I’ve dabbled with dry brushing here and there in my time, but never really committed. But this skin-care practice is not only beloved by the likes of our favorite celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Tracee Ellis Ross, but by well-qualified nutritionists and functional health doctors as well. Everyone raves about the myriad of health and skin benefits that come with dry brushing, so consider me interested in learning more.
Vogue’s Favorite Dry Brushes
- Best With Copper Bristles: HigherDose Supercharge Copper Body Brush, $69
- Best Comfortable Handle: Kate McLeod The Dry Brush Exfoliating Body Tool, $26
- Best Long-Handle: Goop Ultimate Dry Brush, $25
- Best Compact Brush: Joanna Czech The Dry Massage Body Brush, $39
- Best With Natural Materials: Shelter Skin Sculpting Copper Dry Brush, $68
What is Dry Brushing?
True to its name, dry brushing involves running a bristled brush over dry skin, most commonly on the body, rather than the face. “It is a powerful Ayurvedic practice that both exfoliates the skin and opens detox pathways to support lymphatic drainage and boost immunity,” says Lauren Berlingeri, co-founder of HigherDose.
A simple pre-shower ritual, it isn’t just used in Ayurvedic medicine to stimulate the skin and the body’s lymphatic system, but in Traditional Chinese Medicine too. It’s a practice that has stood the test of time, which is always a good sign when trying to understand whether a wellness “trend” is really worth its salt.
The Benefits of Dry Brushing
As well as stimulating lymphatic drainage, which helps in detoxifying the body, dry brushing is supposed to be great for removing dead skin cells to smooth skin, boosting blood circulation, and reducing puffiness and water retention. It is also a great way to invigorate body and mind, especially at the start of the day. Some also say it’s great at reducing the appearance of cellulite, but from my personal research, this seems somewhat unfounded.
Sophie Bolvary, licensed massage therapist at Sanara, adds that the practice of dry brushing may boost our immune system. “The lymphatic system does not have a ‘pump’ of its own, meaning it only gets working when we start moving our body or when it is stimulated manually by dry brushing or light massage,” Bolvary explains.
She adds that different brushes can have a different effect on the body. Dry brushes made with boar hair bristles are ideal for daily use and exfoliation. Dry brushes with ionic copper bristles carry the added benefit of sweeping your body in negative ions, which is known for antiviral and antibacterial properties in traditional medicine. It also may bring us full body-mind refreshment as an added self-care benefit.
“The brisk rhythmic motion creates a sensory reset that I find both grounding and energizing,” she adds. “Helping to sharpen mental alertness and brighten my mood.” Pro-tip: Sprinkle an essential oil blend to your dry brush to further wake up your senses.
My Experience with Dry Body Brushing
I’ve used a dry body brush during episodic health kicks previously, but rarely consistently. What I’ve most noticed since making it (at least) a four-times-a-week thing is that my skin is infinitely less lackluster. It’s an excellent way to quickly slough off the dead skin cells that form a grey veil over what was previously an okay summer tan, and it’s certainly a good way to wake yourself up in the morning.
I have found that combining it with a “contrast” shower–i.e. turning the temperature hot, then cold, then hot, then cold–makes me feel extremely energized, particularly after a vigorous workout. You also don’t really need to commit to doing five minutes to reap the benefits–give it three minutes and you’ll feel fantastic as you start your day. It’s worth noting that–as hard as I willed it–dry brushing won’t stimulate lymphatic drainage enough to cure a hangover. Which is deeply sad.
Newbies to the practice should know that once you’ve dry brushed, you’ll likely experience an itchy, tingling sensation, along with some possible redness, which soon settles. This feeling quickly becomes less prominent with regular use, but it’s actually a sign that your circulation is revved up and blood is en route to the surface of the skin.
Dry body brushing is a really easy–and affordable–ritual to commit to, which is why it gets a yes from me. You can’t always see the many benefits it has on the body, but you can often feel them. I have personally noticed a more even skin tone, slightly lighter legs (not yet as streamlined as Paltrow’s unfortunately) and more morning vitality. I also firmly believe that taking a few intentional minutes to do something positive for your well-being each day is underrated. Next up… time to crack body moisturizing. A look at the dry brushes we’d recommend, below.
Best With Copper Bristles: HigherDose Supercharge Copper Body Brush
- Why We Love It: A pick from Bolvary, this body brush is made with a mix of copper and natural horse hair bristles that strike the perfect balance between an extremely effective and gentle exfoliation. After a few uses, you’ll see your skin look—and feel—so much smoother. And as an added bonus, the copper bristles are known to sweep your body in negative ions to stimulate your lymphatic system, and give you antibacterial and antiviral benefits.
