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Byrdie / Tamara Staples
TL;DR
Our favorite cleansing brush is the RoseSkinCo. Petal 2. It’s intuitive to use, has a compact and functional design, and effectively cleanses the skin. But if you’re looking for a very delicate, manual cleansing brush, we recommend the Tata Harper Cleansing Kabuki Brush. And if physical exfoliation is your goal, try the Ezbasics Facial Cleansing Brush.
Facial cleansing brushes aren't necessarily must-have beauty products, but lots of people swear by these gadgets for deeply cleansed skin. While we recommend washing your face with a good face wash no matter what, the added benefits of a cleansing brush (like physical exfoliation or even massage), make it a welcome addition to any skincare routine. "Facial cleansing brushes act as mechanical exfoliators to help remove dead skin while also increasing blood flow to leave skin glowing," explains board-certified dermatologist Sheila Farhang, MD.
But as with most skincare tools, not all facial cleansing brushes are the same. So, we put some of the most popular and highly rated options to the test in our lab facility in NYC, and assessed them based on ease of use, effectiveness, comfort, and ease of cleaning. Those that performed the best earned a spot on our list. Keep reading to find the best facial cleansing brushes tested by Byrdie.
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Intuitive and easy to use
Cleanses thoroughly without causing irritation
Comes with a compact stand to store it
Lightweight handle makes using it easy
The speed change and on/off buttons are embedded in the handle and a bit challenging to push
Brush Material: Silicone | Skin Type: All | Features: Four brush modes, USB rechargeable, automatic shut-off
This is our favorite cleansing brush thanks to its ease of use, compact and functional design, variety of features, and effective yet gentle cleansing capability. Our tester, Alison, was really impressed by how user-friendly it is, sharing that it’s easy to understand how to use the functions. It gave her skin a thorough cleanse without feeling abrasive, and she loved how it shuts off after two minutes to ensure you don’t overdo it. She was also pleasantly surprised by the massage feature, saying that it felt like a mini skin treatment.
The design is compact and ergonomic, and it’s made with soft, antibacterial, clinical-grade silicone that feels gentle on the skin. One minor flaw is that the speed and on/off buttons are camouflaged into the handle and are a bit tricky to press, but other than this, it’s a nearly perfect facial cleansing brush.
Alison, tester with sensitive skin
“The surprise winning feature is the massage setting which is total bliss and a bonus. The silicone bristles are soft and non-irritating on my sensitive skin, and do a good job of cleaning. I enjoyed using this brush and would happily use it every day.”
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Helps to break down stubborn makeup
Handle is easy to grip
Silicone bristles are gentle
Understanding how to to use the brush may require you to carefully read the instructions
Brush Material: Silicone | Skin Type: All | Features: Heats up, has magnetic charging port
Another silicone facial cleansing brush, this one also received very high scores during our test. It features a heating capability, a magnetic charging port, and gentle vibrations. While our tester shared that she needed to carefully read the instructions to understand how to use it properly, meaning that it was not the most intuitive, she noted that the instructions were clear. She was very impressed by how well it cleansed her face of multiple layers of foundation without being too abrasive or causing irritation on her sensitive skin. She noted that while she often finds silicone bristles to be too harsh on her skin, the bristles on this brush are totally gentle. It does take a few minutes to heat up if you choose to use that setting, but our tester shared that it did add to the experience of using this brush. Once she cleansed her face, it was left feeling great, and the brush was easy to clean afterward.
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Incredibly soft bristles
Pairs well with foam cleansers
Compact and easy to travel with
Requires a bit of effort to fully clean the brush
Brush Material: Fine synthetic bristles | Skin Type: All | Features: Compact wooden handle
Unlike a lot of facial cleansing brushes that are made of silicone and feature various mechanical modes, this one has soft synthetic bristles—similar to a makeup brush—and is meant to be used manually. The ultra-soft bristles bump up the lather of foam cleansers and work to give the skin a deep yet gentle clean. The bristles also provide very subtle exfoliation, perfect for those with sensitive skin that struggle to exfoliate without creating irritation. Our tester, Lee, said that the wooden handle is easy to grip, and she loved how compact the brush is, making it a great option to travel with. She said it helped to make her cleanser really sudsy, and it worked beautifully to remove makeup and give her skin a deep clean without feeling harsh or stripping. The one downside? Because the brush features bristles that are light in color, if you use it to help remove makeup, it might stain a bit. And as opposed to silicone which can be cleaned in a few seconds, this brush takes a bit longer to fully clean.
Lee, tester with sensitive skin
“The bristles really conformed to every area of my face with ease, and I could even use it on my sensitive skin without irritation. I have some minor skin irritations at the moment, and this brush didn't aggravate it.”
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Pulsation provides invigorating sensation
Works to exfoliate dead skin cells
Pulsation provides facial massage
Brush is a bit tricky to clean
Brush Material: Silicon | Skin Type: All | Features: Two modes of sonic pulsation
Buttah was created with melanin-rich skin in mind, and this facial cleansing brush is excellent for all skin types. It works to cleanse the skin of excess oil, rid it of dead skin cells, and improve radiance. It features two modes of pulsation, which provide a gentle facial massage, and the silicon bristles are delicate enough not to irritate the skin, but effective enough to effectively exfoliate it.
