Ever feel like your mild and soap-free facial cleanser is not thoroughly cleaning your sensitive skin? Want to try the best facial cleansing brush for sensitive skin but are worried that it would do more harm than good?
Or maybe you’re simply lost and want to know which one is the best facial brush for sensitive skin out there that would fit your budget and needs.
Having sensitive skin can be really challenging, you have to be picky and cautious when choosing a product that you would put on or use on your face.
There are times that no matter how mild, natural or organic a product is, it can still cause flare-ups and irritation. That’s why it’s understandable why people with sensitive skin are wary when introduced to the idea of using a cleansing brush.
Aren’t cleaning brushes too abrasive for sensitive skin? Well, I’m happy to share the news that there are brushes specifically made for your sensitive or dry and sensitive skin and we’ll talk about those in a few.
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Contents
Facial Cleansing Brushes 101
For now, let’s get to know how these brushes work and what’s in it for you!
Are Facial Brushes Good For Sensitive Skin?
Regular facial cleansing brushes, whether manual or spinning may be too harsh for people with extra sensitive skin.
On the other hand, facial cleansing brushes made with materials such as thinner and softer bristles or silicone and those that use sonic technology are found to be far less abrasive yet offer deeper cleansing for people with sensitive skin.
Face Cleansing Brush Benefits
Thorough cleansing is important regardless of skin type. At the end of a long day, dirt and products can accumulate on your face and using a gentle cleanser is not enough to remove this build up.
The best facial cleansing brush for sensitive skin works well with your fave cleanser to offer the following benefits:
- Remove deeply seated dirt, makeup, skin care (like sunscreen and moisturizer) and dead skin cells which can dull the skin and block pores causing breakouts.
- Reveal fresher, brighter skin that can absorb skin care products well.
- Improve blood circulation and stimulate collagen production which in turn can help repair damaged skin, reduce wrinkles and improve skin’s firmness.
How Often Should You Use A Facial Cleansing Brush?
An even more often asked question is – should you use a facial brush every day?
While using a facial brush every other day is recommended for people with normal and oily skin, people with dry and sensitive skin should not use the facial cleansing brush more than 2 times a week during the first few weeks of use.
Using the brush more than the recommended amount can make your skin extremely dry and extra sensitive, especially if it’s your first time using the brush.
1-2 times a week is recommended for the first few weeks (up to a month) of using a manual or electric facial cleansing brush.
As you build your skin’s tolerance to your brush of choice, you may slowly increase it to 3 times a week (again doing this for weeks up to a month), until you reach the point where your skin is fully adjusted and can tolerate brushing every other day.
Note: If you have extra sensitive skin, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema, it’s best to consult and get your dermatologist’s approval before using any facial cleansing brush.
How To Use A Facial Cleansing Brush
- Take off as much product and makeup from your face using an oil-based makeup remover. I like these type of cleansers as they melt makeup off without the need for cotton pads or makeup wipes which may also be abrasive due to its friction against the skin.
- Wet your face with water and apply your favorite cleanser.
- If you’re using a manual facial cleansing brush, wet the bristles under running water and start brushing your face gently in a circular motion.
- For electric facial cleansing brushes, wet the silicone or soft nylon bristles and turn the device on. Brush your face gently in a circular motion.
- Focus the brush for a few seconds on the following areas: forehead, cheeks, nose and your chin. Avoid delicate areas of your face such as your under eyes.
- Rinse as normal and gently pat your skin dry with a soft towel. Your skin is now ready for the next beauty products that are part of your usual regime (Ex. serums, essences, moisturizers, under eye creams and sleeping masks).
When Should You Change Your Cleansing Brushes Head?
Depending on the brand, some electric brushes require its brush heads to be replaced after 3 months of use.
Brands like Foreo do not require any brush head replacement at all (yay!).
A good rule of thumb is to check if the bristles look frayed, worn out and dirty – a perfect concoction for skin irritation! Throw those out immediately and get new ones!
How To Clean Your Facial Cleansing Brush
Cleaning your facial brush is as essential as cleaning your make up brushes. Who would want to use a filthy brush to “clean” their face?