- Editor’s Experience: “I have never really gotten into dry brushing (I’m admittedly very lazy and not too keen on adding another step into any of my routines). But I heard such great things about this specific dry brush, I decided to give it a try—and I’m a converted believer. This brush feels so luxe and gentle, I actually like rubbing it all over my skin. And after consistent use, I do notice my skin feels so much smoother and looks more radiant. This is especially important in the summer, when I’m layering so much sunscreen and bug repellent on my body, it’s nice to have something that effectively sloughs away any debris and product buildup. As for the TCM benefits, the jury is still out on that one. But I’m willing to keep trying to see.” —Audrey Noble, contributor
- Bristle Material: Copper and natural horsehair
- Handle Size: 13 x 8 x 4 cm.
Best Comfortable Handle: Kate McLeod The Dry Brush Exfoliating Body Tool
- Why We Love It: This provides excellent targeted exfoliation. The natural blend of horsehair and sisal hair gently clears dirt and dead skin to prep you for any nourishing ingredients you want to treat your body to. We especially love circular, contoured bamboo handles for an easy grip so you can dry brush thoroughly.
- Bristle Material: Natural Horsehair and sisal hair
- Handle Size: N/A
Best Long-Handle: Goop Ultimate Dry Brush
- Why We Love It: The natural sisal fibers on this brush feels great against the skin and provides a really gentle exfoliation to sweep away dead skin cells. But what we love about this brush is its long handle, which is perfect for reaching all over your back and other hard to reach places. So be prepared to look smoother and brighter all over, truly.
- Bristle Material: Natural Sisal Fibers
- Handle Size: N/A
Best Compact Brush: Joanna Czech The Dry Massage Body Brush
- Why We Love It: The tampico bristles are soft, but still give you a hard enough dry brush to really get your blood circulating and help clear away all the buildup on your skin. The result is a smoother surface and a brighter radiance on your body overall. Plus, it’s one of the easier brushes you can throw in a bag and travel with, so you can dry brush wherever you happen to be jetting off to.
- Bristle Material: Tampico
- Handle Size: 4.75 in.
Best With Natural Materials: Shelter Skin Sculpting Copper Dry Brush
- Why We Love It: Another pick from Bolvary, this copper and horsehair brush is made with entirely natural materials. You’ll find fine copper wire that will gently neutralize buildup on your skin and give it that energetic boost so skin looks more refreshed. The horsehair will further slough away any debris for super smooth skin. We also just love the cherry-stained hardwood base; it’s just so luxe looking and we can’t help but be suckers for a chic aesthetic.
- Bristle Material: Fine copper and natural horsehair
- Handle Size: N/A
Everything You Need to Know
The Downsides of Dry Brushing
There are a few negative side effects that can occur if you’re not careful. Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology says that it may cause irritation or micro-tears in the skin if too much pressure is applied. You’ll also want to consider what skin conditions you might be dealing with and if your skin type can tolerate all this brushing. Dr. Garshick says it’s not recommended for anyone with sensitive, broken, or inflamed skin like eczema or psoriasis.
Bolvary adds that you’ll want to be mindful about cleaning your brush (more on how to do that later). Because of the exfoliating nature of dry brushing, there could be a lot of skin-shedding debris that builds up in the brush that can make dry brushing ineffective or irritate your skin further.
How Often Should You Dry Brush?
Dr. Garshick says that dry brushing can be done one to two times a week if you have sensitive skin, as frequent brushing might cause irritation. But if your skin can tolerate it, Bolvary says that it can be a daily practice. She recommends doing it at the start of your day, right before hopping in the shower. “Some people find it more stimulating and energizing than a cup of coffee,” she says.
At-Home Dry Brushing vs Treatment
Dry brushing done by a professional will give you a more in-depth treatment. “The practitioner takes care of the work, and reaches all the hard-to-reach areas, while you simply enjoy the awakening sensations,” says Bolvary. “Also, the practitioner can demonstrate proper technique and pressure for your skin and body type.”
But that doesn’t mean doing it at home won’t have its own benefits. She says it’s helpful to look at a lymphatic glow map (“A very easy Google search,” she says, “which can outline the general flow of lymph and how to sweep into the main lymph ports of the body”). After a few tries on your own, she says you get used to it.
How to Clean a Dry Brush
Bolvary says that because dry brushes are usually made with natural materials, it’s best to use natural, non-chemical cleaning solutions to clean your brushes. “I like to get a bowl of warm water with several drops of tea tree oil and place the brush bristles down to let it soak for about 30 minutes. Then set it aside to dry.”
But keep in mind that your brush will soften over time and that it will eventually shed a little with regular washing. “These tools are not meant to last forever,” she says. “So if your brush has become too soft and the bristles are falling out with every use, it may be time for a new one.”
Try to wash your brush once every two weeks and spritz it with something like tea tree mist after every use. Bolvary also recommends leaving it in a window to air dry rather than your shower ledge where it can easily get dirty.
How We Tested
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity estheticians—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to dry brushes, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: bristle type, texture, handle length, size, and the skin and wellness concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you. Read more about our testing methodology here.
Meet the Experts
- Lauren Berlingeri, co-founder of HigherDose.
- Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
- Sophie Bolvary, licensed massage therapist at Sanara.