The Face Shop Charcoal Cleansing Puff: Just a Sponge

I'm back from Seoul....get ready for Korean product reviews coming up! I actually didn't get The Face Shop cleansing puff from Seoul, but because the brand is Korean and widely found in Korea, I couldn't resist sneaking this face cleanser tool in. 

I know this looks like a rock, but it's actually very soft and squishy.  Pic from Yesstyle

My friend Jessica recommended this to me, and because this was relatively inexpensive at HKD50 (and because my vanity knows no bounds), I picked one up to give it a try.

I soak the sponge in warm water and, after spreading my cleanser all over my face, I massage the puff all over my face to wash the cleanser off. 

I looked up "konjac" because I admit, I had absolutely no idea what that was when I bought this. 

(POP QUIZ: do you know what konjac is? No cheating!)

Answer: The konjac plant is very starchy (think of a potato) and I suspect that "konjac fiber" is used in this product, which is a water-soluble dietary fiber. When I looked up "konjac fiber", all I found were some weight-loss benefits so I believe that konjac has no proven skincare benefits. 

I was sold on the "antiseptic" claims of this puff, as I suspect that my face washcloth is festering with bacteria, what with all the makeup I slap onto my face everyday. Not sure if this product actually delivered on that point though. 

I have to admit, the shape of the puff did help. The pointy end helped reach the crevices of my face, such as around my nose and chin. 

The puff feels EXACTLY like a bumpy sponge. DUH, "excellent absorptive power."

Thoughts: I like how gentle the puff is on my skin, but I doubt that this exfoliates as well as a washcloth, especially as I can feel cleanser residue on my face afterwards, and wanted so badly to give my face a good scrubbing with my cloth. 

(I actually gave in after the third night, because I could feel small bumps starting to form under my skin... not sure if the bumps are from cleanser residue or just hormones.)

Overall: 2 / 5 This is exactly like a sponge, in my opinion. I am not sure if the charcoal properties helped my skin, as I did not notice a difference. I don't think this product made my skin worse, but HKD50 for a sponge is quite expensive. All in all, I think this is more of a gimmicky product. 

I will not repurchase this product.