I Impulse-Bought This $9 Face Scrubber and So Should You

I was recently flicking through Instagram when the algorithm suggested I buy a cheap silicone face scrubber. Maybe my internet activity had revealed me to be exfoliation-curious. Or perhaps my personal FBI agent could tell that I was not looking my glowiest and decided to do me a solid. However this targeted ad ensnared me, I am grateful, because this four-tap oops-buy led me to the best part of my skincare routine.

But not immediately: Once the scrubber from Instagram arrived I worked it into my usual nightly skincare routine, and I liked it enough to be sold on the overall concept. But I was also annoyed with some real design flaws. I had to hold the thing using a ring attached to the back of the bristles, like a Ring Pop for your face, and the silicone itself was soft but also flimsy—that’s nice for your cheekbones, it just makes the scrubber impossible to maneuver.

So, frustrated (but with slightly softer skin), I went back to the trenches (Amazon) to scope the competition and bought five more silicone face scrubbers. I tried the most popular model, the Innerneed, as well as some top competitors, and a few less popular options further down the list. So I can now say definitively: This no-name face scrubber and its identical nameless twins are the best on the market.

VWMYQ face scrubber

$9

Amazon

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2 Pieces Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush Face Scrubber

$11

Amazon

Buy Now

Manual Waterproof Facial Cleansing

$9

Amazon

Buy Now

Facial Cleansing Brush Silicone, Soft Face Exfoliating Scrubber

$8

Amazon

Buy Now

There was one other decent option, which was just as sturdy and easy to grip. But I just preferred the knob design of the YWMYQ. The other more popular options… suck. They were either too complicated, flimsy, or both. Don’t bother.

But do check out this no-name one, because it’s great. It uses a simple design that’s easy to grab in multiple different positions and with either hand. It can stand up on its own when left on a flat surface, but also has a loop to hang it on a hook. The bed on which the silicone bristles lie is sturdy and doesn’t feel like it’ll slip out of my hand like a bar of Irish Spring. Plus, the rounded square shape allows me to get more precise when it comes to difficult areas like around the nose.

What’s more, it is real cheap. At just $9, it’s almost fifty bucks cheaper than the fancy exfoliating paste I had been using. It even costs less than the sales tax for any one of Foreo’s Luna scrubbers, which are great, but breach triple-digit territory.

Foreo “Luna” scrubber

$119

Amazon

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The soft bristles are gentle, especially compared to exfoliants that rely on granules of polluting plastic or literal rocks to peel skin away. As someone with eczema and sensitive skin in general, I appreciate this. I also appreciate not having to worry about getting a grain of sand in my eye or microplastic in the belly of a sea turtle.

I also like that I can use it with my preferred cleanser. Unlike exfoliators that are mixed into their own separate, possibly caustic chemical brew, a standalone face scrubber like this one lets me control my own dermatological destiny. It’s like how it’s smart to cook with unsalted butter for more control over the salt content of the dish.

But the biggest seller about this nameless silicone face scrubber is that it really works. My skin is smoother and softer. I’ve cleared up a few blemishes without causing any irritation. Plus—and this is why we play the game—my skin is getting rave reviews. On a recent Zoom call, my editor told me that my skin looked so good that it was like I had turned on a beauty filter. A friend slid into my DMs after I’d posted a selfie to my Instagram story and told me that my skin was dewy, the highest praise.

As a rule, I generally avoid impulse purchases. I also don’t expect a nine dollar purchase to change my life. But there are exceptions to the rule. And this is a very exceptional scrubber.

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