Body · Dry Brushing · Sub-chapter 04
Pressure and zones.
How much force each zone of the body actually needs — and the directional stroke that changes what the brush does.
34 how-to's · Updated 30 April 2026 · Avg. 4 min per piece · Edited by Nelly · Beauty & Style Director
What pressure actually does
Pressure determines how much mechanical friction the skin surface receives. Light pressure sweeps — it moves loose cells without dragging. Firm pressure lifts — it stimulates the nerve endings beneath. Too much pressure creates heat, redness, and micro-abrasion. The skin's response is visible within minutes: pink warmth is right. Hot red is wrong.
Zone by zone pressure guide
- Legs and thighs — firm, long upward strokes
- Glutes — firm, upward and outward
- Abdomen — very light, circular clockwise
- Back — medium, upward toward shoulders
- Arms — light to medium, wrist to shoulder
- Décolletage and chest — barely-there, outward from sternum
How to find your pressure baseline
- Test on the calf first — three strokes, moderate pressure
- Read the skin response — pink warmth is right, redness means too hard
- Carry that reading upward, softening for thinner zones