Brushes have tiny crevices that can catch dirt and dead skin cells which together with moisture can be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Gross…
Now imagine this dirty tool getting in contact with your sensitive skin – flare up alert!
To avoid getting flare-ups caused by your trusted facial cleansing brush, you can follow these simple cleaning steps:
How to Clean Regular Brushes
- After using, wash your manual facial cleansing brush with mild soap. Massage the bristles using your thumb to get any gunk out.
- Rinse thoroughly with water.
- Shake off excess water (I like to gently squeeze the water out using my index and thumb fingers before brushing it back to maintain its form) and allow to air dry (I blow dry it with hot air sometimes to dry it faster).
- Optional: You may also spritz the bristles with alcohol or any sanitizer to halt bacterial growth.
How to Clean Foreo Luna
- After using, wash your device with mild soap and water. Massage the short silicone bristles gently to remove any debris.
- Rinse thoroughly with water.
- Pat your device dry with a cleaning cloth or towel.
- For best results, spray with Foreo’s Silicone Cleaning Spray then rinse with warm water. This will not only kill bacteria but keep the silicone in tip-top shape to serve you longer.
- Allow the brush to air-dry.
How to Clean Your Clarisonic
- Detach the brush head from the main device by unscrewing it.
- Apply a few drops of liquid mild soap on your fingers and give the bristles and crevices a good scrub a dub! Alternatively, you can also use a toothbrush for a more thorough scrub.
- Thoroughly rinse with warm water.
- Do the same with the brush handle.
- Allow both to air dry separately and store according to the model’s specific instruction.
Foreo and Clarisonic are two famous brands that offer facial cleansing brushes for sensitive skin. However, one works well for plainly sensitive skin while the other is best for the dry and sensitive skin type.
To find out which one is which, check out my recommendations below.
P.S. I know not everyone is stinking rich (not in this economy!), so I included budget-friendly products that work just as good as these big brands. Give them a try, they’ll surely exceed your expectations! 😉
Best Cleansing Brush for Sensitive Skin
Clarisonic Mia Smart Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush
The Clarisonic Mia Smart is the best dermatologist recommended face cleansing brush for people of all skin types, especially those with sensitive skin.
This beauty tool is uber gentle to be used twice daily without disrupting your skin’s natural barrier. It has 2 settings specifically dedicated for sensitive skin and a Smart mode that can guide you through each area and time it as well so as to not over exfoliate.
It’s loaded with lots of amazing and useful features making this splurge totally worth every cent!
Pros
- Dermatologist recommended.
- Gentle bristles that are super safe to use twice daily.
- Compatible with any Clarisonic brush heads.
- Does not spin (it oscillates which is gentler and less abrasive than spinning).
- Waterproof.
- Packs on 100 minutes of use per charge.
- Can be used with the Clarisonic app for a fully customized routine, reminders and achievement tracking.
- Built-in time strip that reminds you when it’s time to replace your brush head.
Cons
- Expensive but well worth it.
- Initial charging time is 18 hours.
- The brush head portion is quite heavy that it’s a bit of a challenge to store the device upright without falling.
- Initial issues may occur with the pairing between the device and the app.
Liberex Facial Cleansing Brush
Liberex makes this whole best cleansing brush competition egg-citing! This cleansing egg-shaped brush works as good as famous brands without leaving you broke.
It has three interchangeable brush heads to fit your different cleansing needs. Together with Ultrasonic Vibration technology, they work to give you your brightest, cleanest skin ever without dryness or irritation.
Comes with a timer that tells you when to move to the next area and an auto-off feature to avoid over exfoliating.
An egg-cellent choice for my broke ass babes!
Pros
- Affordable.
- Comes with 3 brush heads (.075 mm bristles for deep cleansing, 0.05 mm bristles and a silicon brush head for gentler exfoliation and for people with sensitive skin).
- Uses Ultrasonic Vibration technology which is gentler than spinning.
- Has 3 different modes for massage, exfoliating and deep cleansing.
- Has a built-in timer and an auto-off feature to avoid over-exfoliation.
- Waterproof.
