Winter is coming and while I’m lucky not to suffer too badly from dry skin there’s this word ‘stagnation’ that plays with my skin in a major way. Now, it’s perhaps not the most technical of dermatology terms but suffice to say its meaning as a state of not flowing or not moving pretty much sums up the winter skin condition and why body brushing is such an easy way to say goodbye to skin cells hanging round past their used-by date.
A recent vinyasa yoga class reminded me how good it is to get the body (and skin) moving during this season. And while your skin is pretty much covered neck to toe in toasty, warm, cosy clothing just because it’s not on display doesn’t mean it’s meant to be left alone.
You shed thousands of skin cells every hour (kinda gross, but kinda awesome) with seasonal changes also meaning everything from hydration levels to sebum levels can alter with dry skin on the rise – or if you’re anything like me, a much welcomed reprieve from summer spots! And much like the way you switch from a spring/summer wardrobe to an autumn/winter one, skin routines should be just the same.
Enter dry body brushing. Yes, a brush, for your body that you use on dry skin – ideally before a shower. What does it do? Brushing the skin dry is going to help move dead skin cells off in one swoop at the same time stimulating the outer layer of the skin to get that blood moving but importantly, you’re keeping an eye on your skin.
We pay so much attention to our face, and our hands, because we look at them all the time yet your largest surface areas are often covered and not looked at with nearly enough attention. The more you look, the more you learn and the more you learn the more you’re able to spot the differences when it matters.
The lesson here is to keep skin moving! Skin keeps on being skin, it doesn’t magically stop doing its thing just because its winter and you’d rather hibernate beneath a pillow fortress (…maybe just me then) and so, out of sight out of mind is no way to treat your best-friend barrier. Go on, give it a brush.
