Reader TTS

I've always been influenced by trends. While I was never interested in buying all the latest clothes or makeup, I'm a skincare brand's dream, easily taken in by influencers

and clever advertising. I'm lucky enough to have relatively unproblematic skin throughout my life. Besides from some hormonal pimples and feeling like I'm shedding out of my dry

skin during the colder months, I've never had any big issues. This may stem from my lifelong love of skincare, and I'm always on the hunt for the latest moisturiser or the best

sunscreen. So I was thrilled when, a few weeks ago, I came across what people call 'showertok' on social media. After searching the hashtag, I saw people were taking to social

media platforms to share their often elaborate shower routines and the products they were using. What quickly came apparent to me was how many people were dry brushing their bodies before

having their shower. Using a brush with coarse, natural fibre bristles, people made sure to brush off their entire bodies in order to exfoliate and get rid of any dry skin cells that might

be stuck on their bodies. Dry brushing isn't a new thing, and can be traced back to in the ancient Indian holistic medicine system, Ayurveda. As well as exfoliating your body, Ayurvedic

practitioners also believed it helped stimulate the lymphatic system, promoting detoxification and circulation in the body. Recent studies have also shown that dry brushing could

temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite, Healthline reports. I quickly found myself in a rabbit hole, learning all about the history and supposed benefits of dry brushing, and it

wasn't long before I was convinced. I quickly went online to order myself my first dry brush to see if it really was as good as people were saying, and I'm really happy I did. As

soon as it arrived, I eagerly went into the bathroom to see what the fuss was all about. After looking up instructions on the correct way to dry brush your body, I applied the tool to my

skin and started brushing in small strokes. My first reaction was that it was a bit more harsh than I'd expected thanks to the coarse bristles. I made sure to adjust the pressure on any

sensitive areas as I brushed across my arms, legs, and torso. While I didn't feel any difference in my skin at first, I went on with the rest of my usual routine, using an African net

(an alternative to a loofah) to exfoliate more. However, after getting out of the shower and adding my normal moisturiser to my body, I was shocked by how smooth my skin was feeling. The

small bumps I've had on the back of my arms for as long as I could remember were gone, and felt just as soft as smooth as the rest of my arm. My legs felt like they'd never had any

hair growing on them, and the rest of my body was just as soft. I was shocked. By spending just a couple minutes before my shower brushing my entire body, I'd achieved the feeling of

having spent the whole day at a spa right there in my bathroom. I also noticed my lymph nodes appeared less inflamed as I made sure to massage my body. If you're interested in getting

yourself a dry brush, it's important to note that it's not suitable on skin that's affected by eczema or psoriasis, or any other type of inflamed skin. You should also avoid

brushing over open wounds and rashes, Healthline reports. if you want to brush your face, you should use a softer, specially made brush.