As part of a daily skincare routine, most of us are used to the idea of exfoliating our faces to keep skin fresh and rejuvenated by gently removing dead skin cells. But what about the rest of our body? With the build-up of naturally occurring skin oils, perspiration, sunscreen, moisturiser and general daily grime, don't you think the rest of your body deserves the same level of care? We do!
Effective Ways To Exfoliate
There are simple and effective ways to improve your body's skin health and will bring not only dull skin back to life but also has fantastic health benefits.
Body Scrubbing
A body scrub is a luxurious experience for the whole body and will not only give your skin a deep cleanse, but it helps improve circulation leaving your skin feeling soft and hydrated.
How To Body Scrub
- After cleansing with PhytoBody Wash apply a small amount of Spirulina Salt Scrub into the palm of your hand, scrubbing it over your entire body.
- Our scrub is a cream based salt scrub (nonabrasive) with antiseptic and antibacterial properties and won't dry out your skin.
- Shower off with warm water and wash away remaining granules.
- Moisturise with body lotion or body oil such as the Coconut Glow Hair and Body Oil.
Benefits Of Body Scrubbing
- Gently removes dry, scaly lifeless skin.
- Leaves skin feeling smooth and silky.
- Unclogs pores.
- Stimulates blood circulation.
Dry Brushing
Select a natural, not synthetic bristle brush with a long handle to reach the hard to get to places. These brushes are available from pharmacies, health food stores and some supermarkets. You want to find a brush with firm bristles but not so hard that it will hurt you. Dry brushing is best done before getting into the shower.
The whole process can be done in as little as 2- 5 minutes and can be done daily. But you can also take your times and enjoy a 15-20min brush and for optimal results brush twice daily, morning and night.
How To Dry Brush
- Use long strokes, approx. 15cm / 6" over the limbs & circular movements over the joints.
- The strokes should be sweeping and not scrubbing. You only need a little bit of pressure.
- Always brush towards the heart.
- Start at the feet, and then move to the ankles, shin & calf, entire thigh, fronts of the hips, and the glutes. Spend some extra time on the upper legs and your glutes, aka your bum. If you'd like to reduce cellulite in this area. A circular motion is best for this.
- Continue with this pattern moving up to the neck, hips, belly, chest, collarbone, and neck.
- Avoid the face, your genitals or any skin suffering from irritation, e.g. from eczema, psoriasis, sunburn or any other skin issue.
- Also be careful of sensitive areas like your breast. Don't skip them. Just apply less pressure.
- Moving to the arms, start at the tops of the hands, then move to the wrist, forearm, elbow, and again end at the neck.
- Move to the backside body - start at the lower back, middle back, and then switch the grip and do the upper back & neck area.
- When you are finished your skin should be a little pink but not red or irritated.
- Then shower as you normally would. When you get out of the shower, moisturise the body with our Nourishing Body Oil or another natural chemical free lotion.
- Don't forget to wash your dry brush once a week using a mild cleanser like Botani PhytoBody Wash, and let it completely dry out before applying again.
Benefits Of Dry Brushing
- Natural exfoliate removing dead skin cells for brighter, younger skin.
- Opens and unclogs pores.
- Improves blood circulation allowing more oxygenated blood to flow through the body.
- Helps rid your body of toxins by increasing lymphatic drainage.
- Rejuvenates the nervous system by stimulation nerve endings.
- Decreases cellulite by reducing fluid retention.
- Regular dry brushing can assist with the production of collagen and elastin, as it sends a message to your cells to produce more.
- Reduces ingrown hairs.
Using a body scrub or dry brushing to exfoliate is a beautiful way to reconnect and care for your body. Given the skin is the body's largest organ, it's essential that we take the time to care for it just as much as any other part of our body.
Do you use a body scrub or dry brushing? What's been your experience?
