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Outside of New York’s Casino restaurant, lounging next to Olivia Palermo at U Beauty’s dinner for their buzzy new Resurfacing Body Compound, Nicky Hilton Rothschild is telling me she loves dry brushing. Ahead of the Vanity Fair Oscars party while “heavily pregnant,” she knew she wanted to show “a lot” of skin. “So every morning, my routine was the Joanna Czech Dry Body Brush,” she says. “I’m obsessed with dry brushing.” And according to skin experts and dermatologists, there’s good reason to be.
Best Dry Brushes
- The Sculpting Brush: Joanna Czech Dry Massage Body Brush, $39
- The Extra Soft Bristles: Tata Harper Dry Body Brush, $20
- The Circulation Boost: Esker Twine Dry Brush, $18
- The Exfoliation Brush: Goop G.Tox Ultimate Dry Brush. $25
- The Lift & Tone: Joanna Vargas Ritual Brush, $30
Skin Benefits of Dry Brushing
“Think of this as a ‘facial’ for your body,” says dermatologist Quenby Erickson. “Improving blood flow to the skin on the body improves the transport of nutrients to the skin,” she says, adding that while exfoliating smooths the skin, it also helps it absorb ingredients in skin care. “Dry brushing is the act of gently brushing the skin to promote circulation, lymphatic flow, and gently exfoliate the skin,” says dermatologist Dr. Gretchen W. Frieling. “Increased blood flow is also apparent with gentle collagen stimulation and overall healthier appearing skin.”
How to Dry Brush
“I recommend doing it in the mornings before you shower versus at night,” says esthetician Joanna Czech of its potential to energize the body. Fashion’s favorite facialist Tata Harper agrees: “Using a dry brush can leave you feeling invigorated, similar to the feeling after a massage, due to the stimulation of your nervous system,” she says, calling it a “multi-tasker for healthy skin, body, and mind.”
All agree that a light hand is key. “My recommendation would be to dry brush one or two times per week, max,” says Frieling. (If you already have reactive skin, even less). “For beginners, I recommend being very gentle,” says Czech. “Dry brushing should be performed on dry skin, so I do not recommend using any product beforehand; however, you should always follow with a hydrating body oil or moisturizer.” She loves Costa Brazil’s Kaya Jungle Firming Body Oil or Biologique Recherche’s Huile Detente Body Oil as post-brush hydrators.
Tata Harper’s Step-by-Step Dry Brushing Guide:
“I start from the soles of my feet and use long, sweeping motions on my legs and arms as I work my way up. I brush my shoulders and chest area using strokes leading towards the heart to work with my body’s lymph flow, not against it. For my torso and back, I use circular motions, starting at my lower abdomen and working my way up. I always make sure not to press too firmly because dry brushing should feel good and never be uncomfortable. (I also avoid going over any sensitive areas like the face and neck to prevent irritation.)
Focusing on lymph node areas like the groin, armpits, and back of knees helps to further improve lymphatic drainage so I always take extra time in these areas. Following my dry brushing, I immediately shower or bathe and apply my following body products for super soft, radiant skin, because skincare shouldn’t stop at the neck.” That said, read on to discover the five best dry brushes to consider.
Tata Harper Dry Body Brush
“I love to use my dry brush in the morning to leave me feeling awake and ready for the day,” says Harper. Her design has “extra soft vegan bristles” and plays well with skin care (after the treatment). “Dry brushing can actually help to enhance the effectiveness of other skin care products by promoting circulation and improving absorption,” she says, noting to look for products that contain natural ingredients that “complement dry brushing, such as exfoliating acids like glycolic or lactic acid or deeply nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and aloe vera—always steer clear of products with irritating ingredients like alcohol or fragrances which can leave you with dry, irritated skin.”
Joanna Czech + I Love Grain Dry Massage Body Brush
Rothschild loves Czech’s design for its arm sculpting capabilities (and glowing skin benefits). “It also boosts blood circulation, brightens, and sheds dehydrated cells, which increases cellular turnover,” says Czech. This one, created as a collaboration with I Love Grain, is made with Tampico bristles from the agave plant.
Esker Twine Dry Brush
“Dry brushing or body planing both stimulate the lymphatic system to reduce inflammation and swelling for better circulation and detoxification,” says Esker founder Shannon Davenport. “This, in turn, helps reduce the appearance of dullness.” For a stainless steel alternative, “our patented Body Plane tool is inspired by an ancient tool used in cleansing rituals of Greek and Roman bathhouses called a strigil,” she says, which has a similar impact on lymphatic drainage, though the plane is designed to be combined with a bit of body oil. “The most important rule is to always use this tool with strokes going towards the heart.”
Joanna Vargas Ritual Brush
“I dry brush my body with my Ritual Brush before I get in the shower,” says Vargas. “Start at the tops of the feet and brush upwards towards the heart. You want the strokes to be long; circles don’t work.” She suggests focusing on areas that tend to be more stagnant to encourage blood flow. “It also dramatically increases elasticity, so it’s great for lifting and toning a problem area.”
Goop G.Tox Ultimate Dry Brush
The practice is an integral part of Gwyneth Paltrow’s routine, “I believe that beauty and wellness are inextricably linked,” she says moments before stroking Goop’s dry brush across her skin for a circulation and exfoliant boost. “Basically, what you do is you start at your toes and you gently brush your skin all the way up the body—and always towards the heart.” The practice sets the stage for her glowing regimen, as depicted in her beauty secrets episode.
Health Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage
“Lymphatic drainage is definitely having a moment right now, and for good reason!” Harper enthuses. “The lymphatic system plays such a critical role in the body’s immune function and overall health; Lymphatic drainage helps stimulate the lymphatic system, the system responsible for removing waste and toxins from the body.” Frieling agrees that it’s best described as the act of gentle massage or tissue compression to “promote the effective function of the lymphatic system” and helps with swelling, something Harper seconds: “This practice also helps to reduce swelling and inflammation by removing excess fluid from the tissues.” In some cases, this can create a sculpting effect.
