Whether you like to go bare faced or sport a glammed up look, a radiant and healthy complexion is crucial to building any beauty look. To make sure your face is clear, you need to make sure all the oil, dirt and pollutants are out of your pores. If you want to take cleansing to the next level, use a facial cleansing brush in your routine and see the difference in your skin’s clarity.
What are facial cleansing brushes?
These are hand-held beauty devices that, through repetitive motion, cleanse and exfoliate deeply. There are 3 main things to decide to choose the right brush for you.
Electronic or Manual
If you tend to wear a lot of products or long-lasting make-up on your face, then you have to be extra careful that you are taking off every last bit of makeup. Electronic brushes will give you a deeper clean and make sure all traces of makeup is gone. It will give you a consistent wash every single time. Manual brushes are hassle-free in that they are just a brush. No need to worry if you drop them or if you need to travel for a long time. They’re handy to have.
Nylon or Silicone
Because the bristles are firmer, nylon brushes do a more thorough job of cleansing and exfoliation. However, keep in mind that these detachable nylon brush heads need to be replaced when they get worn out - roughly every 3-6 months (like your toothbrush).
Silicone brushes transmit pulsations through rounded silicone touch-points. This process is called Transdermal Sonic Pulsations and it remove oil, dirt, make-up, and dead skin cells. These rounded edges are softer and gentler so they are a popular choice among those with sensitive skin.
These devices also tend to be a more hygienic option. They are easier to clean. And silicone, being non-porous, are resistant to bacterial growth.
Nylon Brushes: Oscillating Vs. Rotating
If you’re gearing towards nylon brushes, you have to decide between the oscillating or rotating type.
You may often hear products being called “sonic brushes”. Only oscillating brushes can be sonic brushes. Sonic cleansing means the brush oscillates (moves back and forth) at sonic speed. These devices have a combination of moving and stationary bristles during the cleanse. The high speed movements creates enough force to deeply cleanse the skin without damaging its protective barrier. These oscillatingbrushes give a gentler cleanse and exfoliation than rotating brushes.
Rotating brushes work in a circular motion. Technically speaking, these are not real sonic devices but they tend to be cheaper when compared to the oscillating ones.
Benefits of Using Facial Cleansing Brushes
A facial cleansing brush helps to remove dirt, oil, sweat, dead skins cells and make-up from the skin more effectively without damaging the skin’s protective layer. This means:
- unclogs pores from build up that may eventually cause pimples and acne
- skin is softer and smoother
- makes pores look tighter and smaller (because dirt and oil make pores look bigger)
- helps remove and prevent blackheads
- allows skin care products to be absorbed better
- promotes blood circulation for the healthy, glowing skin through massaging
15 Top Facial Cleansing Brushes Reviewed
Presenting…our recommendations for facial cleansing brushes. Broken up into 4 parts: electonic oscillating brushes, electronic silicon brushes, electronic rotating brushes, and manual brushes.
Electronic Sonic Brushes
Clarisonic Mia Smart Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush
In the world of facial cleansing brushes, Clarisonic is the pioneer and the leader in skin care innovation.
Their newest product, Mia Smart is a sonic facial cleansing brush, skin-firming massager, eye puffiness reducer and make-up blender all rolled into one. It promises to clean 6x better than hands alone and offers more than that. Use this for visibly minimized pores, firmer skin, reduced eye puffiness, and flawless airbrushed make-up look.
With its smart feature, you can now connect the device to an app in your phone and upload your customized skin care routines. It comes in two modes: Daily Cleansing and Gentle and is waterproof. It comes with a stand charger which gives a full charge equivalent to 100 minutes of use.
Though it’s quite pricey- in terms of durability, its previous models have been used for decades or even more. So if you want to go for something that stood through the test of time –you better stay with Clarisonic.
Michael Todd Soniclear Petite Facial Cleansing Brush
This is a beautifully designed and high quality brush.
It has an antimicrobial brush head, has 3-speed settings and a timer to tell you when you should move on to other areas of your face during cleansing. It has an anti-slip grip handle, is waterproof and water submersible and is charged via USB.
A great thing about this is that make-up doesn’t stain the brush heads (unlike the other brands). Its hard shell case also comes in handy for traveling.
Liberex Facial Cleansing Brush
This oscillating egg-shaped brush will give you a run for your money. A lot of reasons:
- It’s lightweight, compact and ergonomically designed to fit your hand perfectly.
