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Cleansing is something we do every day - but sometimes, it's not enough to just use our fingertips.
According to skin experts, facial cleansing brushes, sponges and tools are great at thoroughly removing every last scrap of make-up, pore-clogging sunscreen and everyday grime you may have missed with your hands, and they are especially useful for city dwellers (pollution is not your skin's friend).
Dr Sophie Shotter believes 'cleansing brushes, when used properly, can deep clean the pores. They can also stimulate better circulation and improve lymphatic drainage. But only when used properly, as otherwise they can actually push make up and environmental pollution deeper into the pores and cause more skin problems.'
This includes making sure to clean your cleansing brush properly after every use and not overusing it either.
Dr Shotter advises 'erring on the cautious side if you have sensitive skin and avoid using them too often. If you have oiler skin they can be particularly useful as pores are more prone to clogging.'
Whether you walk to work or exercise outside, micro-particles found in the air in polluted environments are small enough to penetrate the skin and this can lead to all manner of complexion concerns, such as pigmentation and breakouts.
So, step up your cleansing game with one of these facial cleansing brushes, because who doesn't want a natural, Insta-worthy glow?
Shop The Best Facial Cleansing Brushes
Face Halo The Modern Makeup Remover Original - 3 Pack
Face Halo The Modern Makeup Remover Original - 3 Pack
We're not being dramatic when we say these unassuming looking facial pads have levelled up our cleansing game forever. The super soft pads are genius in that they're able to remove everyday dirt, grime and even stubborn make-up -yep, waterproof mascara too- with just a bit of water. There goes your last excuse for using make-up wipes at festivals.
Simple and effective, a muslin cloth should be a staple of every cleansing routine, the reason being it makes sure no stray bit of dirt or make-up gets left behind from your cleanse. Plus, muslin cloths are a solid option for sensitive skin types who might find electrical tools a bit too full on.
Okay, yes, the tri-pad on this cleansing brush does kind of remind us of the demogorgon from Stranger Things (just us?), but we promise the results will turn your world upside down. The vibrating silicon bristles help to dislodge stubborn debris and the built-in LED lights offer three settings to target different skin complaints.
The key to getting your lipstick to look its best starts with a smooth canvas. Enter BeautyBay's Lip Exfoliators, mini-sized silicon brushes that gently slough away dead skin cells and leave you with a polished pout.
Brushworks Silicone Facial Cleansing Pads Duo
Ok this might be called a cleansing 'pad' but... it has bristles, so we're claiming it. The soft silicone is gentle on the skin and easy to clean, hugging the contours of your skin to give a thorough cleanse and exfoliation. Great for travel too.
The high-street is smashing the beauty game at the moment, and although H&M isn't famous for it yet, this brush - a steal at less that £10 - has caught our attention. Soft and dual sided, we actually quite like that it's manual as you have full control over the pressure.
Foreo LUNA 3 Plus Facial Cleansing Brush - £269
Foreo has a wide choice of cleansing brushes, but this might be our favourite. It's basically a robot for your skin: it cleanses with 8 thermal touch points, massages, and delivers micro-pulsations to work deep into the skin. Paired with the app, you get a personalised regime too.
The Konjac Sponge Company Facial Puff Sponge with French Red Clay - £8.99
It may look uninteresting, but a Konjac Sponge could revolutionise your cleansing routine. Soaked in water, the hard sponge softens to create a bouncy, softly exfoliating tool that you can wipe over every nook and cranny of the face. Naturally moisturising, it won't leave skin parched after either.
The Body Shop Facial Buffer - £4.50
The Body Shop has a whole host of tools to make your skincare products go further and your glow grow stronger. This buffer - gentle enough to not damage skin but textured enough to slough away dead skin and grime - is a favourite.
Quantum Botanika Peace Silk Beauty Buffer - £28
It might look like a stray piece of wrapping ribbon, but this specially sourced silk is actually designed to gently polish your face, post cleanse. Using a flossing motion, glide it over the face, neck and decolletage for silky smooth skin (we had to, sorry).
This face brush might look low-tech but its results are more than impressive. Use to gently buff away dull and dead skin cells with the 100% natural goat hair bristles. Consider your skin tone, circulation and biceps improved.
Nurse Jamie Dermascrape Ultrasonic Skin Scrubbing & Skincare Enhancing Tool
Nurse Jamie Dermascrape Ultrasonic Skin Scrubbing & Skincare Enhancing Tool
The name might sound scary, but trust us facialist to the stars Nurse Jamie knows what she's doing. With three different settings you can choose to simply clean your skin in 'Cleanse' mode, unclog pores and remove blackheads with the 'Extract' mode, or gently exfoliate to allow your skincare to work harder in the 'Enhance' mode.
HoMedics Pureté The Complete Skincare Solution Facial Cleansing Brush - £99
The ideal travel buddy, this portable cleansing brush has a variety of intensity settings, perfect for those with sensitive skin who end up blotchy and red if too aggravated. If you're cautious about overusing your cleansing brush, this nifty device has an alert setting that sounds our after 20 seconds which tells you when you need to move to a new area of skin. If only our alarm clocks worked as well...
PMD Clean Berry Cleansing Device - £89
Probably the sleekest-looking cleansing brush you ever did see, this lightweight tool gently vibrates to break down even the cakey-ist of foundations. You can even use it on clean skin to massage in any thick night creams or serums. Pure luxury.
The silicone brush head makes it super easy to clean to help key breakouts at bay.
Nurse Jamie Exfoliband Silicone Loofah - £14
The fancy skincare products currently lining your bathroom shelf? They're less likely to penetrate your skin if it isn't cleansed properly, making those amazing promised results elusive. Enter Nurse Jamie's savvy silicone Loofah.
It may look a little bit like perler bead art (Google it for a dose of 90s nostalgia) but the clever ridges work a treat to slough away make-up and dead skin cells for brighter skin that absorbs ingredients better. Simply apply cleanser to damp skin like usual and gently massage it over the face.
Magnitone London BareFaced2 Daily Cleansing and Skin Toning Brush - £90
Believe us when we say that this is a fast-track to immaculate skin. In twenty seconds to a minute, sonic oscillations and pulsed vibrations ensure no pore is left unturned so you can say a big fat see ya to the grime, oil and dead skin cells that often lead to spots. Oh, and another thing: It's 100% waterproof, which means you can take it into the shower with you - YAS.
Sisley Paris Gentle Brush For Face And Neck - £32
This manual brush might not look like much but the finely tapered, plush bristles are absolutely brilliant for gently cleansing and exfoliating the skin, especially around the nose and chin where pores tend to get most clogged - and you have ultimate control when using it. Wet the brush head, pour a little cleanser on top and massage it over the your face using circular motions.
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