These facial cleansing brushes will give your skin the deepest clean ever
If you’re looking for a deep—and we mean deep–clean for your face, facial cleansing brushes might be the answer. Designed to penetrate your pores when used with a little bit of water and your favorite cleanser, these mechanical exfoliators do more than your average washcloth ever could.
“Facial cleansing brushes are more effective for cleansing your face than manual cleansing is, and provide a better solution to fully remove impurities like makeup and sunscreen,” explains Howard Sobel, M.D., attending dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. “They also improve skin texture, brightness, and radiance and allow skincare products to be optimally absorbed.”
In removing superficial layers of dirt, debris, and dead skin cells, these powerful tools are the key to unclogging pores, keeping skin clean, and reducing breakouts.
To use them, Hadley King, M.D., a NYC-based dermatologist, says to start by using the device twice a week and without applying too much pressure. If you are tolerating it well, you may be able to build up to daily use. “Just be sure to cut down on the frequency and/or pressure if your skin is becoming irritated or inflamed,” she says.
For smooth, polished skin, try these facial cleansing brushes.
Shop the best facial cleansing brushes of 2020:
1Best facial cleansing brush for acne: Clarisonic Mia Smart
Noted as the “gold standard” of facial cleansing brushes by Caren Campbell, M.D., a San Fransisco-based dermatologist, this three-mode exfoliator has been proven to better the penetration of topical products while gently eliminating dullness and boosting skin cell turnover. It even comes with an app you can pair it with for smart, targeted cleansing, and there are several additional attachment options targeted to specific skin types. People with acne-prone skin might want to try the acne cleansing head that uses extra bristles to help prevent breakouts, control excess oil, and calm irritation.
2Best deep cleansing facial brush: PMD Clean
“An advantage of the silicone cleansing brushes is that they are easier to clean and less likely to harbor bacteria, and they do not have brush heads that need to be replaced frequently,” notes Dr. King. This one delivers more than 7,000 micro-vibrations per minute, so your cleanser gets deeper into your pores than it would with manual washing. Plus, the cleansing brush has one cleansing side and one massaging side, so it’s basically like an at-home spa for your face.
3Best drugstore facial cleansing brush: Olay Regenerist
Here’s proof that facial cleansing brushes don’t have to be pricey to still be effective. This dual-speed rotating brush is lightweight and water-resistant, making it the ideal addition to your skin care routine. All it takes is a dampening of the brush head, a bit of your favorite cleanser, and about 60 seconds of use to remove dead, dulling skin cells that can clog the surface of your skin. Hello, radiance.
4Best facial cleansing brush for sensitive skin: Luna 2 Sensitive Skin
Foreo’s line of celeb-loved silicone facial brushes are made for all different skin types, including one that’s specifically designed to be gentle on sensitive skin. The T-Sonic technology is designed to penetrate deep into the layers of your skin for a strong cleansing, without irritation or over-exfoliation. This one has 12 customizable intensities and an insanely long charge life, so even if it’s a bit of a splurge, you’ll probably never have to buy another facial cleansing brush again.
5Best affordable facial cleansing brush: e.l.f. Cleansing Duo Face Brush
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to get in on the facial brushing trend, try out a manual brush. With no charging or batteries needed, this one comes with both a gentle silicone side and a side with soft, gentle bristles. You can use both or just one, depending on your skin’s needs, and work your cleanser in using small, circular motions.
