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Cleansing is the cornerstone of your skincare routine, period. Thoroughly cleansing your complexion removes make-up, dead skin cells, pollution and excess sebum – all the things that rob your face of its glow.

The age-old question, though, is this: Are cleansing brushes your best bet for ensuring that this task is completed, properly? Or should you stick to an old-fashioned flannel or simply use your fingers? Well, while washing your face with your hands is totally acceptable, a cleansing tool can help to make the process easier – especially if you live in a polluted city or wear lots of make-up.

Another benefit is that when the day’s grime and make-up are completely wiped away, your skincare has less of a job on its hands. But don't just take our word for it. Here, the skincare pros reveal everything you need to know before deciding whether to invest in a cleansing brush.

Like with most things, this depends on you using the tools correctly. Aesthetic doctor and founder of the Illuminate skin clinic, Dr Sophie Shotter, explains: 'Cleansing brushes, when used properly, can deep clean the pores. They can also stimulate better circulation and improve lymphatic drainage. But this is 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 also means that it's vital to make sure you clean your cleansing brush properly after every use.

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'It’s important to tailor the use of your cleansing device to your skin type - start out by using it a few times a week. If you’re wearing heavy make-up, I would recommend removing this first with make-up remover and a reusable cotton pad before grabbing your cleansing device,' advises Lucy Dawes, Senior Consultant at Pulse Light Clinic.

'If you have oilier skin they [cleansing devices] can be particularly useful as pores are more prone to clogging,' reveals Dr Shotter.

Glad you asked. There are plenty of cleansing brushes on the market – but here are the 18 that WH rates for a visage that's free from make-up, pollutants and general grime.

Products stamped with this logo have been given the thumbs up by our testers.

Our 195-strong panel tried 15 cleansing tools and brushes, all with their branding covered up, for four weeks. They rated each product on its ease of use and overall performance, noting any effects it had on their skin.

Back in the Women’s Health lab, our expert team tested each tool's efficacy by using it to remove make-up from an artificial skin replica.

This high-tech option not only dissolves sweat and sebum, but also massages to encourage drainage, reduce puffiness and firm up skin. Simply connect it to the app and select one of the 16 (that’s right!) settings.

Results-wise, 87% of testers were happy with their deep cleanse and everybody found the soft silicone bristles quick to clean. It scored highly in the lab, too, banishing grease and grime with ease.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 16 Battery: Rechargeable Additional accessories: Charger

Ok, so these aren't technically brushes, but they can help to transform your cleansing routine. If you've got sensitive skin they're also perfect because they're super soft and won't aggravate your complexion. They really do work like magic, lifting away make-up and dirt with just water.

OK, so epilating your face might not sound relaxing, but one tester described the pain as 'acceptable' (this is epilating, after all) and another found it 'more delicate' to use than she expected.

Used as a cleanser, it banished every trace of make-up in the lab and left 85% of our panel delighted with their newly soft, smooth skin. They found switching the heads effortless– there’s a massager too, hurrah!–and 92% plan to keep it in their skincare arsenal.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 2 Battery: Rechargeable Additional accessories: Facial epilator, skin cleansing brush, toning head, charger

If there's someone that knows how to remove longwear make-up, it's Huda Kattan. Enter her brilliant new cleansing wand that's a dab hand at removing SPF, make-up and daily grime build up. The bristles are made of silicone (meaning they're super hygienic) and help to make your cleanser work that little bit harder. For less than £20, if you're not sold on the idea of cleansing brushes then this is a great one to start with.

This guy’s heated massage function helped release tension to leave 77% of our testers with a more toned complexion. It cleansed brilliantly, pleasing 92%, and everybody loved their soft finish.

Given its fashionable looks and long, travel-friendly battery life, it’s unsurprising that this 2-in-1 gem was declared our ‘panel’s choice’.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 4 Battery: Rechargeable Additional accessories: Charger

Hailing from an Asian plant, these funny-looking sponges have long been a staple in Korean and Japanese skincare regimes for their ability to give skin a deep and thorough cleanse. This one, in particular, is infused with bamboo charcoal, which keeps oily skin in check. FYI, it's no one-hit-wonder. You can use the sponge again and again.