- It comes with 3 different types of brushes for different skin types: soft care, deep cleansing and exfoliating, and comes with 3- speed settings: massaging speed, exfoliating and deep cleansing
- It has a smart timer- stops every 20 seconds so that you would know when to move to other areas and automatically turns off after 1 minute so you won’t overdo your cleansing.
- It’s waterproof, comes with a wireless charging dock/USB Cable and takes around 1.5 hours to fully charge giving a month and half of daily use.
Electronic Silicone Brushes
Foreo Luna 2 Facial Cleansing Brush
If you love convenience, you’ll definitely fall in love with Foreo Luna 2. It’s easy to use, has a good grip, is lightweight and waterproof. No need for brush replacements, its bristles are made of bacteria-resistant silicone and it comes with USB charging –with very long lasting power because you have to charge it only at a rough estimate of every 7.5 months.
It comes with t-sonic pulsation which removes oil, dirt, and make-up and a timer which prompts you to move to other areas of your skin so you don’t overdo your cleansing. It comes in 2 speeds and 12 power settings. It has 4 distinct models for combination, oily, normal and sensitive skin, each with vibrant colors.
It also has an anti-aging feature – you can use the back of the device for massaging serum or cream to your face.
Forea Luna 2 has captured the hearts of many as you’ll see from the raving reviews. Maybe the next one is you.
Foreo Luna Mini 2 Facial Cleansing Brush
If you really wanted a Forea Luna because you’ve been hearing hyped reviews but you just want to buy something mid-range, here’s good news for you – they’ve got Forea Luna Mini 2, its cuter and quite similar version with a smaller price point.
It’s meant for those starting out on facial brushes and is suitable for all skin types via its 3-zone brush head (unlike the Luna 2 which offers a different model for every skin type). It comes with 8 power settings and comes in 5 cool, funky colors. It’s also waterproof, rechargeable and lasts really long without charging (5 months!), for your utmost convenience.
MINTSonic Facial Cleansing Brush
It’s a cheaper alternative for silicone facial cleansing brushes, but it’s really a good product. It cleanses your skin gently and exfoliates it at the same time. The other side of the device acts as an anti-aging massager- it applies your serums while massaging your skin. It’s also suited for all skin types including those with rosacea.
This waterproof device comes with a USB charger and if you’re using it on a daily basis, you have to charge it once a month.
You’ll appreciate its leaf design as it can clean the hard to reach areas like your corners where your nose meets your cheek and those around your neck.
Sunmay Facial Cleansing Brush
Again, if you don't want to spend a fortune on facial cleansing brushes, this is another great alternative for you. It’s a good deal for sonic facial cleansing brushes having both the gentle cleansing/ exfoliating and anti-aging features and nice leaf design (for hard to reach areas). It also is waterproof and gives you the convenience of having a long battery life (comes with a USB charger).
The nice thing about this is that it pauses every 20 seconds to remind you to move to another area in your face, so you do not end up overdoing your daily facial cleansing as doing so may irritate your skin.
SOLO Mio Facial Cleansing Brush
Another good contender for budget-friendly silicone sonic facial brushes is Solo Mio. Its small compact design feels like having a facial at the palm of your hand and makes it easy to carry around for your trips and travels. Another plus is that this waterproof device has a long battery life (say about 4 months for a charge with daily use).
Go and check this one out- it’s very popular and has lots of good reviews.
Electronic Rotating Brushes
Olay ProX Advanced Cleansing System
It is not as expensive as the other brands but promises to deliver great results – that is to clean your skin 6x better than your normal, regular washing routine.
It comes with gentle yet dense brush bristles and has two rotating speeds which deliver daily gentle cleansing and exfoliation. One good thing is that it recalls your previous setting. It is water-resistant and needs 2 AA batteries for power. If you don’t want to splurge too much on your beauty routine, you ought to try out this brand.
Vanity Planet Ultimate Skin Spa Facial Cleansing Brush
This was made famous, circulating around the net and social media by beauty bloggers including this cleansing brush in their morning and evening skin care routine.
It comes with 3 interchangeable brush heads: daily cleansing, exfoliating (for once a week deep cleansing) and silicone (for sensitive skin). It operates on two speeds via 2 AA batteries and is water-resistant.
One nice thing about it is the nice case that comes with it. It keeps your brushes and accessories organized, and makes it very handy if you need to travel.
