I've tried all manner of wacky beauty treatments. It's my second favorite hobby next to cleaning and organizing my refrigerator (what can I say, my life is almost as thrilling as Billy Bob Thornton-era Angelina "Blood Necklace" Jolie's). I will doubtlessly try many, many more. Ear candling? Name the time, name the place. Face shaving? May it please god, Lifebooker will offer me some manner of deal soon.
Some of the things I've tried have been disastrous. Other treatments have gone out with less of a bang, and more of a whimper. Japanese detox foot-pads, I'm looking at you. But there have also been the odd (and I do mean truly strange) procedures that have actually worked. Dry brushing my skin is absolutely one of them.
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Dry brushing your skin is exactly what it sounds like. Using a long-handled brush, you vigorously scrub your nekkid skin in a bid to remove dead skin. So what are the benefits to this strange procedure? Well right off the bat, you have exfoliation! What's better than an all-over-purge of your dead skin to leave you silky soft and youthful, I ask you? Well, freaking out your roommates should they catch you mid-session -- so bonus points!
But there's another BIG benefit. Dry brushing stimulates your lymphatic system, which means every time you do it, it's like a mini-detox minus all that steam-room sweat. Plus, regular brushing helps improve skin's appearance, which means a reduced look to cellulite -- I don't hate that at all!
If you're new to dry brushing, here are some things to watch out for. Make sure you start out with a sooooooft brush. Go for natural fibers if you can find them. You want to make sure you're rubbing vigorously, but not so hard you irritate your skin. You can slowly graduate to a stronger bristle, but don't push yourself right out of the gate.
The operative word in dry brushing is 'dry.' Obviously, this means don't get your person, or your brush, wet. "But Becca," I hear you say, "what if it begins to rain when I am dry brushing?" To which I responded, "Why are you naked out of doors?" Also, always brush TOWARDS your heart -- that really puts the emphasis on activating your lymphatic. Plus you get to yell, "HEART!" like you are in Captain Planet.
What weird beauty treatments do you do and love?
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