- Wireless charging. 1.5 hours can last up to 45 days.
Cons
- I just find the whole egg shape a bit hard to hold especially with a wet, soapy hand. Supposed to be ergonomically designed, but I think otherwise. Other than that it’s a good product to try if you find the Clarisonic expensive.
Rengöra Premium Ultra Soft Face Brush
Traveling soon and want to bring a handy face brush? Or maybe you just want a plain and simple brush without any state of the art technology?
If you’re screaming “YES!” then this Rengöra Premium Ultra Soft Brush is for you.
It’s made with super soft microfiber bristles that can be used even on kids and teenagers! It’s perfect for gentle cleansing and exfoliation without the abrasiveness and has the perfect size to carry anywhere you go.
Pros
- Super affordable.
- Incredibly soft, microfiber bristles.
- Ergonomic handle.
- Compact and easy to travel with.
- Comes with a hanging ribbon.
Cons
- May be too soft if you want a deeper cleanse.
Best Cleansing Brush for Dry Skin (Dry Sensitive)
Foreo Luna 2 Personalized
All it takes is just 2 minutes to remove 99.5% of dirt, makeup and other gunk on your face. But just because something is super effective and quick, doesn’t it mean that it’s harsh?
This Luna 2 cleansing brush is silicone based and is uber gentle for sensitive skin.
It comes with 12 different intensities for personalized cleansing and doubles as an anti-aging brush too. Winner!
Pros
- Different sized silicone touchpoints (thinner ones at the bottom are great for gentle cleansing, broader ones on top are for a more precise and deeper cleansing).
- 12 intensity settings.
- Easy to use and ergonomically designed.
- Packs up to 400 uses (good for up to 7 months of use) per charge (1 hour).
- Rinses and dries thoroughly compared to nylon bristled brush.
- Waterproof.
- Gives 3 pulses to signal the end of your brushing sesh.
- The back side can be used for anti-aging.
Cons
- Expensive!
- May not be the best investment for acne-prone skin.
Earthen Beauty Naturals Solo Mio Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush
Want to give silicone cleansing brushes a try but don’t want to spend much? This Solo Mio brush is an amazing alternative for the Foreo Luna 2.
It’s made with the same high-grade silicon that offers gentle cleansing without the abrasion, doubles as a face massager too to get your blood flow working and relax those tired facial muscles.
With 14 intensity settings, you can choose how gentle or deep your cleansing should be.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Uses high-grade silicone for gentle cleansing.
- 2-sided device (one for massage and another for cleansing).
- Has 14 intensity settings (Wow! More than that of the Foreo Luna 2!)
- Waterproof.
- Rinses and dries thoroughly compared to nylon bristled brush.
- Easy to use and ergonomically designed.
- Lasts up to a month with a single charge.
Cons
- Apart from the fact that the Foreo Luna 2’s charge lasts longer, I think this is a pretty good device that offers the same amazing result for an amazing price!
Innerneed Super Soft Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush
This manual silicone facial cleaning brush is one of the cheapest yet most effective brush you can find. No wonder it’s a favorite among many.
It’s made with food-grade silicone that offers gentle cleansing for sensitive skin without causing any irritation. With two different sized touchpoints, you can customize the way you cleanse.
Comes in a pack of 4, so your family and friends can try them too!
Pros
- Super affordable.
- Uses food grade silicone that’s gentle for dry, sensitive skin.
- Different sized silicone touchpoints (thinner ones at the bottom are great for gentle cleansing, broader ones on top are for a more precise and deeper cleansing).
- Pack of 4.
- Rinses and dries thoroughly compared to nylon bristled brush.
Cons
- May be quite slippery when used with water or soap.
Putting it All Together
Using the best facial cleansing brush for sensitive skin surely offers a lot of skin benefits. The products recommended above fit whatever type of sensitive skin you have and budget, take your pick and choose wisely.
Got a product you’d want me to review? Send your suggestions by dropping me a line down below. Have a great skin ahead!
Cynthia Stalde
I’m the girl behind Miss Coty. Here I talk about the struggles of womanhood – from hair removal all the way to deep facial wrinkles in your 20s. More about me.
