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Mar 21, 2024

Best Facial Cleansing Brushes 2023

The best facial cleansing brushes help wash away the day’s worth of makeup, sunscreen and grime while also gently exfoliating to remove dead skin cells and debris. (Here are our favorite treatments

The best facial cleansing brushes help wash away the day’s worth of makeup, sunscreen and grime while also gently exfoliating to remove dead skin cells and debris. (Here are our favorite treatments for more intense exfoliation.) These skincare tools can “remove significantly more dirt, oil and makeup than manual cleansing alone.” says dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. “They are good options for gentle exfoliation, and different skin types may respond better to different versions.”

The best facial cleansing brushes clean deep into pores and gently exfoliate to reveal clearer skin.

According to Dr. King, the main goal of a cleansing brush should be to do its job “without causing irritation or inflammation.” The thorough clean it provides should also help your skincare products absorb more quickly and efficiently. Plus, some brushes come with multiple attachments for added versatility. Below, find our list of the best facial cleansing brushes that made the cut, as well as a guide to help you narrow in on the right one for you.

Sephora

This dual-sided brush earns our top spot in this category. It’s beloved by shoppers and dermatologists alike for its silicone design that helps reduce bacteria buildup. It has four modes that break down debris and oil trapped in pores, and also aids in deeper absorption of products to ensure your skin reaps the full benefits of your skincare ritual. Another feature to note is that one side of the brush has short bristles that wash and exfoliate, while the other side has a smooth rose quartz, which is perfect for massaging skin and helping to reduce inflammation.

Amazon

Olay’s facial cleansing brush is designed by a dermatologist, which gives it an advantage over others. The tool works with your favorite washes to achieve a deep clean that helps revive the skin. It also comes with two speeds: One that’s best for daily cleansing and the other for exfoliation, which leaves skin feeling soft and rejuvenated and preps it for product application. You might expect results this good to cost a fortune, but you can snag the brush for under $25 at your favorite drugstore or on Amazon.

Therabody

We love Therabody for its innovative technology and intuitive yet professional-level tools. Its all-star facial TheraFace Pro massager comes with eight attachments including one that’s specifically crafted for cleansing. The tool is percussive-based, which helps the brush remove pore-clogging debris and also provide a soothing facial massage. The whole device goes above and beyond with its additional heads, including an LED light that allows you to alternate between bacteria-clearing and anti-aging treatments.

Amazon

Similarly to products that use charcoal ingredients to treat acne, this cleansing tool also makes it the focus. Proactive’s model has a charcoal-infused brush head that works at various speeds to gently cleanse even for those more painful breakouts. If you’re looking for a more powerful wash, you can turn up the speed to enhance the exfoliation. Since the brush specifically addresses acne, it’s recommended that you only use it once a day.

Sisley Paris

This manual cleansing brush still offers that same refreshing cleanse that its electric counterparts give. It has soft bristles that lather your favorite formulas into a luscious foam. Work the brush over your face, neck and décolletage, rinse and admire how radiant your skin looks.

Tata Harper

A kabuki brush is a perfect pick for those who crave an extra gentle cleanse and spa-worthy results. This brush from Tata Harper has a simple design yet is crafted with soft silk and fine bristles that seamlessly move through the skin while exfoliating and removing impurities buried deep in pores. The rounded wood handle helps to maintain a good grip as you massage the brush on your skin.

Dermstore

This cleansing system has everything you need to make your skin look and feel good. The facial cleansing brush has three speed settings that let you tailor your skincare routine. The various speeds use sonic motions to remove buildup while gently sloughing away dead skin cells. It also comes with two brush heads: one antimicrobial face brush head with 20,000 fluffy bristles for easy pore-clearing cleansing, and one sonic infuser head that’s great for applying serums and creams.

NågraCoola

This multitasking cleansing brush uses gentle silicone bristles and sonic vibrations that don’t irritate dry skin while in use. The soft but powerful 8,000 sonic waves work to massage the skin and leave it with a youthful appearance. The back side of the cleansing brush acts as a facial massage tool that helps to improve blood flow, resulting in glowing skin with increased firmness.

To find the best facial cleansing brushes, we combed through an extensive list of the best ones on the market. From there, we took customer reviews into consideration and also did our own research. We looked at the various attachments the brushes come with, their speeds, technology, any special added features and the purpose they serve for the skin. After we compiled a list of our favorites, we tapped dermatologists to help us understand the importance of the tools in a skincare routine, and we also considered their expert picks.

Before adding a cleansing brush to your daily lineup, it’s essential to consider your skin type and its needs. Of course, cleaning your pores is the primary focus, but there are many other functions that the best facial cleansing brushes offer. Ahead, see what dermatologists recommend looking for in these skincare devices.

You’ll probably notice that many facial cleansing brushes come with extra brush heads for specific uses. The attachments that your brush includes can address skin needs and concerns like stimulating collagen, exfoliation and massaging the skin. It’s also important to note how often brush heads should be replaced.

The type of bristles your facial cleansing brush has makes all the difference. Many have silicone bristles that are soft and provide a deep clean. This material is also non-porous and reduces the amount of bacteria buildup that gets trapped in the bristles. Others can be comprised of latex, nylon or a variation of animal hair.

And if you find that your brush has ultra-fine bristles (like a the TheraFace), it’s likely to be gentler on the skin and more suited for those experiencing inflammation, breakouts or other common skin conditions. The bristles still give a deep clean, without causing any irritation to your complexion.

Facial cleansing brushes often offer different speed settings. And while it’s great to have options, it’s important to find the one that’s best suited for your skin type and needs. Dr. King says that the speed settings give people options for personal preference and variety, and the settings with sonic speeds make a noticeable difference for the skin. “Sonic has been shown to clean more thoroughly compared to slower vibrations,” Dr. King says. This type is also safe to use on sensitive skin.

Facial cleansing brushes are so popular because of their ease of use. Even ones that come with multiple attachments are self-explanatory and don’t require much time or effort to set up. When you use one, pair it with your favorite cleaner, turn it on and then let it glide over your skin. The only learning curve? Testing out the various speeds to discover your skin’s needs and how your skin reacts to them. After that, “rinse, pat dry and follow with your favorite serum and moisturizer. The newly exfoliated skin will enhance penetration of the ingredients,” Dr. King says.

How often you use a facial cleansing brush is based on how your skin reacts. If you have no irritation when you start using one, then it’s safe to use it multiple times a week. If you find your skin is sensitive and feels irritated afterward, you can use the brush once a week for a deep clean. Dr. King also suggests starting slow by using the brush no more than two times a week to start. “If you are tolerating it well, then you may be able to build up to daily use but decrease the frequency or pressure if your skin is becoming irritated or inflamed,” she says.

The neck doesn’t always get enough attention, but there is a simple solution to change that. While washing your face, take your facial cleansing brush down to your neck area, but proceed with caution. Dr. King explains that the skin in the area is delicate and thin and has fewer oil glands, “so you may need to use lighter pressure, lower settings or even a gentler device.”

Start with a creamy cleanser. The cleansing brush offers mild exfoliation, so it is important to use a cleanser that supports the skin barrier during this step. Don’t use harsh detergents that strip the skin. If you want to increase the exfoliation factor, it may be ok to use a gentle chemical exfoliant, as tolerated.

The best facial cleansing brushes help your skincare products penetrate deeper into the skin, so be sure you grab your favorite serums and treatments to apply afterwards. Since these products are absorbed almost immediately into the skin, you will see more visible results.