Pixnor 7 in 1 Beauty Care Massager
This very affordable cleansing brush comes with 7 different accessories: an ultrafine brush for gentle cleansing, a soft brush for general cleansing, a coarser brush for deep cleansing, a make-up sponge for removing make-up and surface cleansing, an exfoliating head, pumice head for callus removal, and a rolling massage head for your face and body.
This versatile rotating brush has two-speed settings, a high and low depending on your cleansing needs. It is waterproof and needs 2 AA batteries to power up.
So if you want to pamper your skin but you don’t want to splurge so much, this thing is the real deal for you.
Essential Skin Solutions Perfect Skin – Brushing System
If you want a multi-purpose cleansing brush which you can use for your face and body, then this is the product meant for you.
This beauty device comes with one small microdermabrasion facial brush, one sensitive skin face brush, one big exfoliating body brush and one pumice stone callus remover (for those irritating rough patches on heels and feet). This also needs 4 AA batteries for power and has a waterproof design.
Now that’s beautiful skin from head-to-toe.
Manual Facial Cleansing Brushes
Skylab Beauty The Perfect Face Brush (Schön 2 in 1)
If you don’t want to deal with charging, batteries, and accessories that come with electronic facial cleansing brushes, then this is the perfect face brush for you.
This dual-sided manual face brush does a fairly good job of removing patches of dry scaly skin in a gentler way and makes your skin smoother and softer. The bristles are just soft yet sturdy enough in perform effective cleansing. It has one large brush head for exfoliating and at the back, a silicone rounded pad with small bristles for cleansing of facial contours. You can also use the silicone side to massage your cheeks, forehead, and chin.
It’s easy to hold due to its ergonomic handles and you can just hang it in your shower to dry.
Shiseido Cleansing Massage Brush
With its very sleek and elegant design, this does the job of cleansing with its soft and finely tapered bristles with silicone cushions on its mount. The cushion allows brush movement for cleaning facial contours and massages. It’s very easy to hold and simple to use – just like any other brush.
So if you want a no-fuss cleansing regimen and want to stick to plain old basics, choose Shiseido.
Innerneed Silicone Face Brush
Made of high-quality silicone material, this face brush gently cleanses skin without irritation and gives you the convenience of being easy-to-clean (won’t retain residues) and quick-to-dry. The brush has thick and soft bristles with massage waves points and has a finger handle on the back side for easy hold.
It comes in a pack of 4- with 4 funky colors.
So if you’re hesitant to use a nylon-type brush because you’ve got super sensitive skin, this bestseller will be your best pick.
How to Use a Facial Cleansing Brush
- Wash your face to remove excess dirt and/or use a makeup remover (such cleansing oils) if you
- Wet the brush head and tap gently to remove excess water.
- Apply a gentle cleanser either to the brush or your face. Foaming cleansers work best with these brushes.
- For electronic devices with several speeds or intensities, choose the one that suits you.
- Starting with your forehead, gently glide the brush over your skin in small circular motions for about 20 seconds. Then move on to T-zone and cleanse for 20 seconds, then move to the cheek area, cleansing for 10 seconds on each cheek. Avoid gliding through areas surrounding your eyes as they are more delicate. Total cleansing should take only around a minute to avoid excessive brushing.
- Rinse thoroughly and dry your face.
- Clean facial cleansing brush heads with a gentle soap and rinse. You may use the same soap as your facial cleanser. Leave out to dry and store in a cool dry place.
How often should I use it?
How frequently you use these facial brushes will depend on your skin type:
- Normal to Oily skin: once a day
- Combination skin: a few times per week
- Dry or Sensitive skin: 1-2 times a week
Tips for Newbies:
- Do not overuse it to avoid irritation.
- Do not use abrasive face washes with your brush. This may be too harsh for your skin if used with brushes.
- Do not apply too much pressure. This may damage your skin or stop the movement of the device, making it less effective.
- Stop if you see signs of redness or irritation. Give it a few days to recover and see if your skin can tolerate less frequent uses such as “once a week” or “twice a week”.
- Do not use on broken skin.
- Do not use if you are suffering from psoriasis or eczema.
- During the first few uses, you may be prone to breakouts. This is because the dirt and oils are being removed and moving up to the surface. This will eventually subside. Keep checking to see if it is working for you.
Wrap Up
As you can see, it’s really not that difficult to add facial cleansing brushes to your usual skincare routine. It’s just a minute or two added, but the benefits are enormous- radiant, glowing skin within your reach.