Sometimes your soap and flannel just won’t cut it. Give your skin a helping hand by investing in a cleansing brush to help get rid of make-up and grease.
They’re not a substitute for your cleanser, though. In fact, they’ll help make it more effective, and come with a variety of settings including a massage option, because who doesn’t want to end their day with a pamper?
To discover which devices are worth splurging on, we called on our panel of 195 testers who tried a range for four weeks to find the best.
Are cleansing brushes worth it?
Cleansing brushes work alongside your favourite cleanser to give you the deepest cleanse possible.
The vibrating motions help to catch and remove dirt, SPF and make-up, while also helping unclog pores; say goodbye to blackheads.
The motions can also have a similar effect to a facial massage (some even have a setting for it), helping promote lymphatic drainage, detoxing skin, while also clearing away dead skin cells, to leave skin refreshed and glowing.
Just apply your cleanser as usual, wet your brush and move across your face – it’s as simple as that.
But remember: a vital aspect of owning a cleansing brush is regular cleaning, otherwise you're just moving bacteria around your face – not ideal.
Is a silicone face brush better?
Silicone is a great material when it comes to skincare. It's not only hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic (which means it won’t clog pores) but it’s also much easier to clean than other bristle types, like nylon.
The bristles on silicone devices are also shorter – so you can really get in there when cleaning – and are gentler on the skin, avoiding any prickliness and making them a great fit for those with more reactive, sensitive skin.
Unlike other bristle types, silicone will stay firm, too – avoiding any fluffiness that often happens with natural bristles – so they're effective for longer.
How we test
We blinded a range of cleansing tools and gave them to 195 testers to trial for four weeks.
They judged each on performance, ease of use and the effect they had on the skin. In the Prima beauty lab, we tested their make-up removal skills on an artificial skin replica, too.
Best facial cleansing tool
No7 Radiant Results Revitalising Sonic Action Cleansing Brush
No7 has been our go-to high street brand for as long as we can remember, and this brush is no exception. It brilliantly swept away grease and make-up in our lab test, despite the gentle vibration levels.
Everyone saw softer, more radiant skin after use too, so much so, all said they’d continue to use it after the trial.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 4
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Charger
Best multi-purpose device
Braun FaceSpa Pro 921 Facial Epilator Bronze
£107 at Amazon
Pesky chin hairs starting to creep up? It happens to everyone, but if you’re wanting to stop them in their tracks, try this.
As well as a cleansing brush, it also features an epilator attachment to slow regrowth. It was easy to switch between heads and left 85% with more toned, softer, smoother skin.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 2
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Facial epilator, skin cleansing brush, toning head, charger
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If you want more control, this manual option is a great budget buy. It got a top score in our lab test for removing traces of make-up but didn’t smooth and brighten as much as other electric options on our list.
Still, testers found the dual-ended tool was superior to using their hands alone and managed to be gentle, too.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 0
Battery: None
Additional accessories: None
The gentle and relaxing vibration speeds made this a winner in our books. It left 69% with clearer, cleaner skin, while 63% were pleased to see a more toned appearance to their face. All this and it will only set you back £25...
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 4
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Charger, storage bag
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Best for tackling fine lines and wrinkles
BeGlow Tia All-In-One Sonic Skincare System
One of the more luxe options on our list, this clever tool can be used to cleanse and massage skin. And once turned upside down, can be used along the jaw line to relax any tension.
One tester was amazed by how much their fine lines and broken veins reduced, without causing any irritation.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 3
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Charger
Testers reported seeing a “plumped” effect to skin here, with one tester seeing breakouts visibly reduced thanks to this brush's deep cleansing capabilities.
Overall, 92% were pleased with how soft it left their skin feeling, with one describing the effect as like “having a mini facial”.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 4
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Charger
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Best Bluetooth cleansing device
FOREO LUNA 3 Silicone Facial Cleansing & Firming Massage Brush for Normal Skin
£189 at Amazon
Foreo has taken cleansing devices into the future with this stylish tool. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth, which allows you to select from 16 different settings via its app.
The silicone bristles make it hygienic and easy to clean, as well as feeling gentle on our testers’ skin. The shape managed to reach every area of the face and left 87% with squeaky-clean skin.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 16
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Charger
Boosting radiance for our panel, this waterproof device left 90% with brighter skin.
It wasn’t irritating and pleased one tester for helping spots on their cheek to “vanish” after just 10 days. In fact, 90% were pleased to say it did a great job.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 4
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Charger
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Best for a deep clean
Magnitone BareFaced 2 Vibra-Sonic™ Facial Cleansing and Toning Brush
Whether it be sweat, make-up or SPF, this was voted best for sweeping away any debris by testers. It comes with a toning head, which made a difference to 62% and left one tester seeing “less blocked pores after a month”. Overall, 85% came away with smoother, clearer, brighter, softer skin.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 3
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Wireless USB travel charger, bathroom caddy, daily cleansing brush head (antibacterial), Tone It Up! silicone brush head
Best for a heated massage
PMD Beauty Clean Pro RQ
£132 at Amazon
Who wouldn’t want a relaxing heated massage? This device will provide just that, and left everyone with cashmere-soft skin.
The long-lasting battery was a game-changer too, meaning there's no need to recharge for weeks. One tester even found it helped their serum absorb better – giving you more bang for your buck.
Key specifications
Number of vibration intensities: 4
Battery: Rechargeable
Additional accessories: Charger
