Overview

Rating: 4.5/5 stars ★★★★☆
Price Tag: $10 Facial Sponge / $11.99-$13.99 Cleansing Sponge
Varieties: Original, charcoal and turmeric in face and body varieties
Where to Buy: amazon.com [link]

I was contacted to try out these sponges in return for an unbiased review. I was given two sponges by pureSOL: the Original Konjac Facial Sponge and the Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge.

Packaging

The sponges are packaged in unbleached paper boxes. Inside is a little black card thanking the customer for purchasing the sponge, a suction cup to hang the sponge, and the sponge itself, shrink-wrapped in plastic.

Box packaging for the pureSOL Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge

Instructions for using the sponge are located on the side of the box. I couldn’t help but notice one spelling error, as well as recycling the same wording of the facial sponge for the body cleansing sponge box (“Massage gently in circular motion on your face with or without your favorite cleanser”).

Maintenance

The sponges are rock hard upon unboxing. The packaging recommends soaking the sponges in warm water until fully hydrated, though I just held mine under running water in cupped hands until they hydrated since I was in the shower.

Each sponge is pierced with a string to help with drying. Further, every sponge comes with a suction cup and hook to dry between use. These are great. I used to keep my sponges in the shower, but doing so shortens the life of the sponges.

pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge and Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge hanging on included hook (dry)

pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge and Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge hanging on included hook (hydrated)

With the suction cup hooks I can keep the sponges in the main area of my bathroom, helping then dry out faster and more thoroughly.

To dry, it is recommended to squeeze the sponge between your hands, then hang on the suction cup hook. I’m able to do this with the face sponge easily enough, but the body version is a bit too big for me to adequately do so with my hands. I’ve found that the sponge will return to its rock hard form if left to dry for 4 or 5 days.

The box packaging recommends boiling the sponges every 2-3 weeks in order to sanitize them, as well as extending the life of the sponges. Konjac sponges are also recommended to be replaced every 2-3 months, and I’ve found that to be an accurate life span with past sponges.

The Sponges

The sponges are an all natural, vegan product made from the konjac plant (similar to the rubbery gelatinous Japanese food konnyaku, also derived from the konjac plant).

pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge and Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge

The sponges are super soft and spongy when hydrated and offer light to medium exfoliation, being gentle enough for daily use. They also look really neat when wet. All porous and bubbly.

pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge and Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge

As far as costs go, the pureSOL sponges are more than the ecoTOOS versions (my review here), but a little less than the Konjac Sponge Co. Konjac Facial Puff Sponge that I received in a past Petit Vour box. Plus, you get the bonus little suction cup hanger that neither have.

Original Konjac Facial Sponge

Technically, experts recommend washing your face only at night and rinsing the skin with warm water in the morning. I don’t usually follow this recommendation because I have dry skin and a layer builds up on my face during the night that needs to be removed before applying BB creams/foundation. Otherwise my skin looks atrocious.

pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge

With the konjac facial sponge I can exfoliate my face using just water, avoiding excessive dryness by not using facial cleaners. The sponge leaves my face silky smooth with little abrasion. I still exfoliate my face occasionally, but not as often as I used to in the past—which was about every other day. You can also choose to use the product with a facial cleanser.

pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge

It feels like the konjac sponge leaves a film of some sort on my face. I think the konjac plant is supposed to be kind of slimy, so that may be what I’m experiencing.

Both sides of the pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge

The sponge itself is very small upon unboxing, but I was super impressed with how much it expanded when damp. I think its larger than some konjac sponges I’ve tried in the past. The sponge sports a rounded dome shape common to konjac sponges at large on the market. Use the flat side for scrubbing the main parts of the face and the edges for the corners, such as around the nose.

Comparison of the pureSOL Original Konjac Facial Sponge and the Konjac Sponge Co. Konjac Facial Puff Sponge

Unlike the turmeric version, there is no scent to this product.

Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge

I was very intrigued by the thought of a konjac sponge for the rest of the body. The Cleansing Sponge is roughly the size of a kitchen sponge when fully hydrated and very yellow, due to the addition of the turmeric spice. Some have complained about the size being too small, but I find it a perfect for for my little hands.

One side of the rectangular sponge is smooth, while the other has large ridges.

pureSOL Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge

I have used the product with shower gel and without, and found both to clean well. I would recommend only using a tiny about of cleanser with the konjac sponge because it can be difficult to remove all the soap from the product.

The body sponge provides moderate exfoliation for day-to-day use, but you’ll want to opt for a different product entirely for a deeper exfoliation.

pureSOL Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge

This product would be perfect for babies and I wish they were around when my kids were still tots. Very soft and gentle for delicate skin.

One issue I have with the body version is that the string keeps tangling up in the sponge during use. I have to catch the string in my hand to keep it out of the way. Not that I would prefer the product to not have a string. I definitely appreciate the ability to hang the sponge up to dry.

Both sides of the pureSOL Turmeric Konjac Cleansing Sponge

This sponge features the unusual addition of turmeric, a yellow pungent spice commonly used in parts of the middle east and Asia. The claim is that spice exfoliates, while reducing dark spots and wrinkles. The sponge definitely has a pungent scent to it, not that I find it bothersome. I think it’s a bold addition to konjac sponges, though I find myself doubting the unsubstantiated claims of the turmeric effects on human skin.

Images

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Final Thoughts

Pros: Gentle exfoliation, good for daily use, great for small children, comes with hanging hook
Cons: Body sponge doesn’t exfoliate as well, a few unsubstantiated claims

I definitely recommend these pureSOL sponges. I love how my face is silky smooth after using the facial sponge, even without relying on a facial cleanser. And while I wish the body cleansing sponge had a little more oomph in the exfoliation department, it is the nature of konjac sponges to be gentle. Plus, that makes it perfect for young children. I’ve been a fan of konjac sponges for a while so I’m glad I could try out a body version.

Click here to visit the pureSOL website for more information on their sponges. You can also follow PureSol on Instagram (@puresolbeauty) here, and like the company on Facebook.

Have you tried the pureSOL konjac sponges? Let me know in the comments below!