Rooted in Ancestral Traditions, Face Brushing is a healing practice. Today, it becomes more and more popular, as it's promoted as an inexpensive way to massage and exfoliate your skin at home without the use of chemical based beauty products.

What is Dry Face Brushing?  

Dry brushing is a method of gently exfoliating your skin with a specially conceived natural and soft-bristled brush. To use, both your face and your brush need to be dry and clean.

We recommend choosing a wooden brush with natural and very soft bristles like the Ya Beauty "Soft Detox & Glow" Face Brush, made from bamboo and goat bristles. Synthetic bristles are not recommended as they can cause irritation and/or inflammation.

 

Ya Beauty "Soft Detox & Glow" Face Brush 

What are the benefits of dry face brushing? 

Although no scientific evidence exists, several studies claims numerous benefits to face brushing:

Exfoliate for a smoother and healthier skin completion.

Dry brushing will exfoliate the skin without removing the protective layer of the skin. It will help to remove the superficial layer which contains dirt and acid without stripping the hydrolipidic film of the skin. As a result, face brushing can help to prevent clogged pore and pimples. 

Especially during winter or in a drier climate, the skin gets robbed of moisture that helps to keep it soft to the touch. Skin flakes can obstruct the pores and cause a sensation of itching. Performing gentle strokes with the Ya Beauty "Soft & Glow" dry brush will help to remove dead skin cells allowing the skin to be more receptive to moisturiser. Consequently, the completion of your skin will look healthier and the touch will be smoother. 

Always perform very gentle stokes and adapt the intensity of brushing to the sensibility of your skin. Over-cleansing, over brushing and/or too much pressure on the brush will strip the skin from natural oils of the epidermis, creating a state of imbalance. Skin in this state might produce more sebum in attempt to regulate which in turn might create pimples. 

Dry Brushing stimulates the lymphatic system 

Dry brushing can improve blood circulation and boost your lymphatic system. It’s important for your overall health that your lymphatic system is working properly.

Waste produced by our body are removed from the cells through the blood and lymph. Brushing the skin stimulates the expel of toxins and dirt from cells near the surface of the body.

The skin is the largest organ to eliminate toxins and skin impurities. It has been estimated that the body expels through the skin around 450 grams of waste every day. Subsequently, most toxins and their carrier cells, mainly lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells), will find their way to the colon for elimination.

To find out more about the benefit of body dry brushing and the lymphatic drainage, please visit our blog article:

"Dry Brushing : Why is it good for my body and how to do it?",

It’s important to not only dry brush your face but also work properly on your neck as the lymph nodes are mainly located in this area and around the ears.

Source.

These small glands filter the lymphatic fluid of the lymphatic system, which is made of channels through the entire body. They are similar to blood vessels. The lymph nodes store white blood cells, which are responsible for killing attacking organisms. 

Lymph nodes become swollen in response to illness, infection or stress. A small study has demonstrated that dry brushing or manual massage help to reduce swelling of these glands. 

Does dry face brushing help with wrinkles?

There is no scientific evidence demonstrating the benefits of dry brushing to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Nevertheless, some people believe exfoliating the skin can promote cells turnover. Consequently, it will have a positive effect to prevent or a least slow down the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Relaxation & Well-being

Taking some time to yourself is always a good idea. It will boost self-confidence and overall wellbeing. Like a massage, dry face brushing can help you feel more relaxed. Well-known to promote a healthy circulation, it can just feel good to run natural bristles over your face. To reinforce this "feel-good" sensation, practice dry brushing in a dark and quiet space. 

When to use a Natural Dry Face Brush? 

The best moment to perform dry brushing is before showering or taking a bath. We recommend to massage your face with the Ya Beauty "Soft & Glow" Brush on a dry skin to optimise its efficiency. 

How to use Ya Beauty Soft & Glow Face Brush ? 

Always start with very gentle strokes and adapt the intensity of brushing to the sensitivity of your skin.

1. Gently cleanse your face. 
2. Dry your face with a soft towel.
3. Start by massaging your neck and collarbones to boost the lymph nodes and help to eliminate toxins:
   • Do small circles at the bottom of the neck and the collarbones area.
   • Perform quick sweeping motions from the top of the neck towards the collarbones.
4. Continue in your face:
   • Across the jaw line towards the bottom of the ears.
   • The cheeks, with outwards motions.
   • Perform upward motions from the bridge of your nose to your hairline.

5. Rinse your face with clean water.
6. Moisturise your skin with your usual products (serum, cream, oil).
7. Complete your beauty routine with a massage with your Gua-Sha or Roller.

Dry face brushing is a natural alternative to chemicals scrub and should not be performed more than once or twice a week. 

Performing additional circular motions will reinforce the exfoliating action of dry brushing whereas sweeping mouvements help to boost the lymphatic system. 

How to clean your Face Brush?

It’s important to clean regularly, either your body or face brush.

Weekly you can clean your brush with a tooth brush (dedicated to this purpose) to remove all dead skin cells.

Every month (or 2-3 months depending on how often you use your brush), you can wash the goat bristles with warm soapy water. Rinse with clean water. Hang it and let it air dry before storing it in its cotton pouch.

• We recommend keeping the bamboo handle away from water.
• Do not clean it too often to protect the softness of the natural bristles.

Precaution with Face Brushing:

Dry face brushing is in theory safe but might not be suitable to every skin type.

If you have rosacea, psoriasis or eczema, it might cause more irritation and inflammation. You can try it but do not expect a miracle treatment and start your dry brushing journey by performing VERY VERY gentle stokes. 

Remember it's easy to overdo it with dry brushing, especially if you have an acne-prone skin. Brushing too hard or too often can lead to sebum overproduction and consequently acne breakout. Few principles I advise you to follow: 

• Massage your face and neck with your super-soft brush very gently no more than once or twice a week.  
• Always use on a clean and dry skin. 
• Do not forget to apply your regular moisturiser after use.