Whether you are a long-time practitioner of dry brushing and are looking for an alternative to a brush or if you have recently read “The Prime” by Dr. Kulreet Chaudharyby or others that praise the Ayurvedic benefits of garshana gloves (or “Garshan”). There is a growing selection of great Garshana gloves to choose from.
Our top pick of the bunch is these Garshana Massage Gloves because they offer adjustable wrist straps which makes them the most versatile.
As we’ve previously written about, we are hesitant about some of the exaggerated claims of dry brushing but we do agree it can help your skin feel better and is a good way to exfoliate your skin. Even if you already have a good long-handled dry brush (for reaching your back), also owning a good pair of gloves can be a good combination.
Best Garshana Gloves for Dry Brushing
Moon Magic Raw Silk Garshana Gloves
The gloves only come in one size and for some, the wrist elastic can feel a little too snug. This can make it a little difficult to move your hand around freely. If you have larger hands these may not be the dry brushing gloves for you.
These gloves can be machine washed but this can cause a small amount of shrinkage, so if they are a little bit snug it would be safer to hand wash them
Pros:
- Machine Washable
- Lovely texture
Cons:
- Are slightly small in size
Silky Skin Raw Silk Garshana Gloves
These gloves come with a very stylish pouch for storing your gloves. This means that you can keep your gloves in the bathroom in their pouch and have them be a lovely feature of the room.
The other bonus of the pouch is that it makes it easy to keep your gloves together reducing the chances of mislaying one. It is also easy to take these gloves with you when you travel as you only need to pick up the pouch with your gloves.
These gloves feature elasticated wristbands which can be quite snug on people with slightly larger hands. The snug fit of the wrists of these gloves can make it harder to comfortably reach your whole body with these gloves.
Pros:
- Comes with a stylish storage bag
- Great for exfoliating
Cons:
- Elasticated wristbands can be snug on larger hands
GLife Garshana Ayurvedic Massage Gloves
These garshana gloves are the only ones I have seen that have adjustable wrist cuffs. They attach using lovely wide Velcro strips that secure the gloves around your wrist. This means that you can be sure that the gloves won’t slip off your hands as your massage your skin.
The wide Velcro straps means that the fit of the gloves is more comfortable than the fit of elasticated gloves which can dig into your skin.
The size of these gloves is a little on the small size meaning that if your hands are on the large side then you may have a little difficulty squeezing them through the wrist cuffs.
These gloves are easy to care for as they are durable enough to be machine washed on a gentle cycle.
The material strikes a good balance between softness and sufficiently textured to allow for exfoliation.
Pros:
- Adjustable wrist size
- Machine Washable
Cons:
- Small size
Bare Rush Garshana Gloves
These gloves come in stunning packaging, which means they are a great choice if you are planning to give them as a gift. It also means that you can keep them in the pack in your bathroom without worry that it will look out of place.
The major downside to these gloves is that the raw silk that these are made from does not fare well if machine washed, so it is advisable to hand wash and dry these with care.
Pros:
- Beautiful Packaging
- Nice for a gift
- Effective for Exfoliating
Cons:
- Not Machine Washable
Does Dry Brushing Work?
There are a lot of promises about the benefits of dry brushing and as with most things, you can’t believe everything you read. Dry brushing can improve the look and
feel of your skin but it is not a magical remedy that will give you a new transformed your body.
What is Dry Brushing?
Well, as the name implies, it involves brushing your skin whilst it is dry. Most people choose to do it before they shower so that they can moisture their skin after
brushing. It is done using a firm non-synthetic brush, ideally with a long handle (so you can reach every spot), for your legs arms and back. For your face and chest, it is suggested that you use a softer, handheld brush.
A natural bristle brush is best, if you’re interested here are some of our top picks for the best brushes to use. Some people prefer to dry brush wearing a garshan glove on their hand.
