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, so who better to weigh in on some of the biggest beauty and wellness trends of 2024? This month, she tries out dry brushing. Read her honest review of the DIY body treatment below.
Normally, I’m pretty quick to jump on the latest trend in the beauty and wellness worlds. I mean, it’s kind of my job, but for whatever reason I slept on dry brushing. And when I say slept, this Ayurvedic (Ayurveda is a natural system of medicine that originated in India around 3000 years ago) practice has been used for centuries, so I really slept. But I know why I didn’t jump on it; it’s just doesn't carry the same intrigue as an infra-red LED mask, it’s not as gratifying as a new lip butter and frankly, it doesn’t scream "long-lasting impact" like the latest algae innovation. A dry brush. How impressive could it be? Well, at the end of last year I found out. Let me share the basics with you along with my honest experience of trying it out, so you can decide whether you want to give it a go yourself.
What Is Dry Brushing?
The name is a good clue of what to expect. These brushes made of coarse natural or synthetic fibre bristles and you use it all over the body, brushing in specific areas with certain patterns to obtain optimal results.
What Are the Benefits of Dry Brushing?
The brush fibres not only exfoliate, but proponents of the dry body brushing say that 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, says. "Daily body brushing is one of those incredibly simple tasks [that takes] only a minute of your time, but 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 [with] just a few quick flicks or sweeps upwards towards your heart before, during or after a shower or bath 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 before a shower or bath. I start at my feet and work my way up, using large, circular motions and moderating the pressure, pressing harder or softer in areas where the skin is tougher or more delicate. It takes me less than five minutes to do my whole body. Then I do my in-shower routine, with a small difference—as much as I love boiling hot water, on the days I dry brush, 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 Body Oil (£35) from Mirror Water.
How Often Should I Use a Dry Brush?
I incorporate dry brushing into my routine no more than twice per week, because there is such a thing as over-exfoliating, which can be damaging to your skin, and because I want to ensure I'm doing it mindfully as a relaxation ritual, a bit like how I view bathing.
How to Dry Brush
1. Start with your legs. Take your dry brush of choice and brush in an upwards direction, towards your heart. This helps to reduce water retention, working in a similar way to lymphatic drainage
2. If brushing your stomach, switch to a circular, clockwise motion
3. Ideally, go over each area three times for around five minutes
4. If you get ingrown hairs, try focusing on those areas, 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 soft.
I followed wellness content creator Ksenija Selivanova'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 focusing on caring for our faces 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 makes a genuine difference. In a few months of dry brushing I've already noticed benefits. My skin is softer and 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 that this 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'll notice the benefits, both mentally and physically. I feel so grounded on the days I’ve used my dry brush and it has seriously elevated my downtime.
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