If you’re dealing with breakouts, clogged pores, or dull skin, it might seem like you’re not getting your face clean enough with soap and water alone.
In recent years, battery-operated vibrating brushes have been all the rage in skincare because devotees rave about their ability to exfoliate and deep clean the skin in a way that washing with your fingers just can’t. But is a pricey vibrating skin brush really the key to healthy, glowing skin?
We asked Dr. Katie Manno, a dermatologist who works for the Skin Cancer and Dermatology Institute in Reno, Nev.
Here’s what she told us.
A dermatologist’s opinion on vibrating skin brushes
Manno says that it’s really a matter of personal preference. Vibrating skin brushes manually exfoliate the skin, which can help your skin look fresher and brighter — so if that’s your goal, adding a vibrating brush may help you achieve it. But if you have sensitive skin, Manno cautions, a vibrating skin brush may be too aggressive and irritate your skin.
Want to give one a try?
Want to give a vibrating skin brush a try? We’ve gathered some of BestReviews’s favorite facial brushes as well as some excellent alternatives for folks who aren’t ready to invest in a pricey brush or want a gentler cleansing tool.
Want to dive right in with a vibrating skin brush that can exfoliate dead skin cells and deep-clean your pores? All these brushes run on batteries and should be used wet with your favorite cleanser.
Clarisonic Mia Prima Facial Cleansing & Pore Minimizing Skincare Device: $99 at Sephora
When it comes to vibrating skin brushes, Clarisonic makes some of the best options around. This model is incredibly user-friendly because it features a single button and single mode to make cleaning your face fast and easy. It works with all Clarisonic brush heads and reports to clean skin six times better than your hands alone.
Clinique Glow to Go Sonic Clean Set: $44.75 at Ulta (was $89.50)
Clinique makes skincare products that have really stood the test of time, so this set with its own Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush is an excellent option if you’re a fan of the brand. The brush offers a steady vibrating motion that helps draw out the dirt, oil, and makeup from your pores and gives skin a healthy glow. You also get a foaming mousse cleanser and a travel case for the brush when you need to take it on the go.
Olay Regenerist Facial Cleansing Brush: $24.94 at Amazon (was $26.19)
If you’re on a budget or don’t want to spend too much to try out a vibrating brush, this model from Olay is an excellent place to start. It features two speeds for gentle daily cleaning or deeper exfoliation and is water-resistant for use in the shower or bath. Unlike more expensive brushes, the Olay brush runs on AA batteries, which are easy to replace.
Ditch the bristles
Some vibrating facial brushes don’t have bristles, which means they’re a little gentler on the skin. Instead, they have a silicone head that’s covered with tiny nubs to massage the skin and help work facial cleanser into your pores. Folks with sensitive skin often find these brushes to be a better match for their easily irritated skin.
PMD Clean: $99 at Ulta
This silicone brush offers more than 7,000 vibrations per minute to remove dirt, oil, and other debris from deep inside your pores. It’s gentle enough for all skin types, and the silicone head is hypoallergenic, antibacterial, and odor-resistant. It runs on AA batteries and even includes a stand to place it in beside your sink.
FOREO Luna Play Plus: $49 at Sephora
The FOREO Luna is one of the best known vibrating silicone brushes thanks to its effective but gentle deep cleaning. It’s fully waterproof, so it’s safe for the bath or shower, and it’s compatible with normal, dry, combo, and oily skin. It offers eight customizable intensity levels and is good for 400 uses on a single AAA battery, too.
Minso Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush: $12.99 at Amazon
This handy silicone vibrating brush won’t break the bank, but it can still remove dirt and oil to cut down on clogged pores. It’s water-resistant, so it’s safe for use in the shower and bath. Plus, it has a rechargeable lithium battery that’s easy to charge with the included USB cable.
Give a hand
Like the idea of a bristled cleansing brush but still a little nervous about a vibrating or spinning option? Manual face brushes have been around for years and feature bristles just like their vibrating counterparts — but since you run them manually over the face, they’re not as harsh on the skin.
Daily Glow Facial Dry Brush: $52 at Goop
This all-natural goat hair and oak face brush is the perfect refresher for your skin in the morning. It’s a bit different from our other picks because it’s intended to be used dry rather than with cleanser, but it similarly buffs away dead skin cells for a brighter appearance. It’s also effective at massaging the face to help firm and tighten.
Naturopathica Facial Cleansing Brush: $29 at Dermstore
Instead of natural hair, this manual face brush features incredibly soft nylon bristles that are even gentler on the skin. It’s still able to dissolve dirt, oil, and makeup and exfoliate the skin to leave you with a smooth, glowing complexion.
e.l.f. Cleansing Duo Facial Brush: $8.40 at Ulta (was $14)
This affordable, manual facial brush actually has two sides: a traditional bristled side for deep-cleaning and exfoliating and a silicone side for massaging the skin. Its comfort-grip handle also keeps your hand from getting tired as you clean your face.
Keep it soft
A manual brush may seem like a safer option than a vibrating model, but if you’re still not sure about bristles, a manual silicone cleansing pad is the perfect alternative. It’s similar to a vibrating silicone face brush, but you just move it over your face to massage and deep clean.
Sephora Collection Precision Pore Cleansing Pad: $7 at Sephora
This affordable little tool is extremely gentle thanks to its super small silicone bristles. It still helps clean the pores, exfoliate, and soften your skin — and massages at the same time to help give you a glowing complexion.
Vtrem 5-Pack Handheld Silicone Face Brush: $10.98 at Amazon
When it comes to facial cleansing tools, you’ll get the best value from these silicone cleansing pads. They feature two sides: a fine brush surface to deep clean and exfoliate as well as a coarser side for massaging your skin. They also have a foam core to evenly distribute cleanser as you wash your face.
Don’t forget the face wash
No matter what skin cleansing brush or tool you choose, you won’t see results if you don’t use the right cleanser. Gentle formulas usually work best with a vibrating skin brush — or any skin cleansing tool for that matter.
Perricone MD Hypoallergenic Gentle Cleanser: $38 at Ulta
This non-detergent cleanser is so mild that it’s perfect for sensitive and dry skin. It features olive polyphenols, which help remove dirt and oil without stripping the skin of moisture.
Avene Gentle Milk Cleanser: $20 at Dermstore
This gentle cleanser is dermatologist-tested and ideal for daily use. It doesn’t contain any soap and actually moisturizes with hyaluronic acid, so your skin always feels soft and supple.
CeraVe Hydrating Face Wash: $13.91 at Amazon
If you’re in the market for a mild, budget-friendly soap, you can’t beat CeraVe, which has three essential ceramides that help cleanse, moisturize, and restore your skin’s protective barrier. It’s paraben-free, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic, making it ideal for any skin type.
Jennifer Blair is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money. BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and purchases every product it reviews with its own funds.
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