Thursday, March 27, 2008

Dry Brushing!


Hellllooooo fabulous!

Now that we've manifested our asses off, let's dry brush them too! If ya really want the "glow" ya gotta dry brush baby. We dump tons of toxins out of our skin so it's important to keep the pathway clear. Dry brushing loosens dead cells, stimulates acupressure points, tickles your chi, massages your meridians, moves the lymph, helps reduce CELLULITE, stimulates your immune system, wakes up circulation and makes your skin soooo soft and velvety! You can get a natural bristle brush at WF's or any health food store. I don't use a brush. Personally, I use those cheap little loofah gloves that you can get at any drug store. They are easy to use and both hands can go wild! If you find natural ones great, I have them too but they kinda hurt. The mits you can throw in the wash and toss when they're too broken in.

How to brush: Technically they say that it's best to start with your feet and work your way up your body using both circular and long strokes - moving towards your heart or your navel (depending who you read). Gotta say, I do whatever I'm inspired to do and it seems to work just fine. It's dry brushing, not rocket science! Whatever, throw some circular motions and upward sweeps in there, add your own shazzizle and call it a day. The best to time brush is before a shower or bath in the morning, once a day. Be gentle. Note: there is a whole section about dry brushing in the bonus features of CSC.

When I brush on a regular basis I do see a big difference in my skin. I tend to get ingrown hairs and bumps in the winter (more information than you probably wanted to know). If I don't dry brush it gets like a highway of nasty! I'm also a lizard. Always have been. Dry brushing removes the scale like grids from my chins which Brian really appreciates. :)

If ya really wanna take it to the next level use some organic coconut oil after your shower or bath. OH YEAH!

So there ya have it, Pretty simple stuff. Now go have some fun stroking yourself! :)

PS. Avoid your face and other bits and pieces.

Peace and loofahs,
Kris

As always, come visit us for deliciously inspiring health & healing conversations at: http://my.crazysexylife.com/

39 comments:

Chris in Wyoming said...

I love the information you keep adding to my bag of life tricks. I also love the way you phrase things-I am chuckling with my morning (ok, I admit) coffee!

I was telling a friend about the Village that you broke ground on and that has grown into an amazing community of energy, healing, laughter, and hope.
Thank, Kris!
Chris in Wyoming

cancer cowgirl xo said...

Thanks love! Hey, this info is out there so I gotta make it different with my wicked twist. Plus, I get bored if I'm not sassing back. Your presence on the forum is huge! So cool. xooxx Kris

Candice Davis said...

Yeah, it trips me out when I see all these technical steps for how to dry brush. Seems a bit complicated for what you're actually doing. BTW I actually use a gentle dry face brush on my face and it works well. I stay away from the eyes and massage in coconut oil after I wash my face. Delish!

helen said...

Kris, you are so fabulous girl! I have been reading your blog and enjoying the wealth of knowledge, humor, and candor that comes from your soul. What an amazing person you are! Enough of the lovefest now on to ?s....

The mitts you use are loofah? I have been thinking of dry brushing but have not tried it because I thought you had to use dry bristle brushes which I know would tear my skin up. I have very sensitive skin so I'm thinking the loofah would work. Can't wait to get started and get that "glow" even though my skin "glows" from being soooo white lol! No sun bathing for me.

Blessings,
Helen

clint said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
clint said...

Hey Kris,

Am in the Hospital here in Emergency, and am wondering if I should not have dry brushed my Private parts ??

I feel a lot of circulation happening down there, but.....it hurts like the Dickens ...please advise !!

:-(

Jennifer said...

Hey Kris!

I was very excited to read this blog cause it's one the things at the top of my list to incorporate into my daily routine. I bought the brush a few months ago, but I'm not a morning person, and I never remember to do it. Maybe I should put it next to the tub eh? Thank you so much for continuing to educate us in your fabuously silly way. You always manage to take the intimidation out of unchartered tarritory for me. I always over analizy and am trying to incorporate more of your laid back attitude into my personality. Today is a very special day for me. It has been 1 month since Tom (fil) passed and my emotions are all over the place. I just want to thank you so much for giving me a soft place to land. You are my hero.

