Whether it’s to reduce fine lines, blemishes, dullness or damage, sonic tools can help you up the ante with your skincare routine. Some are simply cleansing brushes with oscillating bristles that work to give you a deeper clean – so they will help get rid of make-up, unclog pores and also do some exfoliating. Some of these on the list have a bigger repertoire– full body exfoliation, anyone? – and there are also machines out there designed to tone, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and acne scarring.
We’d recommend that for cleansing, you use them once a day as part of an evening routine. Using it any more than this can actually cause the skin to become greasier due to an increase in production of natural oils. For the cleansing brush rookies out there, we also recommend that you ease the brush into your routine as while normal skin types can potentially use it without any problems, more sensitive complexions may require a little extra TLC.
We’ve sought out the very best electronic skin-care gadgets on the market – so it might just be time to ditch the wash cloth.
1. Clarisonic Mia 2: £120, Feel Unique
Clarisonic started the sonic skincare wave and it now makes five different devices including the travel-friendly Mia 2. This one claims to provide six times more effective cleansing than using your hands alone – and it doesn’t disappoint. The brush works using a micro-massage motion of more than three-hundred movements per second, so it’s very efficient (you only need about a minute of the brush on your skin) and unlike most other sonic brushes which spin, the Mia 2 oscillates back and forth to gently extract impurities from your skin. There are two different speed settings so you can customise your routine for maximum effect. It left our tester’s face feeling super clean and we found there was a reduction in dry patches and blemishes after just a few uses. Highly effective – and worth investing in.
2. Foreo Luna Mini 2: £99, Selfridges
If you’re looking for something that’s going to be ultra-gentle but seriously effective, then we’d go for this one. Its distinctive silicone design is made up from three different cleansing zones with thicker touch points intended for oilier skin and thinner touch points for more sensitive areas meaning you can tailor the treatment accordingly. If you’re someone that finds cleansing a chore then the simplicity of this gadget will most certainly appeal; dampen your face, apply your favourite cleanser and gently glide the brush in circular motions over your face for just one minute. Because of its silicone outer it doesn’t require any upkeep unlike the Mia 2 which may require replacement brush heads after regular use. It comes in five eye-catching colours and its compact size means it’s perfect for travelling.
3. Proactiv Deep Cleansing Brush: £29.99, Proactiv
If your budget doesn’t stretch as far as the Clarisonic, this is a great purse-friendly alternative. Coming with two head attachments, the bristle brush allows for deep cleansing, while the silicone version works for gentler exfoliation with a combination of the two helping to reduce pores and leave your skin feeling suitably soft and smooth. The results are impressive but the difference in cleansing compared to the Clarisonic is noticeable. However, if you’re looking to test the hype of sonic brushes before spending a small fortune then this is a great low-cost introduction which promises similar results.
4. Magnitone, Full Monty: £130, Look Fantastic
This next brush is an impressive multi-tasker. With three detachable brush heads, this can be used for facial cleansing, body-smoothing and pedicure buffing for an all-over energising skin workout. There are three different modes for the face: ‘Sensitive’ for delicate skin, ‘Daily Cleanse’ for everyday deep cleaning and ‘Pulse Lift’, which helps to tone and super-charge your skin by boosting circulation. There are also two modes for exfoliating and smoothing either dry skin or hard, cracked heels. This is a great all-rounder and we love the idea of having one gadget that does it all.
5. Talika Free Skin Purifying Energy Booster: £65, Space.NK.apothecary
Moving away from cleansers, there are plenty of other handy skincare tools that can help to improve the look and feel of your skin if you suffer from acne, pimples or blackheads. This skincare booster is a handheld, pen-like gadget. It uses light technology discovered by NASA in the Seventies which revealed that visible light can help to revitalise cell metabolism. As a result, it prevents acne-causing bacterial activity as well as reducing inflammation in less than seven days with just two or three minutes of use. It also gets rid of unsightly redness leaving you with we found it did help give a more even skin tone.
6. Nuface Mini Facial Toner: £180, Farfetch
This next option is branded the ‘five-minute face lift’ and it’s easy to see why. Replicating an in-clinic treatment, the mini facial toner delivers tiny electrical impulses to your face (don’t worry, you can’t feel them) and has been proved to increase the production of collagen and elastin in the skin. As a result, it helps to improve the tone of your skin as well as reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Its travel-friendly size means it’s perfect for anyone on the go and while it is a little pricy, it’s a lot more cost-effective than regular clinic visits. While the results are visible, leaving skin feeling firmer and fuller, this is a tool that requires persistence and regular use if you want to maintain any improvements.
Verdict
Our favourite is the Clarisonic Mia 2 but the Foreo Luna Mini 2 comes a close second. While the Clarisonic may be a little pricy, the quality of the device joined with its ability to leave your skin feeling squeaky clean and perfectly pampered makes it worth investing in. It also makes an otherwise boring task far more enjoyable and takes all the hassle out of your daily cleansing routine.
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