Dry Body Brushing
The Gentle Detox Techique: Dry Body Brushing
If you’re looking for a simple, feel-good ritual to support your skin and overall wellbeing, dry body brushing might just be your new favourite habit.
Rooted in traditional wellness practices and backed by functional health principles, dry brushing is a gentle exfoliation technique that supports not just your skin — but your entire detox and circulatory systems.
Why Dry Body Brushing?
Dry brushing stimulates the skin and superficial lymphatic vessels just under the skin’s surface. This promotes movement of lymph fluid, a clear fluid rich in immune cells that carries waste, cellular debris, and toxins away from tissues and toward elimination organs (like the liver, kidneys, and skin).
It also:
Improves blood flow to the skin, enhancing nutrient delivery and oxygenation
Encourages lymphatic drainage, helping reduce fluid retention, puffiness, and congestion
Stimulates the nervous system, providing an energising, invigorating effect
Can support healthy hormone clearance, especially in sluggish or congested states
Assists in the removal of dead skin cells, promoting cell renewal and skin clarity
Clinical Indications & Supportive Use
Dry brushing may be particularly useful in people experiencing:
Keratosis pilaris (rough, bumpy skin due to clogged hair follicles)
Lymphatic congestion (puffiness, swollen lymph nodes, fluid retention)
Poor peripheral circulation (cold hands/feet, stagnant skin tone)
Chronic fatigue or sluggish metabolism
Oestrogen dominance or poor liver clearance
Post-viral recovery to assist immune flow and toxin clearance
Cellulite or skin texture issues as a gentle support tool
In integrative medicine and naturopathic circles, dry brushing is often recommended as part of a detox protocol, especially alongside homeopathy, herbal lymphatic support, saunas, or castor oil packs.
How to Dry Brush
Choose a natural bristle brush, ideally with a long handle to reach your back. They’re available online from health food stores or some chemists.
Brush on dry skin, just before showering.
Use gentle, circular strokes, working toward the heart:
Start at the feet, move up the legs.
Brush from the hands to shoulders.
Then gently brush the torso, chest, and back.
After brushing, have a warm shower and follow with a natural body oil or balm to hydrate the skin such as Juniper Organic Body Moisturiser.
It only takes 3–5 minutes, and consistency is more important than intensity. Think stimulating, not scrubbing.
When to Use It
Dry brushing can be done 2–4 times per week, or even daily if your skin tolerates it well. It’s especially helpful when:
Your skin feels dull, rough, or congested
You’re experiencing hormonal breakouts or premenstrual bloating
You're supporting detox or healing (e.g. after antibiotics, illness, or stress)
You’re in need of a gentle energy boost
Wanting a natural, non-invasive way to address skin eruptions
You want a quick self-care ritual that reconnects you to your body
A Final Note
Dry brushing is not a miracle fix — but it’s one of those quiet, supportive rituals that adds up over time. It’s about tuning in to your body, activating your natural elimination systems, and giving your skin and lymph some daily love.
And like so much of natural medicine — it’s free, simple, and effective.