Despite what we tell ourselves, almost every female has cellulite somewhere. In fact, all you have to do is ask the question and they’ll most likely start reeling off all the areas where they have the small dimpled cosmetic condition. Why are we so good at listing all our flaws?
Anyway, I digress. Cellulite, also known as a woman’s worst enemy, usually occurs when fat cells protrude into the connective tissue in the dermatological layer that lies just below the surface of the skin.
While maintaining a healthy eating regime that is lower in sugar, fat, carbohydrates and salt as well as drinking lots of water are all preventative measures to discourage the production of cellulite, there is another major way you can avoid those unwanted bumps.
Dry brushing. I first heard these two words five years ago, and have to say I was sceptical. Could brushing your body really produce all the benefits it said it would? Fast forward to now and I refuse to go a day without dry brushing. So much so, I have even bought a more compact travel brush to ensure I don’t skip the practice on days I am away.
An age-old process that involves brushing your skin with a natural brush, this practice stimulates your lymphatic system, helping to remove toxins from the body. Given that cellulite is the accumulation of toxic materials in your body’s fat cells that are trapped, dry brushing helps to break these trapped toxins down, allowing your body to expel them through its normal elimination channels.
There are other benefits to dry brushing: it helps to boost circulation, and unclog and decongest skin, allowing it to absorb more nutrients. Put simply, it’s a win-win and something I cannot recommend enough as part of a daily routine.
All you need is a natural brush, which you should be able to purchase from any good chemist, and an oil of your choice, if you’d like to use one. Dry brushing is best done in the morning, given its energising qualities.
Here’s how to dry brush correctly in five simple steps:
- strip off and stand in the bathtub or on a surface that can catch the falling skin
- brush by starting at your feet or knees and making long sweeping movements towards your heart – brushing towards your heart is the key part to the success of dry brushing
- brush each area multiple times before moving on to the next one
- once you’ve brushed you entire body (or at the very least your knees to waist and arms) shower as you normally would
- once you’re out of the shower, apply your oil or moisturiser of choice – make sure it’s as natural as possible to ensure your skin is absorbing the good stuff and not more chemicals.
Repeat this process every day. It doesn’t take more than five minutes and the results speak for themselves. The amount of cellulite I have now is minimal at best – a drastic improvement from the time before I started dry brushing. A simple yet incredibly effective trick, I cannot recommend it enough.
Dry Brush: $14.49 from Chemist Warehouse … no more cellulite … priceless!
Have you tried dry brushing? What was your experience with the age-old practice?
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