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Get your skin glowing with the best facial cleansing brushes, with recommendations for oily, dry, normal and sensitive skin

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Finding the best facial cleansing brush has become a challenge. Not because there aren’t any good ones out there but because the sheer amount of smart beauty tech has skyrocketed over the last few years. With more people relying on at-home products instead of trips to professionals, beauty brands have doubled down on making as many smart devices as possible. This means that hunting for the best facial cleansing brush can feel like an intimidating prospect as everyone promises younger, smoother skin.

In truth, there’s no magic wand but using the right facial cleansing brush regularly can reduce spots and make your skin feel glowy and bright. It’s always important to read between the lines of effusive apparently science-based jargon and see what’s actually right for your skin. 

Some products will work better with certain cleansers, while others won’t be quite right for your skin type. This is our selection of the best facial cleansing brushes including luxury options as well as app-connected skincare advice. We do live in the future, after all. 

If you're looking to totally revolutionise your skincare regime, then you should also check out T3's guide to the best moisturiser for all skin types, the best soap that's both trendy and smells great, as well as the best eye creams.

If you want the most up to date bathroom cabinet, then you could also think about getting one of the best electric toothbrushes, and the best hairdryers for an overall beauty upgrade.

Swedish brand Foreo’s smart beauty tech has gone from strength to strength over the last few years. Even moving into dental care with the Issa 3 toothbrush, the company is committed to filling our bathrooms with colourful devices. And the jewel in its clean crown is the Luna 3 facial cleanser. Both a cleanser and massager in one, this app-connected brush remembers your last chosen setting of the 16 available and is happy to just get on with cleansing even if you don’t have your phone to hand. 

The soft silicone bristles mean that it’s even gentle on more sensitive skin and can be used daily as part of your routine. It leaves your skin feeling clean and bright without any aggressive scraping and it also comes in a variety of colours to match your bathroom. It’s worth noting too that the rechargeable battery is almost too good to be true with a massive 650 uses before you have to plug it in with the supplied USB. 

If the Foreo brushes are out of your budget range, PMD’s Clean devices are a great alternative. The regular Clean comes with a cleansing brush and massager built-in. There’s no need for an app here and the Clean uses what it calls SonicGlow tech to gently bring out any impurities. The silicone brush means this is an ideal option for sensitive skin and there are two different cleansing settings and two massage options. 

For the massage option, all you have to do is turn the brush over and use the wavier plastic side for an invigorating massage. This is the basic Clean model but if you want to spend more you can upgrade to the Clean Pro for a rechargeable battery instead of a AA and the more expensive models come with a heated massager too. But if you’re just looking for something affordable with a bonus massage function, the Clean is the perfect solution and comes in a huge variety of colours.  It's also very easy to wash after each use.   

If you’re sometimes a little unsure of what you should actually be doing with your skincare regime, this Homedics brush comes with a connected app that gives you advice for your particular skin type. It analyses your skin with a Bluetooth analyser before setting up a helpful plan for you, complete with recommended products. This comes in very handy if you’re not great at setting up a routine. The brush itself sits on a stand and is rechargeable with three different heads in the box. 

For those with sensitive skin, there’s a special brush and there’s also a gel brush head specifically for moisturising and massage which feels great. While the brush head does have fabric bristles and not silicone, they are exceptionally soft, even on the normal brush and the fact that the head buzzes instead of rotates means that it never feels like you are sanding your face.  

If you’re looking for something cheap and cheerful or potentially want to just dip a toe in the motorised cleansing world, the Olay Regenerist brush is a great chunky option. It comes with two brush heads and can deliver happily clean skin. It’s also an ideal choice if you don’t have to travel as the design is significantly bulkier than the alternatives. 

The Regenerist uses a AA battery but is still water-resistant so you don’t need to worry about keeping it dry when you’re in the shower. Like all rotating brush heads, you’ll want to keep an eye on how much you use it, especially if you have more sensitive skin. The two brush heads here are the same as you’ll need to replace them every three months or so. This is one of the biggest differences between silicone cleansers and those with bristles as you’ll need to think about replacements so the cost can sometimes add up.  

The word scrape doesn’t tend to be the most appealing term when it comes to facial skincare. Exfoliation sometimes seems bad enough but thankfully this Dermascrape Ultrasonic tool isn’t as aggressive as it sounds. This alternative to a traditional brush uses ultrasonic technology to clean and unclog pores with vibration. It’s easy to switch between settings and you can use it with your normal cleansing products. 

The device itself doesn’t need batteries, just recharge as you go and it’s slick and portable so ideal if you’re travelling. Just prepare to see all of the gunk make its way out of your pores and onto the spatula style head as you use the extraction option. As Simba says in The Lion King, ‘slimy, yet satisfying!’ 

With so many of the best facial cleansing brushes at eye-watering prices, the Beurer FC45 is significantly more affordable than the competition. This cleanser is simple and to the point with two-speed settings, each of which powers itself off after one minute of cleansing. 

It’s important to note though that even on the slowest settings, these spinning bristles might irritate sensitive skin so if you’re looking for something gentler, it’s much better to go for an option with silicone instead of fabric or a vibrating equivalent. If your skin is hardy enough though, the fully waterproof nature of the FC45 means you can take it into the shower for cleansing or exfoliation. Just make sure you rinse it after use as the white bristles won’t stay that way for long otherwise.  

Liked this? Then how about upgrading your fragrance game with the best men's fragrances and the best perfumes for women.

Louise Blain is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in technology, gaming, and entertainment.  She has a weekly consumer tech slot on BBC Radio Scotland and is the presenter of BBC Radio 3's monthly Sound of Gaming show. She can also regularly be found on BBC Radio 4, BBC Five Live, and The Evolution of Horror podcast as well as writing for GamesRadar and NME. Louise loves finding ways that tech can make our lives better every day and no, she doesn't have enough smart lighting yet. 

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