Tragicomedy said...

I don't follow any strategy for brushing short of my own routine. I first use my Bass foot file thingy to smooth my foootsies (I am too ticklish to ever have a pedi so I have to do my own). Then I use the 'glove' and do each of my hands with that. THEN I break out "big poppa" which is my back brush and do my back, then my other brush I do my bottom half then my torso. I have a small Bass face brush, or at least I use it as a face brush and I do my face last. I always feel like if I do my feet first I'm brushing feet funk on my body, so I use the file and then a separate brush for my feets.

I dry brush but I have a matching brush set designated for the bath/shower and I wet brush in the bath, too. I'm not sure if that's bad or not, but I have to detox a LOT so my doctor told me it's OK. She told me to stop brushing my face but there's something enjoyable about it, and I'm gentle!

I love the face brush actually!

Chris in Wyoming said...

Goony sweetie,
Happy memories today.
Thank you for sharing that journey with us. It was an honor and I hope that you felt our care and strength for you and your family.
Chris in Wyoming

Sabrina said...

Great information!! I love how you use the bath/shower hand mits instead of a natural brush.

I've seen those loofah pads everywhere but never thought they could be used for dry brushing!! I'm looking forward to picking one up & trying it out w/ some coconut oil (I hear people rant and rave about this stuff!).

Any suggestions on brands of organic coconut oil or is it all the same??

-Sabrina

cancer cowgirl xo said...

Sabrina: I love Nutiva brand
Clint: You are down right WRONG! love ya!
Gooney: Hugging you now...

LauraB said...

Great topic! Dry brushing feel so good, and even decadent with coconut oil after a shower. (I also use Nutiva.) We actually have one upstairs for all our bodies and one in the kitchen for cooking....no sharing ;-) For those of you with kids, try it with them. It so fun watching them slather it all over their bodies and then lick their fingers....oh that sounds gross, but really it isn't :-)

Kris, question. When I first started dry brushing my sugar cravings came back with a vengeance. I pushed through it and all was fine. I found myself forgetting to dry brush for a while and when I picked it up again I found my sugar cravings came back. What do you think this is all about? I suspect part of the detox, have you or anyone else experienced this?

Thanks love!
Laura

lisa said...

Hi, Kris! I love your blogs.

I have a question: I use one of those loofah/bath puff thingees in the shower. Will I get the same benefits from that as I will from dry brushing? How does dry brushing work differently than a soapy loofah? What about an organic sugar scrub?

I have Lyme disease, so I'm really interested in detoxing as much as possible. Thank you!

Lisa:)

*heather* said...

Yay for this post! I just switched from the coconut bristle brush from the WF (fabulous but wicked on my skin; I looked like I was on the losing end of a catfight!) to a softer natural bristle brush that I lurrrvvvv. But the loofah gloves, what a super idea and much easier for traveling than trying to explain to airport security why I've got this massive long-handled brush in my carry-on.

Clint - all sorts of wrong there. But mad funny.

Goony - wrapping you up in love today. You're honoring Tom's memory in major ways by all that you're doing for yourself and for everyone here. Big love.

Have a great day everyone.

*heather*

Iffat said...

Oh Kris,
Last Sunday I was at Whole Foods trying to figure out which brush to choose for dry brushing. Even the lady there, couldn't figure out which one is good enough. UGH.
Come on! You are an ocean of knowledge and you always give us right info on the right time. Gosh! how do you know, just when we needed it the most.
Well, you solved my mystery about choosing the dry brush and I LOVE you for that and for so so so......
much more.
Love and blessings
Keep on shining like a star and enlightening our lives every day.
xoxoxo.....
Iffat

Elizabeth M. said...

I love my dry brush! I've been doing it for the past year and am only sorry that I did not learn about this years ago. in fact, ha! I wrote a post on my blog about dry brushing just yesterday! Spreading the word...Hope to entice the regular readers of my blog to brush too!

Carrie Nicole said...

