Tip Tuesday: #9

Dry Brushing

That's right! Today we are going to talk about dry brushing. You may have heard of it before. But it's not as easy as just brushing your skin with a brush. There are techniques. And rules to follow to do it correctly!

But why do it? Why would you want to take that extra time to brush your skin? You already have to brush your hair and your teeth. I have to brush my skin too?!

Yes! It is very important! Here are a few reasons why it is so great.

• Restores radiance to skin 
• Stimulates circulation 
• Eliminates toxins 
• Rejuvenates the nervous system 
• Boosts skins elasticity 
• Removes dead skin, revealing a fresh glow
• Can, overtime, smooth cellulite (rumor has it)

So who doesn't want better looking skin?!

Now let's talk about how to go about dry brushing!

First, you will want to get a good brush! Find yourself a REAL brush with natural bristles, do not get one with synthetic bristles. Natural is always better.

If you are having a hard time finding a brush like this, look at these ones. They have GREAT reviews!

Earth Therapeutics Purest Palm Body Brush  - $8.48
Ecotools Bamboo Bristle Bath Brush  - $9.95
Bernard Jensen’s, Natural Bristle Body Brush, 1 Brush  - $10.33
Merben International Jute Body Brush For Dry Use Only  - $24.45

Technique

Now that you've gotten a good brush, it's time to move on to how to use it!

You can not just brush your skin where ever you feel it's needed. There are ways that you can use your brush to get the most out of it!

Now I have read of two different ways that are best and through lots of research... I'm not sure which is absolute best. They both sound like amazing techniques and help with different things! So I will tell you both!

First Technique:

It is said that the best way to help your skin is by brushing towards your lymph nodes. If you look at this picture below, all the dots are your lymph nodes and the arrows are the direction you should be brushing towards. This technique is to help stimulate your lymphatic system. If you are anything like me, you have no idea what that means until someone tells you.

So let me tell you, "The lymphatic system is part of the circulatory system. It is full of a network of comprising a network of channels called lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph directionally towards the heart."

Why is this important?

"The circulatory system processes an average of 20 litres of blood per day through capillary filtration which removes plasma while leaving the blood cells. Roughly 17 liters of the filtered plasma actually get reabsorbed directly into the blood vessels, while the remaining 3 litres are left behind in the interstitial fluid. The primary function of the lymph system is to provide an accessory route for these excess 3 litres per day to get returned to the blood.

Lymph is essentially recycled blood plasma." (thanks to wiki for helping me find all this info!)

So now you know! Follow the picture above to dry brush to help circulation.

Second Technique:

Now the second one I've heard of is a lot like the first. But instead of brushing towards your lymph nodes, you need to brush towards your heart. It has a lot of the same benefits. Brushing towards your heart helps encourage blood to flow back towards your heart. Another great way to help circulation throughout your entire body!

Follow this picture to help dry brush with this technique.

Now with both of these techniques, it is important that you brush in a circular motion. It is best to go circular towards your heart. So go grab yourself a brush with natural bristles and on your way towards better looking and healthier skin!

 

Have any questions? Comment below! And don't forget to pin this to your board! Share on Facebook! Spread the word to better skin!

Tip Tuesday #8

I ran into this one a little over a year ago and I LOVE IT! After hearing from fans ask about a better way to shave, I thought I'd share this awesomeness!

I got this one from The Gluten Free Navy Wife!

I love love love sugar scrubs! Seriously! They are so great and so good to exfoliate! But did you know they can help you get a better shave??

That's right! Make yourself this great scrub and you can have SUCH an amazing shave that your husband (boyfriend, partner, significant other, etc) will not be able to keep their hands off you!

The recipe is simple! (this is taken STRAIGHT from her blog with a few added notes from me)

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Scrub:
- 2 1/2 Cups of Sugar (Yes, just normal sugar)
- 1 Cup of Oil (I used Olive Oil and of course, I smell a little like Olive Oil. You can also use Canola, Vegetable, Avocado, Coconut or any fragrance body oil you have).
- 5 Tablespoons of a citrus juice. Preferably fresh squeezed.
- Optional: Essential Oil of choice (check below for great options)

Mix all of this together in a jar that can be kept closed so it doesn't rot. I had an old pickle jar that I put it in. This will separate after time so you will need to mix it before every time you use it. ALSO do NOT stick your hands in the jar. It is best to use a spoon to scoop it out and then put it in a cup or straight onto your skin. But do not let the oil from your hand get into the jar cause that will make bacteria to grow in the jar. ALSO do not let any WATER get in the jar cause then it will separate the oil and it will not be as effective. So what I do is scoop some sugar scrub into a cup and leave that close by so when I'm ready to go, I can just grab it.

How To Use:
- Draw a warm/hot bath. (I actually do this in the shower cause I hate baths)
- Soak for about five minutes. (If you are in the shower, just let the water hit your legs continuously for 5 minutes and try to keep the outside air as warm as possible to open up your pores)
- Shave one leg with your normal leg shaving routine.
- Take a palm full of your homemade sugar scrub and scrub that leg and then rinse off. (scrub it good! It feels great and you will be AMAZED at the dead skin that comes off. But do not use soap! Do not rinse off the oil)
- Shave your leg again. Yes, again. (the oil is an amazing 'shaving cream')
- Take a palm full of sugar scrub and scrub your leg again.
- Repeat on your other leg.
- After your bath, dry off and then lotion your legs.

When you shave your leg the first time, obviously, it's going to remove the hair. When you scrub after you shave, it removes any dead skin. By shaving your leg again after you use the sugar scrub, you are getting all of that dead skin off of your leg. You will need to rinse your razor frequently (you will see why).

Essential Oils you could use

For a cooling effect:
- Eucalyptus
- Peppermint
- Tea Tree (will also act as antiseptic if you cute yourself)

For sweet and floral scents:
- Citrus
- Lavender
- Geranium
- Chamomile

For masculine scents:
- Cedar
- Patchouli
- Juniper
- Ginger

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You will truly be amazed at the amount of dead skin that comes off and how incredibly soft your skin is afterwards. I couldn't help but feel my legs and make my husband feel my legs! You will love this and never want to shave any other way. You can switch up the recipe if you'd like.

An article I found on Livestrong.com mentioned using different oils in shaving creams to help with razor burn and when you cut yourself. You could easily add these oils to the mixture either when you make the entire mix or in each individual use (in the cup you put it in beforehand)

Livestrong said, "Aromatic essential oils are what give the shaving oil its scent. These oils can be expensive, but you do not need to use more than a few drops per ounce of base oil to get a lingering aroma. The essential oils in shaving oil are a matter of personal preference. You can use a single oil or blend of oils to make a unique smell. Oils like eucalyptus and peppermint have a cooling effect on the skin, while tea tree oil can be added as an antiseptic in case you cut yourself. For women, a broad range of sweet and floral scents are available, such as citrus, lavender, geranium or chamomile. For a more masculine scent, try spice oils like cedar, patchouli, juniper or ginger. Before using any aromatic essential oil for shaving, test it on a small patch of skin on the inside of your wrist to make sure you don't have any allergic reaction to it. The CNN Health website points out that it is the fragrances in shaving products that cause skin irritation for many people."


I personally love Doterra Oils! They are guarteenteed pure and there are SO many available and they say directly on the bottle what they can be used for. I highly suggest you teach yourself about oils before attempting to use them though. Some can be used on your skin and some are not suggested. Some are very strong while others are more weak. Feel free to ask questions if you need any help!