Konjac Sponge – Is it worth the hype?

Konjac sponge became a huge hit in the market a while ago and yes, I refused to jump on the bandwagon, after all, so much hype for a piece of sponge at the high price?

At last, I gave in when a friend asked me if I wanted it. It was purchased at Sasa Singapore for about SGD$8 and I figure it wasn’t too bad to part with RM20 to see what is it all about.

The konjac sponge is made from a natural food material which is called Konjac(in Japan it’s known as Konnyaku). Konjac is a perennial herb in aroid family and since ancient times, it has been widely used as a medical and edible natural plant.

Konjac is a popular and healthy vegetable in Korea and Japan. Being unbelieably soft and gentle, konjac sponge exfoliates dead cells while wiping the face and body, and leaves behind a colloid film to nourish and protect your skin.

It’s perfect for cleansing even the most sensitive skin!
A Konjac Sponge contains no preservatives or artificial pigment.

Konnyaku is a popular diet for weight watchers for its ability to absorb water and expand, hence you get the illusion of feeling full from eating it. It has low calories, and almost no fat. It’s like eating a very compact jelly.

As for this facial konjac sponge, apparently, there are a few  flavors. I picked the charcoal as I thought maybe it will do a better job at cleansing. But of course, I believe the ‘flavors’ don’t really matter.

Awwww! Heart shape spongie! I loved it already before I even used it! It reminds me of Spongebob Squarepants.

It’s small, hard and flat when it’s dry.  It’s a string attached to it so you can hang it to let it dry.

For first time use, you need to soak it in water for a while to inflate it. But I was impatient, so I let it rinse under a running tap. It’s good to go after about 2 minutes. This is how it looks like when it’s re-hydrated.

To use it, you need to press gently to expel the excess water. Then, rub  on your face in circular motion.

I usually use this at night with facial wash. You will need VERY little facial wash as it foams up really well when you sponge it.

I like that this sponge leaves my skin feeling really clean after wash, especially on the T-zone and chin. But that’s about it. I usually focus more on those areas, avoid scrubbing cheeks too hard else it might cause discomfort or dryness.

After use, you need to wash the sponge thoroughly and hang it at a place with well ventilation. It takes 2 days to dry thoroughly to its original shape.

I hang mine at the bathroom window with sunlight shining it. I am not sure how long this sponge will live under sunlight, but it’s the best place to dry it for me. It’s been over a month and the sponge is still looking good!

In summary, I don’t see any significant difference after a month’s use ( with about 3x use a week). Blackheads are still there, and there’s still occasional zits. Face feels clean after wash, and that’s it. It reminds me of Clarisonic Mia, but the manual and gentler way.

If you like extra help to cleanse your face and not as lazy, this might work for you.  As for me, I like to use it as extra step to remove makeup to make sure that face is thoroughly clean. Otherwise, I could still well do without it.

Availability: Sasa and some online shops

Price: RM20 – RM50

Have you tried it, and do you like it?