I bought a brush when I was on a cruise last April and had no idea why. The spa there sucked me in and upsold me and I came home with an ungodly amount of stuff that was sitting in the back of my bathroom cabinet.....

Anyways....So, I did start brushing a couple of weeks ago after reading folks' mentions of it on the forum (super, happy, inspiring, crazy, sexy love fest forum)....

Admittedly, I'm a lizard too, and with sensitive skin to boot so other than the bottoms of my feet, I end up doing an ouch, ouch, ay ay ay dance around my bathroom in my b-day suite when I dry brush. I have one of those glove things so going to give that and some of that shazzizle you mentioned a try.

Another thing...I hope this is not a totally silly question.... so, are folks rubbing themselves down with the same coconut oil that they're cooking with ?!?!?! Or maybe I should say basting themselves...hee hee. Last time I grabbed out my coco oil to whip up some grub I stood there looking at the bottle and thinking to myself "do they really? no, couldn't be."

Huggy - I nearly lost all bladder control when I read your comment. Must take heed before reading if I see your cute little kiddo mug and make sure I've had my potty break first...you're always so hilarious.

....Iliad complete. Hugs!

Debbie Young said...

Hey Kids!
Ok, first advice of the day: IGNORE Clint! kidding, I kid because I love...
Hang that everloving brush by the toilet, the throne, whatever you call it.. then whilst you are doing your bizness, get to brushing from toes on up.

I love the sesame oil or coconut oil massage after the shower.. since I have been doing this my hubby says my butt is (I know TMI!) smoothhhh..he's the only one who really knows!
love
deb mayor of csville

Hilary Baumann said...

Oooo - I already have some of those exfoliating gloves so I'm definitely going to give it a try now! Hadn't even occurred to me to use them dry. :)

Michelle said...

Hey Kris, natural bristle brush...is this actually what the brush is called at WF? I want to buy a brush but i want the RIGHT brush for my body!! Oy vey what a body it is!! :O) Seriously, i read so much on dry brushing i want to finally incorporate it into my daily morning routine!

Also, maybe next post can be about what soaps you use ex..shampoos, body soaps and toothpastes! I read that lots of raw people are not even using shampoo anymore, they use a combo of baking soda and water, then apple cider vinegar! Thanks friend!
Michelle

Unknown said...

I've been waiting for a post about this. I keep meaning to try it. I think the words tickle your chi jut convinced me. I want to tickle my chi!!!

Thanks Kris!

Liz R said...

Thanks for the dry brushing tips Kris! My daughters treated me to a "birthday spa day" at the Hotel Hershey last month (yes, everything smelled like chocolate) and my oldest had a dry brushing and a wrap. She loved it and bought me a brush from the spa that is really soft. Now I am stimulating, waking up and tickling away.
I personally like to dry brush to my exercise music; lately I've been playing lots of Wilson Pickett - think "Land of a Thousand Dances"

Sandra said...

Gonna rush right out and get me some loofah gloves, but first I have to smack Clint upside the head. When I read that you were in the emergency room, I gasped! Heart raced and everything, you huggy brat. :)
DEB- got my wheat grass today! YUM! I was fully expecting it to taste like pond scum and I was oh so pleasantly surprised. It's super mild, like water with a hint of green tea. Maybe the effects aren't as great as the au naturale, but this powdered stuff is a dream come true for me, especially while I'm traveling. Do you really drink it three times a day? I shall aim for that, but it seems ambitious. I will do as coach Terri says and visualize downing three big ol' wheat grass drinks a day and hopefully, I will manifest prolific pooping. (These posts seem to be taking a turn for the TMI so I thought I'd join the party.)
Love to all and welcome back to us, Dee!
Sandra

Raw Bliss said...

Girl, I love you! I simply and totally adore you. :)

I love brushing. It's fun and actually, I just shaved my legs and my shins are screaming at me from all the bumps and ingrowns(which NEVER happened until now). So, some good dry brushing tomorrow it is. :)

xoxoxoxox,
melissa

scnewme said...