Typically, you begin brushing at your feet and use long sweeping strokes directed towards your heart. After your legs, do your arm and then your torso. As you stroke the brush over your skin you should be applying gentle pressure, never pressing so hard as to cause discomfort or pain. It’s probably easier to get a visual, here is a good demonstration on dry brushing:
Why are people dry brushing?
The theory behind this process is that it will increase the blood flow to your skin. It will remove your excess dead skin cells and it will help your lymph nodes to drain themselves of toxins. Since your lymphatic system is responsible for transporting toxins away from your organs the more efficiently it can do this the better you should feel. In other words, dry brushing should help to make you feel better.
How much better it will make you feel depends on the source you go to, I’ve personally seen claims that it will make you feel more energized, reduce skin infections and even prevent you from catching colds. This same source is one of several that extorts the benefits of dry brushing during pregnancy.
The benefits that are claimed for pregnant women come in two different groups. There are the ones that suggest dry brushing will help to prevent the formation of stretch marks during pregnancy and then will help to improve skin elasticity after giving birth. There are also claims that dry brushing during pregnancy will improve the health of your baby.
This is based on the idea of toxins being removed from the body more efficiently. The idea is that these benefits will be shared with your unborn baby as well.
One of the main reasons that people advocate dry brushing is for the removal of cellulite. There are varying reports about just how effective dry brushing is for removing cellulite. Some sources claim that it will remove it completely, whereas others will be more cautious in their claims and simply say that it will decrease the appearance of cellulite.
Less spoken about are the stress-relieving effects of dry brushing. Dry brushing has many of the same effects as massage, such as causing muscle relaxation and stress relief. The act of dry brushing can also improve your state of mind as it is a calming self-care routine.
Who is dry brushing for?
The benefits of dry brushing have mostly been marketed towards women. There is a lot of talk about dry brushing on pregnancy and mum-based forums, with discussions about the effects on stretch marks and skin quality post-pregnancy.
Since the major selling point of dry brushing is that it can reduce the appearance of cellulite it is, therefore, more popular with women over the age of thirty.
Since dry brushing carries many of the same benefits as massage it is something that could be beneficial for anyone. The stress-reducing effects are likely to increase the appeal of dry brushing to a wider range of people.
Does dry brushing work?
Dry brushing is very effective for exfoliating your skin, the process of removing dead skin cells, so if that is what you are hoping for then it definitely worth a shot.
When it comes to cellulite, dry brushing cannot remove or reduce the amount of cellulite you have on your body. Sorry. What it can do is temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. The brushing causes your skin to plump up which creates a smoother look and feel. The effect is only temporary and will wear off after a maximum of 24 hours.
The idea that dry brushing will help to detoxify your body is misguided. The skin has a fantastic circulatory system in place already so it does a great job of detoxing itself without the need for dry brushing.
It will probably make you feel good. Dry brushing is basically a form of massage so it will help to exfoliate your skin and in the process, your skin will likely feel good afterward. There’s nothing like a little bit of self-pampering to make you feel good, and that is what dry brushing is, a chance to pamper yourself for a while.
Some Health Tips
- You are better off not dry brushing your skin more than once a week, as this can lead to the removal of come of the protective layers of your skin, which can cause your skin to become dry and irritated.
- Don’t brush too hard. You can cause micro-cuts in the surface of your skin if you are too zealous in your brushing, so go gently
- If you are prone to Eczema or chronically dry skin, then you should avoid dry brushing as it can exacerbate these conditions.
- If you are considering starting dry brushing during your pregnancy then you should have a word with your Dr, OBGYN, and/or midwife first.
So, Should You Dry Brush?
In a nutshell, dry brushing is not going to do you any harm, unless you scrub hard enough to damage or remove your skin! If you find that a good massage makes you feel good for a while, then dry brushing will probably do the same. It will probably reduce the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks but it won’t make them disappear.
My advice – if you want to give it a try, go for it. If you keep your expectations realistic then you will probably be pleased with the results.
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