Why I Use a Konjac Sponge

Here’s a confession: I’ve never gotten into the habit of washing my face at night.

I hate to admit it, but it’s true! I’m not sure why I didn’t develop this habit back in my teen years. In my twenties, face wipes became a thing and I definitely took advantage of the ease of the wipe…But then came my thirties, and I developed extremely dry skin with bouts of stress-induced eczema.

All the rich moisturizing cleanser in the world weren’t doing much to help with my dry flaky skin. I dawned on me that I needed to exfoliate more!

I was under the belief that exfoliation would irritate my face more than it already was, but no! My moisturizer and night cream weren’t able to actually reach my face. Most commercial face scrubs were too harsh and scratchy and did more harm than good.

Enter the konjac sponge.

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The konjac sponge is made from the root of the Japanese konyaku, which has been used for over 1500 years for food and for its gentle cleansing ability. The sponge has been used in Japan for about a century for babies’ skin, but they’ve been gaining popularity around the world for the last few years.

Super sustainable and even vegan, a konjac sponge made from molding the powdered root into an oval shape. It’s naturally ph-balanced and loaded with vitamins, like A, B12 and E. Plus, lipids, proteins, and minerals.

At first glance, the konjac looks like it might be similar to a loofah. But its really much, much softer.

There is a bit of a technique to the konjac sponge, though.

After you take off your makeup, massage your face in a circular motion with your sponge. You’ll want to make sure it is thoroughly wet first. Some konjac sponges come wet out of the package (my favorite does), but don’t let this throw you off. Damp or dry, your sponge needs to be really wet and soft to do its thing.

You can use your sponge with your favorite cleanser, or without. I go cleanser-free to avoid drying out my skin before bedtime. Once you’re done, gently squeeze water out and let dry. If you treat your sponge right, it will last you between 1 and 2 months.

There are a few variations of the konjac sponge, and they are often different colors.

Black – The black konjac sponge has added charcoal to absorb oil and aid in acne control.

Green – Infused with green tea, this sponge fights irritation and inflammation.

White – The purest of the sponges, best for sensitive skin.

Yellow – The turmeric added to the konjac increases circulation for bright, glowing skin.

Red or Pink – Both have clay meant to restore moisture to dry or mature skin.

I’m a big fan of the green sponge for its super gentle cleansing.

Since using my konjac, my face has been so much smoother. My moisturizers work so much better. I still get the occasional eczema splotches (again stress-related, shrug), but I’m not irritating them any more than necessary.

Works well for acne-prone skin, too.

When pores become clogged, pimples can come up fast. The konjac sponge helps clear away all those impurities, leading to less acne and clearer skin.

I have to say I am a true believer in the power of the konjac sponge. They work well, they’re really affordable and I’ve also heard they’re compostable since they’re biodegradable, too!

Have you ever used a Konjac sponge for cleaning your face? Which version have you used?