before you shower, and use natural cleansers + body oils to hydrate and nourish the skin after. We love Sade Baron's River Cleanser paired with Earth Connection Oil for Love and Liberation.
SOME CUTE TIPS
For hormonal blemishes or inflammation, dry brush with a facial dry brush 2-3 days before your cycle. The Province Apothecary Spot Serum works wonders after a brush.
Don't forget your arm pits! Speed up the natural detoxification process by sweeping your underarms. Sweep natural deodorant, like Salt and Stone's Lavender, Sage and Rosemary to stay fresh all day long.
If you have seasonal allergies, dry brush down the back of the neck to stimulate the cervical lymph node, which connects to the sinuses.
CHOOSING A TOOL
We love the long handled brush for reaching to the tough-to-get-to spots like the middle back. Alternatively, the hand held knob we carry is easy to use and store.
Dry brushing can be done as often as a couple times a day, perhaps a morning and night routine, or a few times a week. Building up consistency with a regular routine is key to keep your skin glowing. If you want to stick to just once a day, make room in your morning schedule as dry brushing is an invigorating practice, bringing energy to the body's biggest organ. Who knows, maybe you can ditch the caffeine too!
The 889 Shop offers these brushes for dry brushing:
Dry Body + Massage Brush with Handle $44
Happy Brushing!