Product Review: boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser & Bamboo Charcoal Konjac Sponge

I'm so excited that I live in one of the areas where Sephora Play! is delivered! So far, I've received two boxes, and I have to tell you - I've really loved almost everything they've sent!

When I opened up October's box and saw the mini konjac sponge, I actually squealed out loud! I've been wanting to try one of these! The sponge was from boscia, and was paired with their Detoxifying Black Cleanser.


I've been hearing about konjac sponges for facial cleansing a lot lately. I was intrigued - especially when I found out that this was something that has been used in Japan for centuries. I think Asian skincare products are pretty awesome, and many times when we "discover" something amazing for skincare here in the US, we find that it's been used for centuries in Asia.


This particular sponge is grey in color, which means that it is their Bamboo Charcoal Sponge. Bamboo charcoal is called the "black diamond of Asia", and is both purifying and healing. According to boscia's website, it helps draw out impurities, minimizing the appearance of pores and reducing blemish-causing bacteria. It is supposed to be gentle enough for even the most sensitive of skin, and can even be used on the under eye area.


When the sponge is dry, it's fairly firm and slightly rough in texture - and it feels a little rubbery. Once you saturate it with water, it enlarges a bit and becomes very soft and pliable (and still feels a little rubbery!).


The Detoxifying Black Cleanser is a "warming gel that deeply cleans and detoxifies, dissolving pore-clogging impurities, oil, and makeup as it refines skin texture, brightens clarity and minimizes the look of pores over time". (And please ignore that I need a new manicure in the above photo!)


I only added a tiny amount of cleanser to the sponge, and it produced a lot of thick, rich lather very easily.

I do remove all of my makeup (including my eyemakeup) with oil before cleansing, so basically I'm just washing off what's left after I wipe off the oil. This cleanser did a great job of removing that without leaving my face feeling dry. There is just the faintest hint of geranium if I smell the cleanser in the bottle, but I don't really notice it when using the cleanser. (Geranium is the Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil in the ingredient list below.) Checking the ingredient list, there is no added fragrance or perfume, which I appreciate. I also didn't really notice any warming sensation, but I used very little of the cleanser. I imagine that it's more noticeable if you use more product and not on a mini sponge!

Ingredient list for Detoxifying Black Cleanser:
Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Water/Aqua/Eau, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Charcoal Powder, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Ceteth-25, Oleth-10, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract

Since this is the mini version of the sponge, it can be a little tricky to hold on to while cleansing your face - but I am so impressed with it. I loved how the sponge felt on my face! It's so soft and gentle on the skin, and after cleansing, my skin feels so soft and smooth! In the past, I've had issues with exfoliation because my skin doesn't tolerate chemical exfoliants very well, and if I use a manual exfoliation method, I also have to be careful. So I walk a fine line trying to keep my sensitive skin both soothed and exfoliated! I think the konjac sponge just might be the solution! I even used it on my undereye area without any problems.

I just happened to go to the boscia website when some of the products were 50% off as the Good Morning America products of the day (with $2.50 shipping!) - and YAY!! Two of those products were a couple of the full-size konjac sponges. So I picked up a plain one and a deep hydrating clay version. They normally sell for $15 each, but I paid $7.50. I know there are other brands on Amazon that sell for around $7, so I figured that was reasonable. I don't think I would pay $15, because you're supposed to replace them every 2-3 months. But I can't say for sure, because I would have to compare other sponges' quality to the boscia sponges.

There are several options available for the boscia sponges. You can also get a Konjac sponge Mini Trio for $16 - it contains one each of the plain konjac sponge, bamboo charcoal, and deep hydrating clay sponges. I think these would be great for travel or for stocking stuffers! Other versions of the konjac sponge include: plain, deep hydrating clay, complexion clearing clay, and a cleansing cloth.

They also offer some great deals on sets, like the Perfectly Poreless Collection, which has a full-size Detoxifying Black Cleanser, 1 oz. Luminizing Black Mask, and full-size Bamboo Charcoal Konjac Cleansing Sponge for just $39 (value $56).


So as you can see from my review, I'm pretty impressed with both products. I normally use my own cleanser from I Feel Pretty Products in the evenings, but I think I may use this boscia sample in the mornings, just to wash off the products I used the during the night. Since it contains glycolic acid, I wouldn't want to use it all of the time for fear that it would be too much for my sensitive skin. But I definitely would use it some of the time.

Have you tried the konjac sponges yet?
What did you think of them?