Tips & Tricks: Dry Scrubs

I started “dry scrubbing” about five years ago. Why, you ask? I had a major problem with varicose veins. I know, I know, it’s a little shocking. I wasn't overweight, I’d never had a child, I take pretty good care of myself and I was only 27 years old. However, they're genetic, so sadly there wasn't much I could do to prevent their onset. My legs just naturally had poor circulation. I even had to have a procedure done back in 2011 to remove them as they started causing me pain. My doctor told me going forward, I should do anything and everything I could to start improving my circulation and decrease my chances of getting them in the future. One thing he suggested was that I started “dry scrubbing” every day. Not only would it help my circulation but also improve my skin tone and texture. It sounded like a win-win.

It just so happened that my birthday was coming up and Ryan gave me a spa certificate as part of my gift. One of the treatments included a scrub in which I actually got to keep the brush! From then on, every morning before I take a shower, I give myself a good scrub. In addition to helping improve circulation, dry scrubbing also exfoliates your skin, improving its appearance and allowing it to hydrate more efficiently when moisturizer is applied. It also helps with detox as it’s very similar to a massage. The pressure against your skin and the direction in which you brush helps move lymph fluid into the lymph nodes so waste can be eliminated more quickly and efficiently. Note: always brush in an upward motion towards your heart. I like to start at the tops of my feet and brush all the way up my legs in a circular upward motion. Then my stomach, chest and arms. I also try and get as much of my back as I can. Concentrating on the thighs and other cellulite prone areas helps eliminate toxins and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

In short, a good dry scrub only takes about 5 or 10 minutes and with all of the benefits, there’s no reason not to add it to your morning routine. Happy scrubbing!

A fun little tutorial I found while researching this post by beautybets.com!