In addition to appreciating that the brush fit into the palm of her hands, our tester loved the texture of the bristles and the pulsation feature. She noted that the pulsation provided a massage and an invigorating sensation, leaving her feeling energized. After using it, she shared that she could no longer see any traces of dead skin, and her skin was left looking clean and glowy. One thing she noted was that she had to scrub the brush a bit to get all traces of makeup off of it, but all things considered, we still highly recommend this tool.
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Lightweight, compact design
Effectively removes dead skin cells
Variety of settings for customizable cleansing experience
Doesn't remove every last trace of makeup
Brush Material: Silicone | Skin Type: Oily, Dry, Combo | Features: Five speed settings
If you’re in the market for a facial cleansing brush that will effectively exfoliate your skin, we recommend this one. In addition to its lightweight and compact design, and the variety of speed settings it has, our tester, Michelle, loved how well it worked to cleanse and exfoliate her skin. She noted that while the bristles didn’t feel harsh or abrasive, they are a bit more stiff compared to many options on the market, making it a good choice if you enjoy physical exfoliation. While it didn’t fully remove 100% of her makeup (that's what a makeup remover is for, anyway), this isn’t a dealbreaker for us as it does an excellent job at cleansing bare skin and exfoliating to reveal a glowing complexion.
Michelle, tester with normal skin
“The brush did a wonderful job of exfoliating and cleansing my skin. It felt like it was able to get a good amount of makeup off while also removing dead skin.”
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Compact design is portable and allows for control
Removes makeup with minimal effort
Soft bristles aren’t too harsh on sensitive skin
App that comes with the tool is a bit challenging to customize
Cleaning makeup residue from brush takes a bit of effort
Brush Material: Silicone | Skin Type: All | Features: Synchronizes with Bluetooth app, has 16 pulsation intensities
We recommend breaking down your makeup with an oil-based cleanser prior to going in with your face wash (double cleansing), but it doesn’t hurt to have a tool that does an excellent job at removing makeup. Our tester was pleasantly surprised by how well this one removed her foundation, lipstick, and even eyeshadow, saying that while there was the tiniest bit of makeup residue left on her skin after using the brush, a few splashes of water got rid of it.
In addition to how well it works to remove makeup, she noted how much she liked the soft bristles, saying that they weren’t too abrasive on her sensitive skin. Something really unique about this particular facial cleansing brush is that it connects to an app specifically designed to use in combination with the tool. She expressed that it was really cool to have visual guidance while cleansing, and the app shares the ideal amount of time you should spend cleansing each part of your face, but our tester said it definitely took some work to figure out how to change the settings and customize the app to her liking.
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Intuitive to set up and use
Handle is lightweight and easy to grip
Great for a deep cleanse
Bristles could be slightly too abrasive for sensitive skin
Heating function isn’t great
Brush Material: Silicone | Skin Type: Oily, Dry, Combo | Features: Heating function
Skincare tools can be really fun additives to your skincare routine, but if they’re too complicated to use, chances are we’ll give up on them after only a few uses. That's why we love this one—it’s simple and intuitive. Our tester said she had no issues setting it up, holding it, or using it, and she found that it did a great job of giving her skin a deep cleanse. She expressed that it’s likely ideal for a weekly deep cleanse as opposed to a daily cleanse because the bristles aren’t ultra-soft—this is definitely something to keep in mind if you have sensitive skin. Regardless, she shared that the bristles were effective and not overly abrasive.
While the brush does feature a heating function, our tester noted that she didn’t feel much of a difference between the heated setting and the regular setting, saying that the heat emission was very minor.
Testing Facial Cleansing Brushes for All Skin Types
What to Look for in a Facial Cleansing Brush
- Bristle type: Facial cleansing brushes are made out of various types of materials, some of the most popular being silicone or synthetic bristles. Choosing the appropriate material comes down to your goals. If you’re simply looking for a gentle tool that will aid in cleansing and increase the lather of your cleanser, a brush with ultra-fine, synthetic bristles, or even fine silicone bristles is best for you. If you’re hoping to achieve exfoliation benefits with your cleansing brush, we recommend something with thicker synthetic or silicone bristles. It’s also worth noting that if you’re concerned about bacteria, opting for a silicone brush is wise because many silicones used in making facial cleansing brushes are antibacterial.
- Features: Some facial cleansing brushes are simple, manual tools that give you full control—and they’re great for basic cleansing and exfoliation. But if you’re looking for something more high-tech, keep an eye out for special features, like heating functions, vibrations, and massage capabilities.
- Speed settings: Ideally, you want at least two (though many brushes offer many more) so that you can best customize the intensity of the brush for your skin type and needs.
Why Trust Byrdie?
Alyssa Kaplan is an experienced writer in the beauty industry and product tester specializing in cosmetics. She received a bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied marketing and product development in the cosmetics industry as well as fashion business marketing. Alyssa has been a commerce writer at Byrdie since 2022, where she covers all things beauty. For this story, Alyssa consulted with:
- Sheila Farhang, M.D., a double-fellowship trained board-certified dermatologist, reconstructive skin cancer (Mohs micrographic) surgeon, and cosmetic surgeon in Tucson, TX. She has authored numerous publications in top dermatology journals and is considered a media expert by the American Academy of Dermatology.
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