The Ecotools Pure Complexion Facial Sponge comes packaged in a cardboard box
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| These three photos are just the packaging and labeling of the Ecotools Pure Complexion Facial Sponge |
So what is all this hype about that konjac sponge that makes is so different than other sponges. The konjac sponge is made from the root of a konjac plant, also known as the devil's tongue or konnyaku in japan, and is hailed as a health food since it contains high amounts of fiber with zero calories. The plant itself is naturally slightly alkaline to help break down dirt, oil and makeup from your face without any additional cleanser and also provides you with gentle exfoliation.
Ecotools makes two versions of this sponge. The deep cleaning one (which is the one I bought) contains bamboo charcoal which is supposed to be more exfoliating and also draw out impurities deep inside pores. The sensitive version has nothing added so its less abrasive and is just pure konjac to clean and exfoliate your face.
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| inside the cardboard box you find the sponge wrapped in plastic |
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| the other side is rounded with ecotools logo |
The above picture is the dried sponge. After removing the plastic wrap around it, you see that one side is flat and the other side is rounded. It looks really big but is actually small and fits easily in the palm of my hands. When wet, it doubles in size. As I was uploading these picture, I find that it looks oddly like the pores of my face.
What it promises: The Ecotools Pure Complexion facial sponge promises to give you a "better clean by removing impurities and revealing smooth, refreshed skin…Wash away dirt, oil, and makeup and leave skin glowing without over-drying or causing redness"
How to use: You soak the sponge in water until it softens. Then you can use it by itself to exfoliate or use it with a cleanser. Use it with the flat side against your face (but you can use any side you want). The product labeling says that after using to rinse with water and lay flat to dry. I think its best to keep it in a cup upright so it has least contact with any surface grime. I find that when you place it in cold water it takes longer to soften, in warm water it takes less than 30 seconds. On the first time it make take up to a minute but after using it, it should soften more quickly.
Verdict: The first thing I noticed after using this was how baby soft my skin felt and I constantly looked forward to using this during my nightly cleansing. I find that the tear shape of the sponge helped reach the corners of my eyes more easily and the tiny tip was less harsh on my delicate eye area. The sponge is like a rock when dry but once softened, it so squishy. I just love the squeezing water out of the sponge and washing my face with the sponge- feels like an ultimate spa experience.
As for exfoliating wise, my skin feels baby soft, however when putting on makeup, I would still see dry flakes that annoy me so much and doesn't disappear unless I use my chemical peel.
As for cleaning- the bamboo charcoal drawing out impurities is a lie. It just exfoliates to prevent any blocked pores. I use the sponge after removing all my makeup because I don't want the makeup to ruin to sponge. I get the feeling that dirt and oil get trapped in the sponge and I don't want to get makeup trapped in the sponge.
How to Care for Sponge: The labeling says the sponge will last about 1 to 3 months. You can help the sponge last longer by soaking it in warm water and let it air dry in a non-humid area after each use. Also, squeeze and not wring the sponge out to prevent breaking its fibers. I kept mine in a plastic cup to air dry in the bathroom since its a bother bringing the wet sponge elsewhere. It lasted for 3 months of daily use before splitting apart right in the middle. I tried to salvage what's left by continuing to use the broken piece but tiny fibers kept on falling out as I washed my face. It's said that the konjac sponge is so natural that you can bury the fallen apart sponge in the soil to keep plants hydrated.-however I haven't tried it yet. Other konjac sponge comes with a string to hang up the sponge, sadly ecotools doesn't incorporate that in the design.
How to Disinfect the Sponge: Place the wet sponge in hot (not boiling) water for 3-5 minutes or place the wet sponge in a bowl of water that completely covers the sponge and microwave for 1 minute. Take care to let it cool down before using tongs to take the sponge and allow it to dry completely. I disinfect it about once a month and have only tried the microwave method since I deem boiling water too time consuming. You can disinfect it as often as you like but doing this more often will cause the sponge to break down more quickly. A blogger had posted about placing it in a bowl of ethyl alcohol but I feel that putting it in hot water is a lot easier.
Pros:
- made my skin feel so utterly soft
- does cost as much compared to other brands
Cons:
- although flaky skin is removed visibly, when putting on makeup, still not as smooth as using chemical peel
- doesn't have a string to hang dry
Repurchase? Probably not since there are many different konjac sponge brand out in the market right now and I just want to try them all. Also other bloggers have said that the ecotools sponge was a lot smaller compared to other brands like dew puff so although the ecotools sponge is cheap you don't get as much bang for your buck. However the ecotools brand is easily found at your local drugstore/ beauty store. If you don't want to pay steep shipping fees to purchase other konjac sponges online, then ecotools is probably the most easily accessible brand. I have also heard that there are fake konjac sponges online, so unless you are buying from a reputable brand, make sure to check the seller before purchasing or buy it from the actual brand website.
Is there a brand of konjac sponge that you highly recommend. Please comment below.
As always,
thanks for reading,
VanillaDreamCream
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