Dry Brushing Can Soften Your Legs Better Than Lotion

If you start noticing your legs feeling dry, lotion might seem like your best friend. Nobody enjoys dealing with tight and itchy skin throughout the day. While cold weather has a tendency to exacerbate flaky skin because the air itself is dry, many people search for solutions to their dry skin year-round.

While celebrities like Hailey Bieber credit their soft and supple skin to the lotions and creams they grew up slathering on their body, there may actually be an alternative that is even more effective at softening your skin. Instead of rushing to buy the body cream that Hailey Bieber swears by, try a dry brushing technique that stimulates cell growth within your skin.

Dry brushing usually involves a round or oval-shaped wooden brush with thick, stiff bristles. There are two popular varieties of dry brush bristles: a vegan version with a synthetic material or boar bristles that are typically a little softer. While the technique of brushing your skin may feel a little foreign at first, making it a part of your daily skincare routine can do wonders for your entire body.

Knowing how you should dry brush your skin will help you experience more benefits. While many people dry brush their entire body, it's helpful to start with your legs to get the proper technique down. Before you shower, take the dry brush in your hand, start at the base of your ankle, and do steady sweeping strokes up and around your leg. Dry brushing is said to increase overall blood flow in your body, so a helpful tip is to imagine yourself brushing toward your heart.

The primary goal of this technique is to increase your body's production of collagen. Since the layer of cracked and flakey skin on your legs is what creates a coarse texture, brushing upward on your legs with a dry brush not only removes this outer layer, but helps to thicken the skin underneath too.

Collagen also helps to tighten your skin, leaving it smoother, softer, and healthier. Dry brushing has also been known to reduce the visible cellulite on your legs because of the improved circulation on your skin's surface. Once the dry brushing has removed all the dead skin, your legs should feel softer and look brighter.

Although dry brushing is effective, it should never feel painful. In fact, if you feel stinging or see little scrapes on your legs, it's a sign that you may be pushing too hard or using your dry brush too often. If everyday use irritates your skin, consider trying a few times a week to see how your legs react. For those with sensitive skin, less might be more.

Rinsing off in the shower after dry brushing will help to remove any extra dry skin and give you a clean surface to moisturize. Rehydrating your skin is still super important, especially if it's prone to dryness. Since dry brushing is a physical exfoliator, it is really effective in removing the outer layer of dead skin so that you can properly care for the healthy skin left exposed.

Once your skin is exfoliated and rinsed, it's recommended to moisturize your skin with ingredients that will help to restore it from the inside out. For example, oatmeal is a great ingredient to look for in your post-dry brushing skincare products because, beyond moisturizing, it reduces inflammation and irritation. Plus, a lotion will help keep your soft skin feeling smooth for longer.