I love my dry brush - picked it up at WF a couple of months ago. It really is amazing at de-scaling lizards but I agree it does start to hurt a bit and leaves my bod lovely shades of pink!

After my PET scan, I found myself trying to practically scrub the toxins off of me - but a nice bath in epson salts was very soothing. I also slather myself in coconut oil daily. I just scoop some into a ziplock and throw it in the shower/bath and its an awesome treat that reminds me of summer and the beach!

Thank you Kris - I'm gonna try the loofah too! Happy Friday!! xoxo

Anonymous said...

Dry brushing is the best tool I've found for waking up in the morning. Your whole body becomes invigorated! The coconut oil is like icing on the cake:) Its the closest I get to aromatherapy-so comforting and soothing. It helps me start the day on a calm note.
xo,
Sundari:)

Debbie Young said...

Kris- Alert! Flavs is a member on cslife.. calls himself Peyton Manning.. go get him girl!!
deb

skyecat said...

Hey Kris,

I just bought one loofah last night at the A&P, but love the idea of having one for each hand...

I have always had dry skin so I am certain that this will help.

And if it helps to get the "glow" then I'm all over it...

Thanks again...cowgirl!!! I'm wearing my cowboy boots today in honor of you and your posse--and just bought your book--it's incredible.

Sabrina said...

DRY BRUSHING totally rocks my socks. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Nutiva coconut oil hint! It works so amazingly. This was my first time dry brushing (I used to loofah mit pad shown in the picture and also bought the same type but smaller for your face) and my skin felt super super soft as soon as I stepped in the shower!! I am a dry brushing convert...no doubt about it!!

Thank you for the recommendation!!

Diane said...

I started dry brushing a few weeks ago. I have the brush hanging on the back of the bathroom door so that it makes a nice 'thud' when I close the door to remind me.
I'm hoping to see some results on my scaly legs - ug!
Thanks!
Invisible Diane

clint said...

FINE ! ! Whatever Sandra ! !

Kick a little kid when he's down...

Whatever !

Debbie Young said...

Hey I want a turn.. kicking Clint!
Oh so incorrect are we...must be all the glowing energy we get from dry brushing.. btw did mine today and then soaked in a tub, then did sesame oil massage, Yowza, ready to do hair now!
love deb
PS Clint I kid cuz, well, you know:)
deb

clint said...

It's ok Debbie.... I KNOW where you live.... ! ! :-)

....and forwarded that info onto Flavs ....

Be afwaid.....be vaweee afwaid !!

LauraB said...

Flavs changed his profile. There is no longer Peyton Manning on the site, but now Alice Young, he even starrted a discussion.....we are on to you flavs! Kris, I'll leave this one to you.

Debbie Young said...

Hey Clint
I am way more afraid of YOU than poor lonely Flavs, who apparently is now a transexual! Pray for his mortal soul, he is troubled.

I did dry brushing this am, on the throne, eh em..
took five minutes to brush all over, then add some oil.
Not too shabby, feels good too.
love to you all
deb
PS remember to go lights out at 8pm tonight for one hour.. how about a candlelit bath after some good dry brushing, then a massage and some yoga and meditaion? just a thought:)

Basic Me said...

I love Dry Brushing I had not actually heard it was something done for detoxing until csc but boy does it make the skin healthy. I love the glow. And I am betting this is where all the hard food work pays off and the glow gets to show. Our weather here is so fickle that you tend to have three hot days and two frigidly cold ones and we all seem to get chapped on the cold days. Anyway I think this is a great article. It helps explain the process and also helps to get us all doing it regularly. Now I know I am late but I think Clint has lost his mind. haha..behave clint. haha.. anyway. hope all is going well. Love and have Missed you all. Callie

Basic Me said...

Clint I do not think she is kicking you when you are down exactly.. behave,. :) callie

clint said...

WOW, Flavs is a Trans-sexual ??

I would have thought that the Bio-Flavenoids would have cured that ?!?!?

It just keeps getting better :-)

RachelRae said...

I absolutely LOVE doing dry brushing. It has made such a difference in my skin! And I use a pumice stone on my feet....way better & cheaper than getting pedicures!