Estee LaLonde Explains How To Dry Brush Your Skin And The Benefits Of Dry Brushing

You probably already follow Estée Lalonde, and if you don’t, you should. An online content creator, creative director and founder of self-care brand MIRROR WATER, she is known for being a trusted, honest and authoritative voice in the wellness and beauty world, and as a result has created a community that feels understood and listened to. Estée regularly shares her real life experiences with her followers, and as such, we thought who better than Estée to weigh in on some of the biggest beauty and wellness trends of 2024? This month, she tries out dry brushing, and gives her honest and real review of the treatment below. Take it away Estée… 

Normally I’m pretty quick to jump on the latest trend in the beauty and wellness world. I mean it’s kind of my job to, but for whatever reason I slept on dry brushing. And when I say slept, this Ayurvedic practice has been used for centuries already, so I really slept.

But I know why I didn’t jump on it. It’s just doesn’t have that wow factor of an infra-red mask, it’s not as gratifying as a new lip butter and frankly it doesn’t scream long-lasting impacts like the latest algae innovation.

A dry brush. How good can it be? Well at the end of last year I found out. Let me share some basics with you, as well as my honest experience so you can decide whether you want to give it a try yourself.

Read My Dry Brushing Review Below:

What is Dry Brushing?

The name is a good clue of what you can expect. The brush itself is made of coarse natural or synthetic fibre bristles. It is used all over the body, brushing in specific and particular areas and patterns to obtain optimal results.

What Are the Benefits of Dry Brushing?

The coarse fibres not only exfoliate but also the action of brushing stimulates blood circulation, drains away toxins, invigorates the lymphatic system, increases energy and even helps to reduce cellulite.

Kate Shapland, founder of Legology, agrees. “Daily body brushing is one of those incredibly simple tasks taking only a minute of your time, but it brings huge benefits to mind and body by exfoliating and eliminating dead skin cells making skin feel softer, more toned and glowing. On a deeper tissue level, it gives you a body-flushing detox via your lymph which helps to boost circulation and shift the congestion that collects around fat cells and pushes them out of alignment, causing dimples on the skin’s surface. Brush daily, just a few quick flicks or sweeps upwards towards your heart before, during or after a shower/bath every morning and you’ll quickly feel and see the benefits.”

When Should You Use a Dry Brush and How Long Does it Take?

I use my brush pre-shower/bath. I start at my feet and work my way up, using large circular motions and moderate pressure, going harder or softer in areas where the skin is tougher or more delicate. All-in-all, the whole body takes less than 5 minutes. Then I do my in-shower routine, with a small difference – as much as I love boiling hot water, on these days I keep the temperature moderate. When I’m out of the shower, I pat myself dry and drench myself in a nourishing body oil like SMOOTH from MIRROR WATER.

How Often Should I Use a Dry Brush?

I incorporate dry brushing into my routine no more than twice a week, 1. because there is such a thing as over exfoliating, which can be damaging to your skin and 2. because I want to ensure I am doing it mindfully, as a relaxation ritual, a bit like how I view bathing. 

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Dry Brush:

1. Start with your legs. Take your dry brush of choice and brush in upwards direction, towards your heart. This helps to reduce water retention, thus working in a similar way to lymphatic drainage.
2. If brushing your stomach, switch to circular, clockwise motion.
3. Go over each area three times ideally, for around 5 minutes.
4. If you wish to, try focusing on areas where you often get ingrown hairs, as dry brushing will help reduce this.
5. After dry brushing, apply a generous amount of body oil to help leave skin feeling smooth and ultra-soft.

I followed Ksenija’s step-by-step video on how to dry brush.

Is Dry Brushing Worth It?

The short answer is, yes! We spend so much time focussing on caring for the face that we can start to neglect the other 95% of our bodies. Dry brushing is something you can do for your body that is simple, ritualistic and that makes a genuine difference. In my few months, I have already noticed benefits. My skin is softer, plumper and I feel as though it absorbs my post-shower product better than before. My SMOOTH Body Oil has never worked better. If I were to manage expectations a little, I’d say it definitely isn’t going to get rid of cellulite entirely. But it certainly has improved the appearance of my skin and made me feel better about it, which I’m sure everyone could appreciate. 

As I started off by saying, it might not be the most appealing prospect (a bit like exercise for some of us!) but once you start doing it you will notice the benefits. Both mentally and physically. I feel so grounded on the days I’ve used my dry brush, it has seriously elevated my downtime. 

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