What exactly are konjac sponges?
Konjac sponges are gentle exfoliating cleansers that result in smoother and brighter looking skin. They originate from the konjac root, a porous root vegetable native to Asia.
They also come in an array of colors, each color denoting an active ingredient for your skincare needs. The dark grey sponge (the one I bought from the My Konjac Sponge brand) contains charcoal and is suitable for oily and acne-prone skin. The green sponge (french green clay) aids in skin detoxification and is for individuals with normal to combination skin.
The red and pink sponges (french red clay) are for mature and fatigued skin types. They help restore hydration to sensitive skin. Lastly, the white sponge (kaolin clay) is pure and focuses on alkalizing the skin’s pH levels.
I believe there are blue and yellow konjac sponges as well. However, I’m not entirely certain about the effects those two shades are supposed to have on the skin.
I became curious about konjac sponges because influencers like Denise Vasi were raving about its natural exfoliating properties. Upon further research, I became more intrigued by the product. So, I decided to shell out around $10 to purchase one from Amazon.
The Verdict
I’ve only been using my konjac sponge for about a week. So far, I’m really not that impressed with it. I’m not rough on my skin, but the level of exfoliation it offers is a little too gentle for my liking.
I imagine individuals who wear a substantial amount of makeup will have to wash their faces several times to remove all traces of their foundation. For those who suffer from blackheads or whiteheads, I don’t think konjac sponges will offer you much in the exfoliation arena. It may take you a few days of regular use to thoroughly slough off dead skin cells that might otherwise take you just one day with a regular face towel.
I’ll continue to use my konjac sponge on those days I feel my skin needs a little more TLC. It’s a good product, it’s just not for me, so I won’t be repurchasing it. It looks like my Vanity Planet spin brush still reigns supreme.
Caring for your konjac sponge
When you first receive your konjac sponge, it will be dry and course to the touch. Soak it in water for about 10 to 20 minutes to make it more malleable.
It’s also recommended that you disinfect your sponge every two weeks by immersing it in hot (not boiling) water anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Once the sponge begins to disintegrate — and this could take about one or two months depending on how often you use it, it’s time to toss it and perhaps get a new one.
Photos by Lauren Alexandra via Maed
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