Glowing skin starts with gentle intention.
As summer calls us outside and back into sunshine, many of us feel the urge to reawaken our bodies from winter’s slumber. But achieving that radiant, healthy skin isn’t about extreme diets or disposable gadgets. It’s about reconnecting with simple, time-honoured practices that support both your skin and your overall wellbeing. One such practice? Dry body brushing.
Long favoured by French women for decades, dry brushing and lymphatic massage have quietly helped prep skin for summer wardrobes and beach escapes. These traditional techniques are now enjoying a thoughtful revival as more people turn toward natural, sustainable ways of caring for their bodies. At Natural by Hillbrush, we believe in rituals that nourish, never punish.
Your lymphatic system plays a quiet but essential role in your health. It supports immune function, regulates fluid balance and helps remove toxins from the body. Unlike the circulatory system, your lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump. It relies on movement, breath and hydration to keep flowing smoothly.
Modern sedentary lifestyles, long hours at desks, and too little time to move can slow this system down, resulting in puffiness or sluggishness. That’s where dry body brushing comes in. It gently stimulates lymph flow, encouraging circulation and restoring that light, energised feeling from head to toe.
Body brushing has deep roots in ancient wellness traditions. The Egyptians used plant fibres to stimulate their skin and invigorate circulation. In modern times, the practice has remained popular in France as part of lymphatic drainage therapies that smooth, tone and detoxify.
The technique is simple: using a natural-fibre brush, you make long, sweeping strokes across dry skin toward the heart. Done consistently, even just for a few minutes a day, this ritual can help reduce water retention, improve skin texture and encourage a stronger connection with your body. It’s not about weight loss. It’s about showing up for yourself each day with care and intention.
Not all body brushes are created equal. Many mass-produced versions use synthetic fibres or overly stiff bristles that can cause micro-tears or irritation, especially when used daily. That’s why the brushes we make at Natural by Hillbrush are crafted with your skin and sustainability in mind.
Our bath and body brushes are made from 100% FSC®-certified beechwood and fitted with carefully chosen natural fibres:
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Tampico fibre (vegan-friendly): A firm, cactus-derived plant fibre ideal for stimulating exfoliation and circulation. Available in both our long-handled bath brush and handheld body brush, Tampico provides a refreshing, invigorating scrub.
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Light natural bristle: Soft, natural bristles fitted to our long-handled bath brush. Gentle enough for daily use while still helping to awaken tired skin.
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Horsehair: Our softest option, found in our handheld body brush. Perfect for sensitive skin, this brush creates a luxuriously smooth finish without harshness.
All options are plastic-free and made to last for years. When they reach the end of their life, they can be composted or responsibly recycled.
Incorporating dry brushing into your routine is easy. All you need is a few minutes, a quiet space and a brush that feels good in your hand.
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Start on dry skin before bathing or showering.
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Use long, sweeping strokes toward your heart.
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Begin at the feet and move upward, covering legs, stomach, arms and back.
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Use light pressure; brushing should feel stimulating, never painful.
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Pay special attention to areas with lymph nodes – behind knees, under arms and at the groin.
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Rinse off in the shower, then apply a natural oil or moisturiser.
Five minutes a day is all it takes to feel refreshed and renewed. Like all good rituals, the magic lies in consistency.
With daily practice, dry brushing offers:
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Smoother, brighter skin
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Increased circulation and lymphatic flow
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A natural energy boost
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A deeper connection with your body
It also preps skin beautifully for moisturisers and natural tanning products. And best of all? It’s a plastic-free, zero-waste ritual rooted in tradition and supported by nature.
At Natural by Hillbrush, we believe that caring for yourself and caring for the planet go hand in hand. Our brushes are made with intention—crafted in Britain, designed to last, and finished with natural materials that honour the earth.
Body brushing is more than a beauty practice. It’s a way to slow down. To notice your breath. To reconnect with your skin, your circulation, your energy. And it’s a daily act of sustainability, one that requires no batteries, no packaging waste and no compromise.
Explore our bath brush collection and find the tool that suits your skin and your rhythm. And if you’re ready to make sustainable self-care part of your daily routine, sign up to our newsletter for more natural living tips and inspiration.
Your skin deserves ritual, not rush. Let’s get brushing.