The Best Facial Cleansing Brushes

As the first defense against the world, your skin works tirelessly to protect you. Makeup, environmental pollutants, and a poor diet can all affect your skin’s health. If your current cleansing routine isn’t giving you the results you want, add a facial brush to your skincare toolbelt.

Facial cleansing brushes help to unclog pores, stimulate blood circulation, and reduce breakouts to give you glowing skin and support your skin’s natural functions. Here are some fantastic facial cleansing brushes we recommend.

Buying Guide for Facial Cleansing Brushes

Why buy a facial cleansing brush?

A facial cleansing brush can be compared to an electric toothbrush. What you can do with a normal toothbrush, you can do 100 times over with an electric toothbrush. What you can do with a washcloth, you can do 100 times over with a cleansing brush. A gentle yet powerful exfoliator can brighten, soften, and cleanse your skin better than a harsh washcloth or beady exfoliant.

In addition to cleansing, a facial brush also increases blood flow by massaging your skin, allowing for higher cell turnover, rejuvenation, and overall skin health.

What should you look for when purchasing a facial cleansing brush?

If this is your first time purchasing a facial cleansing brush, consider these crucial factors to find the best one to benefit your skin:

• Water Resistance: Water damage can significantly reduce the lifespan of your device. If you wash your face in the shower, look for waterproof designs to prevent steam from affecting the internal mechanics. These designs are also best for those using the device in the bath, as they can be submerged without causing disruptions in the device.
• Brush: Firm bristle brushes provide a deeper clean. Silicone brushes are gentler and resistant to bacteria. Those who have sensitive skin should be more cautious when looking at bristle brush heads, as the stiffness can cause irritation.
• Maintenance: Due to bacteria build-up, bristle brush heads need to be replaced regularly. When selecting a brush, research how often the head must be replaced and the expense it may cause you in the long run. Silicone brushes need to be cleaned but do not require new attachments.

Who can use a facial cleansing brush?

Teens to mature adults can use a facial cleansing brush. Since they first entered the market, they’ve become more sophisticated and specialized, meaning there are options for almost every age group and skin concern. In addition to finding the right facial cleansing brush, you can also alter how often you use the tool so that your skin gains a healthy glow and avoids irritation.

Our Picks for the Best Facial Cleansing Brushes

Pros: The silicone brush resists bacteria and doesn’t spread it to create more breakouts. The charcoal and bamboo attract and absorb impurities, contributing to a deeper clean. This brush vibrates with 12,000 strokes per minute and five levels of adjustment to accommodate the most sensitive of skin. It has a memory of which setting you use and will automatically go back to it on your next use. Wirelessly charge it for three hours, and it will last for 30 days of use. It’s also cordless, waterproof, and portable—all features that make it great for traveling.

Cons: There may be some issues with the charger overheating while in use. Some users reported it randomly turning on by itself or not charging.

Bottom Line: This is a great facial cleansing brush for problematic or sensitive skin. The silicone bristles make it gentle and easy to clean to promote healthy skin without causing extra irritation.

 

Pros: Soft silicone bristles aid in your cleaning without the high power spinning or vibration that can be too tough on sensitive skin. Made with food-grade silicone, the brush is easy to clean, quick to dry, and keeps its shape. The finger handle design makes it a one-handed washing experience. The pack includes four brushes, so you can use one color for your face, another for your body, and save the other two for later.

Cons: As a manual brush, its effectiveness is determined, in part, by the user. Cleansers can get caught between the bristles since it doesn’t get forced out with spinning or vibration.

Bottom Line: If you’re unsure how your sensitive skin will respond to a facial cleansing brush, this is a good product to try first. The silicone bristles are effective yet gentle exfoliators, and you can control the speed and pressure of the cleaning.

 

Pros: A convenient travel case holds the three brush heads and the handle in this facial cleansing set. It’s battery-operated (two AAs), so you don’t need to worry about packing a charger when you travel. The waterproof brush system comes with one silicone head and two bristle heads: one for daily cleansing, one for deep exfoliating, so you can use the best one for your skin’s needs on a given day. It has two speed settings that allow for greater customization and control to do what’s best for your skin.

Cons: Having to replace batteries can be a nuisance; you’ll have to keep AAs on hand. The brush heads are larger than some other models, making it harder to get into smaller areas of the face.

Bottom Line: This tool clears blackheads, exfoliates dead skin and congested pores, increases blood flow, and renews texture, and you can take it wherever life takes you. The convenient travel case keeps each piece neatly packed.

 

Pros: This versatile cleansing system comes with five brush heads and has three power modes. The silicone, soft, exfoliating, sponge, and pumice brushes all serve specific purposes, while the three modes range from gentle to deep cleansing. Depending on your skin’s needs, you can choose the best way to cleanse your face and body to be effective without being too abrasive. The rechargeable brush can be charged for two hours, and the battery will last for 20 days of regular use.

Cons: The stand it comes with is only a stand and not a charging station. The brush must be charged lying down. Even the gentle brush at the slowest speed can still be irritating for some users. The charging and plug connections are unreliable and sensitive, so it’s important to make sure everything is fitting correctly to ensure a charge is made.

Bottom Line: Whether you want to give your face or body a deep exfoliation or soften a callus, you can use this brush system in a variety of ways. This set is best for those with regular to tougher skin.

 

Pros: A trusted brand for skincare, Olay created this straightforward, battery-powered cleansing brush with two heads. While it doesn’t have many of the fancy customizations of other options, it does have two speeds to alternate between daily cleansing and deep exfoliation. Like other brands, it is water-resistant and safe to use in the shower. Plus, it’s a great price.

Cons: This brush is probably not the best option for sensitive skin users since it only has bristle brush heads. It does tend to dry out the skin (from all that deep cleaning), so if you don’t have a good moisturizer in your routine, you will need to find one.

Bottom Line: This is a straightforward cleansing brush that delivers on its promises to unclog pores, promote cell turnover, increase blood flow, and give a better clean. However, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some other options and is better suited for a person who doesn’t have sensitive skin.

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t considered adding another step to your cleansing routine, you might be convinced now! A facial cleansing brush ups your ability to deep clean your pores, increase blood flow, and promote cell turnover—all things that are crucial to uncovering your best skin. Thankfully, the brushes have evolved over the years, so no matter what type of skin concerns you have, you should be able to find a cleansing brush that helps you put your cleanest face forward.