The New Way to Cleanse Your Skin: Use a Complexion Sponge

Ok, if you’re already on board with cleansing oils and now you’re looking to take your skincare routine to the next level, you have to check out complexion sponges. They are sponges made from natural fibers and are easy ways to add exfoliation into your skincare routine. Made out of 100% natural Konjac root, the Konjac sponge is gentle on the skin yet able to wipe away dirt and impurities. In many ways it works just like a cleansing cloth, and you can rinse it clean when you’re finished with it and let it dry until the next use. Konjac can be infused with skin-caring ingredients such as clays and charcoals to give additional skincare properties to the cleansing experience, but I tried just the Konjac by itself.

The Ecotools Pure Complexion Sponge is hard to the touch initially – it actually looks and feels like styrofoam – but gets soft when you run it under water. Add half the foaming cleanser you would normally use, and start rubbing it all over your face. Not only do you get a nice luxurious lather, but the sponge quickly wipes away dirt and makeup while also gently scrubbing away dry skin.

This sponge is $6 in drugstores, and is a great alternative to more expensive versions by brands such as Boscia (theirs is $22). Both are made from Konjac root, so there’s no difference in the different sponges you can buy. The only difference is the shape of the sponges, and the Ecotools one has a pointy end that works well for areas such as under the eyes or around the nose, and the fatter end is perfect for the rest of the face.

Think you’ve heard of Konjac before? The root definitely isn’t new. A couple of years ago it was hailed as the best weight loss aid because companies would make noodles out of it that were fat free, carb free, and calorie free – but still filled you up. I’ve tried them – they have a weird texture and are not that tasty to eat, so I prefer Konjac for the face and not for the stomach.

The sponge does shrink as you use it, and after a while you’ll need to get yourself a new one, but it’s easy to replace and so this is worth it.

Look for Konjac sponges in your drug store and if you have flaky dry skin, definitely consider adding them to your skincare routine.