Is cleansing better with sponges & wipes?
I have a few of these cosmetic sponges in my bathroom and I found out my husband has been using them. He likes to clean his face with these because he thinks they clean his face better and has refused to use the washcloth I bought for him, insisting that these are much better for his skin.
Well, it’s true they’re softer and slightly less abrasive but the reason why I don’t encourage him to use these are that they’re breeding ground for bacteria as they’re always damp since they’ll soak up water really quickly. So while such cosmetic sponges may clean the face better, but they could be bad for all skin types especially those who are acne proned!
Washcloth vs cosmetic sponges
Anyway, he has been washing these sponges quite frequently and hanging out in the sun to dry. In addition, he’s been replacing them regularly so I suppose it’s pretty safe. But between the cosmetic sponge and the washcloth, I think the latter is more hygenic because cloth dry much faster. In addition, you can always boil the washcloth in hot water like once a week to ensure it’s bacteria-free.
Personally, I prefer to use my hands to cleanse my face but I understand some love the way the washcloth exfoliate their skin naturally. Hence, if you’re using this on your face, do pat it down and rub your skin lightly. In fact, washcloth is great when you don’t have time to wash your face in the morning – just soak it in warm-to-hot water and swipe it over your face!
Cleansing wipes for convenience
And talking about cleansing in a hurry, I suppose that’s when these use-and-dispose cleansing wipes comes in handy. They’re convenient and are definitely great in place of normal cleansers for speed and ease. Many girls like to use these especially after a night out when they’re too tired to cleanse their face as usual. I took a look at the ingredients on these Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes and they look quite fine to me. In addition, they’re alcohol and oil free, so I suppose they won’t cause damage when used occasionally. But I don’t like using these because I always feel an invisible film left on my skin afterwards. So while they’re convenient, I don’t think they’re really great for our skin long term.
So do you use any of these to cleanse your face? And do you think cleansing is better with a sponge-puff or washcloth?
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Well, for me I use facial sponges to remove clay masks on my face once weekly, and I find that my complexion glows and my pores can hardly be seen.
Twinkle: Now that you mention it, I remember that my beautician used a washcloth after putting on the clay mask for me. Btw, what clay mask are you using?
where do you get ur washcloth?
is it any hand towel can be a washcloth??
miyo: Get those for babies! They’re very soft and not abrasive. Not the towel sort…it’s like a cloth. Check out at the dept stores at baby section.
It’s better 2 clean face with clean hand.No need 2 use washcloth or sponges.It will be very good to splash water on face after washing the face.
Conory: I like using my hands too. I don’t use sponge or washcloth at all although I can see why some pple love washcloth. I like using it on my child though!
I never use sponge or wash cloth to wash my face, didn’t see the necessity and my skin is sensitive. But I use sponge to make bubbles when I use Fancl wash powder.
nicole: Yup, with sensitive skin, you need to be even more gentle to avoid rubbing. Btw, I heard very good things about the Fancl wash powder.
i use sponge only when i clean my boyfriend’s face.
use hands for my daily cleansing routine.not feeling convenient and comfortable for using sponge or washcloth..
just my habit~~ ?
akiki: Yes, I agree it can be a matter of habit. Say for someone who is used to using a washcloth might feel their skin is not skin enough if they wash with their bare hands…
Washcloth feels nice but I still find it somewhat inconvenient and “dirty” when I use them. There’s this great cloth that takes off makeup and cleanse really well and is bone dry (I mean dry, harden) when it dries. I don’t remember what it is called. When I find it I’ll post it and may be you can do a review on it. But right now I use an extra soft face brush:
[b]Face Secrets Cleansing Brush[/b]
http://www.sallybeauty.com/Facial%20Cleansing%20Brush/SBS-491502,default,pd.html
The Clarisonic brush is a complete waste of money. Guys don’t buy it.
Lana: Brush is another alternative! They’re easy to wash too.
I like using my hands to clean my face but i just bought a buf puf to help fight my acne. have you ever heard of them and are they good to use if you have acne? thanks ?
andrea: No, not heard of buf puf, but if it is a sponge, then you need to make sure you try to keep it bacteria free by wash and drying everyday cos bacteria is bad for acne.
Right now, I’m using St Ives Mineral Clay Firming mask. My skintone has improved and if I have a breakout, it does work to dry it up.
Twinkle: I see…sounds good. I will have a look at the product next time.
A facial sponge can be popped into the microwave and zapped for about a minute (give or take a few seconds) to kill the bacteria.
A clean washcloth should be used every time the face is washed.
Popping into the microwave is a good idea! Thanks for the tip!
Oh, I love to use cosmetic sponges, I like the way it exfoliates my skin each time and clean my skin. I am also aware of the potential of it being a breeding ground for bac, but still I’ve not been able to find something to replace it. Might check out the wash cloth