Shannon Sullivan, one of my current favorite YouTubers, recently started using a konjac sponge to clean her face, so it was through her videos that I first heard of the idea of using a facial sponge. I had wanted to try one and probably would have purchased one in my next VitaCost haul, but instead I got lucky enough to receive something very similar in my most recent VoxBox from Influenster! This sponge was by the brand EcoTools, which just so happens to be a favorite brand of mine, so I was doubly excited to try it.
The promise of this product is that it's a gentle cleansing and exfoliating alternative to some of the more popular motorized cleansing products on the market, like the Clarisonic. Personally, I had tried the Clarisonic years ago and really didn't like it -- even when using the sensitive brush head, I found it to be way too harsh and irritating on my sensitive skin, and I actually felt like it made my skin MORE oily because it was buffing away too many of the natural oils on my face. I know many people really like the Clarisonic, so it's definitely an individual experience -- it just wasn't for me.
The EcoTools sponge is specifically marketed as being good for sensitive skin. It's made with 100% natural ingredients, is fragrance and colorant free, and made with konjac, which is a root plant that grows in south Asian countries. I've done some research on konjac, and it appears to have a lot of infused minerals and vitamins in it, and has special properties that make it particularly gentle (this site has an interesting explanation). Although I'm not certain how much of those ingredients are infused in the EcoTools sponge, I can most definitely attest to its gentleness!
When I first took the sponge out of the packaging, like any kitchen sponge you'd buy, it was really hard and rigid. But just like the box says, it becomes incredibly soft and supple the moment you get it wet. The sponge also has a tapered edge on one side, which makes it great for getting into the creases and crevices, especially around your nose.
I've been using the sponge for about 2 weeks now, and I'm still not sure if I see a huge difference in my skin because of it, but it certainly makes for a more luxurious and pampering kind of face washing experience, and I'm enjoying having it in my routine. I guess time will tell if any of the benefits truly pay off.
The box claims that the sponge can last for 1-3 months, which is a kind of large window if you ask me. My one complaint is that even after ringing out the sponge and laying it on the side of my sink to dry between washes, if I use the sponge twice a day it never really fully dries between uses. I know that wet things can harbor bacteria much more than dry things, so it makes me think that the shelf life of this sponge might be way closer to the 1 month mark than the 3 month mark, although in doing some research I've found that some people sterilize their sponges by placing them in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes or by placing them in a bowl of warm water and microwaving for 2 minutes. I haven't tried this yet, so I'm not sure if it works or if it ruins the fibers, but I can let you know in a few weeks if that's of interest.
At just $5.99 per sponge, it's really affordable, especially compared against the price of Clarisonic brush heads, and even within the konjac sponge market (Boscia charges $18 for their sponge and even Dr. Sponge charges $8.50).
Have you used a konjac sponge in your beauty routine? Share your thoughts below!
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