Good old No7 snagged the top spot with this great value brush. It proved extremely effective at sweeping away make-up in the lab and left our entire panel with softer, more glowing skin.

Lightweight and easy to hold, it gently lifted dirt to leave 93% of testers feeling deeply cleansed and everybody keen to keep using it.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 2 Battery: Battery (2 x AAA) Additional accessories: None

If Mrs Hinch were a cleansing brush, she’d surely be this one. Our panel’s prized pick for a deep cleanse, 85% said their skin looked clearer and brighter and felt smoother and softer by the end of the month-long trial.

Its toning head helped firm things up for 62% of testers and it would be a good choice for those with sensitive skin as nobody reported any irritation.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 3 Battery: Rechargeable Additional accessories: Wireless USB travel charger, bathroom caddy, daily cleansing brush head (antibacterial), Tone It Up! silicone brush head

Ok, so this looks more like a toothbrush than a cleansing brush but actually, the finely tapered, baby-soft bristles work brilliantly at exfoliating the skin. The small handle isn't to be sniffed at either. It gives you greater control so that you can reach those tricky areas around the nose, jawline and chin.

Sixty seconds to better skin? Seeing is believing with this clever cleansing brush that leaves no pores unturned. It works quickly, leaving you with a smooth and happy complexion. Its mini size means it fits perfectly in your gym bag or travel luggage.

Small and lightweight enough to carry in your gym bag, this double-sided manual brush proved both gentle and effective. It fared well in our lab test for lifting makeup and left 75% of testers with suitably fresh and polished skin. Not bad for less than a tenner.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 0 Battery: Manual Additional accessories: None

This looks like anything but a skincare device but hear us out. The clever ridges work to lift away make-up and pesky flakes for a glowier complexion that absorbs ingredients better. There is a reason Nurse Jamie has an army of celebrity fans: she creates skincare gadgets that are next level.

Tend to get carried away with things? This device is for you. Not only does it have a variety of settings, but this genius tool also has an alert setting that sounds out after 20 seconds so that you know to move to a new area of skin. Clever, eh?

This is a great brush that can be used on both your face and body. It's made with multi-adaptive pads that allow you to change the settings so you can opt for facial cleansing, body exfoliation, or even a pedicure treatment. Each pad is filled with air, making them supple and adaptable to your body, so you can move the brush more dynamically to create a more even and thorough treatment.

This electric budget buy gave 69% of our panel a clearer, cleaner face. One tester thought its silicone bristles left their skin 'feeling like silk', another found the massage function relaxing and a third said their moisturiser absorbed more readily after using it.

Though gentle, its 12,000 vibrations per minute still toned skin for 63%. It’s another compact choice for travel, too.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 4 Battery: Rechargeable Additional accessories: Charger

Foreo has become a cult brand for a reason. Their devices are made with soft silicone bristles so you don't have to worry about upsetting your skin barrier. Using 8000 T-sonic pulsations per minute, it's a whizz at effectively lifting away dirt, oil and budge-proof make-up. The rechargeable device is paired with an app so that it can be tailored to your specific skin needs at that time.

This might not look like your typical cleansing tool, but its design has been smartly thought through so that one side cleanses as the other massages. Better still, flip it upside down and it can help tone a tense jaw – great, right?

It dutifully dissolved makeup in the lab and proved a hit among our panellists for diminishing fine lines, preventing breakouts and feeling like 'a spa-style treat' to use.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 3 Battery: Rechargeable Additional accessories: Charger

Think ‘cleansing brush’ and Clarisonic springs to mind. This brush excelled at melting away makeup in the lab and had our testers raving about its soft bristles that never tugged.

It took a little while to charge up and different heads can only be bought separately, but overall, a solid 90% agreed that it deeply cleansed their skin and left it looking clearer.

Key specifications Number of vibration intensities: 3 Battery: Rechargeable Additional accessories: Charger