PRODUCT Loofah bath sponges. HK$ 10-15

PRODUCT RATING Great for bathing and exfoliating dead skin. Washing with this scrub gives your skin a clean, refreshed feel. May feel a bit rough on the skin the first few times you use it. The slim profile and an elastic strap on the back makes it easy to hold.

GREEN RATING Quite Green. Made from a natural vegetable fiber, instead of petrochemicals, the pad itself is made of a sustainable material. It is trimmed with some terry cloth, cotton trimming and an elastic strap. When thrown away, most of it should biodegrade quite easily.

WHERE TO BUY IT A little stall in the Sham Shui Po market. Sasa occasionally sells them. Also available on Taobao.

If you use nylon mesh puffs or synthetic bath sponges, you may want to consider trying this natural loofah bathing pad instead. It is made from the fibers of the loofah plant, also known as a gourd, that is grown by farmers in Asia.

It has a coarse texture that stimulates the skin but may take some getting used to. It scrubs off dead skin and works especially well on rough patches. After using it, your skin feels super clean and revitalized. I have come to enjoy the coarse feel especially after a good sweat.

Constructed from natural plant fiber, the pad itself made of a sustainable material that easily biodegrades. However, the trim may not be as environmentally friendly to produce and may not biodegrade quite as easily. Environmentally, it should still be quite an improvement over nylon puffs and synthetic sponges that are made from petrochemicals. These puffs and sponges are unsustainable to produce and when thrown away will take hundreds of years to break down in the environment.  If you are concerned about the trim, you can consider loofah scrubbers that are untrimmed. However, the cylindrical shape makes them awkward to hold and harder to press against your skin.

After use, the loofah sponges need to be rinsed and put in a place where they can dry out completely in order to prevent any mold from growing on them. Taken care of, the loofah sponges will last a couple of years.

Relax and enjoy!