I’m always on the look out for great exfoliating products for the face and body. I came across an opportunity to try an Oleavine konjac sponge and couldn’t resist the offer. By your 30’s, dead skin cell turnover happens more slowly and it needs a little help. At least mine does- and I aim to do what I can, where I can! There are a lot of claims that come with a konjac sponge from gentle exfoliation, improved circulation, detoxification and fighting bacteria. Naturally I needed to see what this thing would do for me since these all sound like everything my skin needs at the moment. I gave the sponge a home in my shower to be used over the next three weeks.
The sponge arrives hard as a brick in the shape of a teardrop. It almost looked like a pumice stone, but that didn’t worry me. I knew that once you wet the sponge it becomes very soft and pliable. The sponge is made from konjac fibers, derived from plants and has been used for a very long time in the Asian beauty field. The fibers are soft and not abrasive and allowed for daily use on my face, neck and chest area. The chest area being most delicate and easily scratched.
I really liked the shape of the sponge because it allowed me to really get around the eyes and nose which don’t really get too much exfoliation action. I never felt like my skin was “transformed” immediately after use, but liked the idea that it was gently working dead skin cells away so my serums would work better. I was hoping to see some detoxification of the skin at work but have yet to find any “ah ha!” moments where I knew the sponge had rid my skin of zits- my major skin problem at the moment. Still got them, just didn’t irritate them with scratchy scrubs while cleansing. I’d be curious to see how the charcoal version of the sponge works since it comes in four different versions:
original : best for sensitive skin or all skin types, even children
bamboo charcoal infused : best for oily, acne prone types
french green clay infused : best for combination, oily t-zone types
french red clay infused : best for dry, sensitive or mature skin
I’m on the fence about the price of this sponge since I do like it, but I’m not sure if $25 is a good price for something that will eventually disintegrate in my shower (it’s biodegradable). If this sponge lasts at least 6 months that I feel that’s a fair deal. However its supposed to be replaced every 2-3 months and that makes it a little pricey to continue with. In any case, just try to keep it in the best shape as possible by following the directions:
don’t wring the sponge, just squeeze it between the palms of your hands after running it under clean water to get all your cleanser out. Wringing it will destroy it, just pancake squeeze it to get excess water out and that’s it.
hang dry when possible, if it rests in a soap dish it won’t dry properly so hang it somewhere.
These sponges are now sold on Amazon and while the listed price is $25, they seem to be on sale for $10 which I feel is a decent price for anyone to give it a try at. I think I may go back and get the charcoal one and see if that helps my skin that is crying out for help right now. If you’d like to find out more about the company you can find out more by visiting their website or facebook page:
Oleavine Website Oleavine Facebook
