Review: Oleavine Facial Sponge with French Green Clay

The Oleavine Facial Sponge is made of 100% natural konjac fiber and works to gently exfoliate away dead skin cells and unclog pores when cleansing the face. I read that the konjac sponge is popularly used in Korea to help promote smooth, clear skin.

I was given the opportunity by Tomoson and Oleavine to try their konjac sponge and write an honest review about the product. I chose to do the review for Oleavine's green facial sponge with French Green Clay, which is made for those with combination-oily skin.

Oleavine has 4 versions of their konjac sponge fit for each skin type:
- Black: Created with bamboo charcoal for oily and acne-prone skin
- Red: Created with French red clay for dry, sensitive, or mature skin
- White: Original for all skin types and the most sensitive skin or for children
- Green: Created with French green clay for all skin types, most effective for combination skin with oily t-zones

I like how this sponge is pH balanced and is made free of preservatives, artificial colors, and chemicals. The colors of the sponge itself is the result of the extra natural ingredient to help your skin type. The konjac fibers for Oleavine's Facial Sponges are from Jeju Island in South Korea.

The benefits of konjac include:
- Gentle exfoliation
- Promotes circulation
- Absorbs toxins and fights bacteria


First Impressions:
My first reaction to seeing this sponge is that it is a lot bigger than I expected. Prior to receiving this, I thought it would be half the size of the box but in reality it is huge. Rest assured, Oleavine's Facial Sponge looks just like the pictures on the Amazon product page.

Unboxed: Oleavine Facial Sponge with French Green Clay

Oleavine Facial Sponge - Back of the Box

After peeling away the plastic cover, the dried sponge feels light as a feather but also rough, which made me worry if it would still be just as abrasive when wet. It comes with a string tied through it for you to hang it up to dry.

Drawstring of the Oleavine Facial Sponge for hanging it up to dry.

Review: 
When wetting the dry sponge for the first time in warm water, it took about a minute to absorb enough water to puff up and become soft. For the remainder of the time using this sponge, the Oleavine Facial Sponge stays this size whether it is wet or dry.

This is how the sponge looks after you wet it with warm water.

Pros: 

My complexion looks a little brighter and smoother after a week of using the Oleavine Facial Sponge. I have used it with my The Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Cleanser and it hasn't change the shape or color of the sponge. I wouldn't recommend to use this sponge with a facial cleanser that has microbeads or abrasives that might get stuck on the sponge and become hard to wash out.

Cons: 

I didn't see a drastic improvement in blemishes or less breakouts during the week I used this. I was hoping it would help my skin out in this aspect because it supposedly is anti-bacterial. 

Another aspect of the facial sponge that I didn't like is that it takes forever to dry. When it is time for me to use it the next day, my konjac sponge is still partially wet. I hang mine to dry in the bathroom and it is ventilated yet the facial sponge still doesn't dry completely.

The sponge also drips as it dries because it still retains some water no matter how many time you squish it. You have to keep a dish underneath or hang it over the sink or in the shower area when it's drying. I think it would be great if they included a tray or dish in the box to use with this sponge.

Final Thoughts:
I like the way the Oleavine Facial Sponge feels on my face. It is very soft and non-abrasive. I have been using this for a week and have not had any adverse skin reactions. 

It was non-irritating on my skin and I recommend it to even the most sensitive skin types in terms of its texture and ability to give skin smoothness. Just like a toothbrush, this facial sponge should be replaced every 2-3 months.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Affordability: 5 -- Effectiveness: 3 -- Durability: 4

Oleavine Facial Sponge with French Green Clay
Retails: $10.00 (as of 12/26/2014)

Where to buy: Oleavine Product Page (on Amazon.com)

Have you tried konjac fiber facial sponges before? 
Would you include this facial cleansing sponge in your skin regime?

Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

x Carol

Instagram - Twitter - Pinterest

*This post is sponsored by Tomoson. I received a facial sponge to try from Oleavine and to write an honest review. All opinions are my own. Photos belong to Intrice Blog unless otherwise stated.