Josephine Walker

Hi Ava. Redness and tightness mean your skin barrier needs a breather. Try a one week break, then bring the brush back slowly at two nights a week. Keep each session very short, about 30 to 45 seconds total and and use it only where you get congested such as the T zone. Skip thinner or easily flushed areas like the cheeks if they react. Maximize slip so the bristles glide. Work on very wet skin and lather the cleanser in your hands first & then add extra water as you go. Use feather light pressure. The bristles should barely bend and the head should never stall on your skin. Keep it moving with quick gentle passes rather than hovering over one spot. Do not stack exfoliation. On brush nights avoid acids, scrubs, retinoids, and benzoyl peroxide. Rinse with lukewarm water only, then apply a simple hydrating moisturizer while skin is still slightly damp. In the morning wear sunscreen to protect the healing barrier. Good times to use the brush are after a normal day, not right after a hot shower, a workout, or sun exposure. Keep the head clean by rinsing well, shaking out water, and air drying it outside the shower. Wash the head with a little gentle soap weekly and do not use it if the bristles are splayed. Use these quick checks to dial it in. If you stay red longer than 15 minutes, if moisturizer stings for more than a few seconds, or if your skin feels shiny tight or itchy later that night, you did too much. Next time cut the time in half or skip that area. You can also limit the brush to a second cleanse on heavy makeup or sunscreen days, or use it only on the nose and chin. Stick with this gentler schedule for a few weeks. Most people get the deep clean feeling without the weekly irritation once they shorten the sessions, lighten the pressure, and avoid doubling up on exfoliants.