A 5-Step Guide To Dry Brushing Your Face For Brighter Skin

At this point, we're going to consider it safe to assume that you have probably heard a thing or two about the benefits of dry brushing your body. It's great for supporting healthy lymphatic system and exfoliating away skin dead skin cells making you appear brighter and smoother. And that's not to mention host of wellness celebrities and experts to swear by. But did you know that you should be dry brushing your face, too? You should.

Facial dry brushing can replace those harsh exfoliation habits you've been meaning to kick. It's gentler than a Clarisonic and way better for the environment than all those exfoliating scrubs with little plastic beads. And it doesn't need to add another 10 minutes to your already lengthy nighttime beauty routine. Aestheticians recommend dry brushing only one or two times per week, for one or two minutes max. So build it into your Sunday self care ritual or make it a Saturday morning pre-brunch habit. Either way, it's an easy way to give your skin a little extra glow.

You want to make sure that you're starting with totally clean skin, that way you're not opening up all your pores only to clog them with makeup or other irritants.

Like with body dry brushing, you should always brush with gentle upward motions, away from the direction of your heart (to encourage circulation). Brush from your chin to your hairline on one side of the face, and then move to the other side. Light, gentle strokes will do the trick. This should not hurt.

As any facialist will tell you, your neck is part of your face too. Repeat your gentle brush strokes up from your chest, across your neck to the bottom of your chin.

If you have time, you could apply a mask after dry brushing. If not, go straight to the moisturizing step. You'll want to be sure to hydrate skin after exfoliating (be it with a serum, oil, or all-natural moisturizer), as to keep all your fresh new skin plump and moisture-drenched.

Gently scrub your dry brush with warm water and a clean soap or makeup brush cleanser at least once a week. Set it out to dry so that it doesn't collect any mildew or bacteria. You can also lightly mist your brush with a tea tree solution (1 part tea tree oil, 2 parts water) to keep it clean in between washes.