This month I attended a class to work with a new massage tool called the Lymphatic Brush. This is a massage tool that has a main focus on aiding us in effective, relaxing, uncomplicated lymphatic drainage massage. Believe it or not, it actually takes a lot of education, practice, and finesse to perform a massage that properly helps to move along lymphatic drainage. Not to say that this lymphatic brush tool doesn’t take time and practice to use but it certainly does create the ability to perform a proper and super effective lymphatic drainage massage that has both internal health benefits and external beauty benefits.

I’m going to spend the next upcoming month reviewing my class material and practicing more lymphatic brush massage before I debut this as a new treatment on the scrub me skin care menu! Now let’s learn more about the lymphatic system and why these face and body tools are so important.

The Lymphatic System:

The lymphatic system is a network in our body whose main job is to collect and remove waste from our blood system. The lymphatic system is made of thin tubes and bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes. Think of it like a drainage system for your body, collecting excess fluid called lymph and filtering out waste products, bacteria, and cell debris. This filtered lymph is then returned to your bloodstream to keep us healthy!

Why Lymphatic Drainage is Good for Our Bodies:

As we now know our lymphatic system is always working for us, working like a filter to collect and remove toxins like bacteria, dead cells, viruses, dusts, dyes, and other waste from our blood that circulates throughout our body. Sometimes due to sickness, lifestyle, and/or diet this lymph flow and detoxification slows down and more waste begins to collect in the lymphatic system and body. Lymphatic drainage massage can help the lymphatic system move along this lymph fluid that carries toxins and move them to large lymphatic points in our bodies that essentially process and clear away this waste. And then we can have healthy, clean, oxygenated blood running through our body which leads to a healthy, better functioning body as well as healthier skin.

scrub me secret: we can absorb toxic chemicals and dyes via certain skincare products, hair care products, cleaning products, food, and other sources. Our lymphatic system is helpful in removing these toxins from our bloodstream but we need to also do our part in best avoiding items with toxic chemicals, perfumes and artificial fragrances, and harmful dyes. I like using the EWG certified website to check certain products and get needed information on this topic.

Manual lymphatic drainage massage:

Sometimes, our lymphatic flow can get a little slow-moving and needs assistance to work its best and detox the body of waste. That's where manual lymphatic drainage massage (MLD) comes in. While there isn’t a core set of principles, MLD can be performed using various techniques. MLD should only be performed by a qualified trained therapist. Consult with your doctor or massage technician about any current or past health issues/concerns before manual lymphatic drainage massage.

scrub me secret: Manual lymph drainage massage and massage using the lymphatic brush are not recommended if you have deep vein thrombosis, active cancer, congestive heart failure, acute infection, or acute inflammation.

Here are some well-known methods for lymphatic drainage massage:

🔸 Vodder method: The original MLD technique by Emil Vodder uses light, rhythmic, and circular hand movements to imitate the natural flow of lymph fluid.

🔸 Földi technique: This method focuses on specific hand placements and pressures to target deeper lymphatic vessels, often used alongside the Vodder method. Usually described as a “relax then thrust” method.

🔸 Casley-Smith method: This technique applies gentle gliding motions along specific lymphatic pathways to encourage drainage by redirecting a compromised lymphatic system.

The Lymphatic Brush Tool:

The lymphatic brush is a unique tool created to help allow for proper lymphatic flow and drainage with ease. One of my favorite educators, Cecily Braden created this tool when she was finding a gap in the space when it came to manual lymphatic drainage massage. Cecily found a need for a tool that was light to the touch and gripped the skin in a way that would help aid in the movement of the lymphatic fluid that sits just beneath the layers of our skin. A tool that solely focuses on the movement of our lymphatic fluid, unlike gua sha stones or other massage tools that work with the skin’s tissues, circulation, and oxygen flow, as well as aid in the flow of the lymphatic system. When you use this lymphatic brush tool, it has one main focus, to impact the movement of lymph fluid and help our lymphatic system work its best. It’s always great to have a tool on hand that has one specific job. Massage using this tool has both great internal health benefits and beauty benefits.

Results from a lymphatic brush massage can include less puffiness, fewer toxins in the body, improvement in immune system health, reduction in anxiety, clearer more luminous skin, a more youthful look, more contour in areas that were previously sagging or puffy, and the ability to get better rest post-massage.

scrub me secret: When I began my journey in getting educated about different types of massage I was surprised about how light of a touch was required for proper manual lymphatic drainage. While most of the time we think about a deeper or firm touch for effective massage for lymphatic drainage it’s actually quite the opposite. Since our lymph fluid sits just beneath the layers of our skin we need to use the most delicate, specific light touch to properly manipulate the lymph fluid. When we use a firmer touch we are more so working with our skin tissues and creating circulation vs. working on solely moving lymphatic fluid.

Cecily Braden ➡️ The Mastermind Behind the Tool:

Cecily has worked in the spa and wellness industry, creating protocols, spa treatments, and doing other important work in the space since 1994. Her enthusiasm for teaching, uncovering new global beauty secrets, and developing distinctive protocols and educational programs shines through at all times. Recently, Cecily introduced an innovative lymphatic brush tool that allows for techniques beyond what gua sha stones, facial rollers, and other available tools can achieve.

scrub me secret: So far in my esthetics career, I have taken two in-person courses in which we spend hours each day learning in-depth about specific types of massage for the face and body as well as learning about the inner workings of the body and lymphatic system. The most recent lymphatic brush course was so fun, informative, and valuable. I am looking forward to more education with cecily in the future.

If you love learning about and experiencing holistic treatments and products then any and all scrub me skin care items are facial and body care items you will love! Facial masks and an enriched facial oil along with our facial cleansing bars are some of the most popular items. Handmade soaps with thoughtfully curated plant-based ingredients are scrub me’s pride and joy, each soap bar has different skincare benefits. And as well all know body care items are not just a luxury but a true staple in every great skincare routine. Enjoy!✨