Pollution, dust, oil, bacteria and more builds up on our face throughout the day, if you’re not thinking much about your cleansing routine, think again. Technology has evolved throughout the years; we no longer are in the generation of primitive cleansing with just our hands and water. Though our fingers, complemented with a multitude of different types of cleansers, make a good cleansing tool, sometimes it’s good to leverage on the benefits technology has gifted us to dig deeper into the junk in our pores.
Used right, these cleansing tools and devices could become the game changer in our skincare regime.
Reusable Cleansing Gloves
Just like the global effort to reduce single-use plastics, cleansing gloves like the Omorovicza Cleansing Mitt or Glov On-the-go Hydro Cleanser is one way we can help to reduce our waste production. Waterproof mascara, glitter eyeshadow, lip tints, eyebrow tattoos… as much as our makeup are becoming more long lasting, we see ourselves go through tons of cotton pads a day. I personally use an average of 6 cotton pads every time i remove my makeup - that sums up to 2,190 pads in a year!
Instead, why not consider switching out cotton pads with reusable microfiber gloves which promises to clean even without a facial cleanser! Not only is this great for the environment, it’s also space saving when we are travelling, especially for longer trips.
The GLOV Hydro Cleansing Travel Set consists of the On-The-Go Hydro Cleanser (antibacterial microfibre glove), Quick Treat Cleanser (microfibre tool which spot cleans makeup smudges or unwanted marks), soap and a travel hanger. With this set, we can check off cleanser, cotton pad and cotton swabs off our to-pack list.
Find peeling off clay masks a hassle? Glov has also other re-usable “gloves” to suit other needs; for washing off masks, cleansing your body, and many more.
Cleansing Brushes
Just like the fine bristles of our toothbrush goes in between the gaps of our teeth to remove food remnants, the bristles of cleansing brush heads do exactly the same by whipping out the dirt in our pores. Coupled with sonic oscillations and pulsed vibrations, not only is deep cleansing work in progress, these brushes put us on the journey of skin regeneration.
The Magnitone London BareFaced Vibra-Sonic™ Daily Cleansing Brush does all of these in one minute - it’s a fast track for buffing away dead skin cells, excess oil, impurities and exfoliates the skin surface to prep it for skincare products. This cleansing brush uses the award winning Vibra-Sonic™ technology which contains of “energising sonic oscillations and electromagnetic pulsed vibrations” which works like a mini massage, boosting microcirculation and lymphatic drainage. Adding this to your routine could see your skin looking less dull, away from acne, with reduced pores and smoother skin.
Though most cleansing brushes come with their own cleansers, they effectively work with any cleanser in the market so you can still stick with you holy grail cleanser. Point to note though, it’s important to cleanse your brush head properly, after every use. How? Run it under warm water and lather in antibacterial soap by massaging the bristles on your palms and fingers in clockwise motion. Soak the brush head from time to time in rubbing alcohol and allow it to air dry on a clean towel. This way it will kill bacteria build up on the brush head and be sure to replace your brush head every 2 - 3 months.
Konjac Sponge
This was all the rave sometime back two years ago when everyone was educated that beside being delicious and diet friendly, the Konjac root could also do wonders to thoroughly clean our faces. Known as Konnyaku in Japan, we might be familiar with its jelly forms and as a food source -- the Konjac plant is an Asian plant which has a starchy root high in fiber content. Said to have been used to bathe babies for more than the past century in Japan, the Konjac sponge is renowned for its gentleness and amazing cleansing ability.
It’s like a loofah - these sponges are often infused with other ingredients to target different skin problems. You’d see them in different colours - this Konjac Sponge Puff with Added French Pink Clay is a mix of Konjac with Pink Clay, targeted for tired, hypersensitive and dehydrated skin.
Green Konjac sponges are usually meant for combination or oily skin, where black Konjac sponges are generally infused with charcoal to clear acne problems or to detoxify our pores.
These sponges, with your favourite cleanser, will gently exfoliate your skin and draw impurities out of your skin. As natural as they are, they “expire” and degrade quickly but are 100% biodegradable. Environmentally friendly and an amazing natural cleansing tool - find one that suits your skin type and soak it in warm water for 15 - 20 minutes the first time you’re using it. When it is fully softened, massage it on your face or body with your cleanser, rinse the sponge when done and drain the water out of the sponge by gently pressing it.
Related Articles
