We’ve been put on notice tonight — theNotice, that is. The delightful Rae of theNotice blog shares one of her favorite drugstore beauty products, the EcoTools Cleansing Sponge.
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When Karen asked if I would do a guest post for Makeup and Beauty Blog, I didn’t know where to start (I rarely do). I asked her for direction, and she suggested drugstore beauty.
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“Hm!” I thought. “I’ll have so much to talk about!”
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But I thought. And I thought. And I blew the house down.
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Well, no, not really. But I did come to realize that less of my makeup stash comes from drugstores than I previously thought.
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But this is actually great news for you (no, really, it is). It basically means that if I’ve kept a drugstore item, it’s a darned good one.
Take these EcoTools Cleansing Sponges ($9 for a pack of 12), for instance. They’re one of my drugstore holy grails.
These sponge exfoliators, made from soybean oil and 100% cotton (sustainable materials!), are designed to remove makeup and gently cleanse and exfoliate skin.
They take the place of a dedicated exfoliating product. With these, all I have to do when I exfoliate is apply some of my regular cleanser (bar soaps work best if you want a super-thick lather) and scrub away!
I’ve been exfoliating very gently three or four times a week since I picked these up, and I love the results.
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I got them for travel, initially, to bring as a cleansing sponge in place of my regular exfoliator. The cotton side is great for the undereye area or for cleansing around the occasional breakout (it’s super-soft).
I find that after using these for about a week, the cotton edges wear down and the rough sponge edges peek out. To fix this, I fold them in half and then in half again, creating a soft little wedge that’s literally perfect for removing my concealer without cleansing my eyeball.
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(Which would be gross.)
The cottony side
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As for the sponge side? The first two or three times I use a new sponge, it’s too harsh for me, but it feels perfect after that. I can do light little circles all over my whole face or harder scrubbing in areas that need it.
The spongy side
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Just take it into the shower with you, scrub-a-dub-dub your arms and/or legs, and it’ll soften up like a charm.
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The verdict? I like to think of these as a poor girl’s Clarisonic. You have to do a bit more manual labour with these, but they’re a definite don’t-miss in my book.
And here’s a little trick: I also use the soft side to apply my toner, which keeps waste down to a minimum and feels oh so soft!
This post was written by Rae, the beautiful brains behind theNotice. Beauty blogger (with a wicked penchant for lip looks), student and makeup enthusiast, Rae can’t remember a time when she didn’t love makeup.
Ooh thanks for the post! I will look for these – where did you get them?
I’ve been using the Sephora Brand Complexion Brush for the past few weeks, and it’s a really nice Clarisonic-wannabe as well. 🙂
Oooh, Rae–congrats on your guest post. So fun to read! 🙂
.-= Maggie’s last blog post… The Polka-dotted Apple’s FIRST Giveaway! =-.
I love sponge wipes/exfoliators, there is one I would like to try from Aveeno. I don’t have $$$ for a Clarisonic yet.
.-= amy’s last blog post… NOTD (Nails of the Day) OPI Nail Lacquer Suede Suzi Skis in the Pyreness =-.
Hi pinksoysauce,
No problem! I picked these up at London Drugs (I’m Canadian) but Ecotools is sold in a bunch of different places in the US: Ulta, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Target, to name a few.
.-= Rae’s last blog post… The five most expensive items on Sephora.com =-.
Maggie: Thanks hon! Y’know, you really didn’t need to comment on both blogs =P
.-= Rae’s last blog post… The five most expensive items on Sephora.com =-.
Hi Amy,
I know! Me neither — it’s a huge investment, and I’d really rather buy a camera 😀 By the way, your NOTD looks amazing! I’ve really wanted to check out the matte nail trend, but now I think I like the suede finish even more.
.-= Rae’s last blog post… The five most expensive items on Sephora.com =-.
hehehe tats so cute.. a poor girls clarisonic. i need to get my hands on this!
.-= Blovet Beauty’s last blog post… The genius of You Tube =-.
Oooh, how cool!! I am definitely going to pick up a few of these – they’re exactly what I’ve been looking for! 😀
.-= Catherine’s last blog post… A Few Fleur de Source FOTDs =-.
Hi Blovet Beauty,
Haha, thanks 😛 And you really DO need to get your hands on these, they’re fab!
.-= Rae’s last blog post… The five most expensive items on Sephora.com =-.
Hi Catherine,
Awesome =D They blow expensive single-use cloths right outta the water!
.-= Rae’s last blog post… The five most expensive items on Sephora.com =-.
Thanks Rae, I didn’t know you can find Eco Tools at London Drugs, I have never seen it there before. I will check this out for sure.
.-= amy’s last blog post… NOTD (Nails of the Day) OPI Nail Lacquer Suede Suzi Skis in the Pyreness =-.
Sounds pretty cool! I love drugstore makeup/beauty tools, mainly because I’m a cashier, and have the corresponding salary 😀
.-= Rebecca’s last blog post… October Lust List (and Happy Halloween!) =-.
Hi again Amy,
Yep! I don’t know if all of them carry Ecotools, but mine definitely does — it’s in the aisle next to the Sally Hansen and Posh implements 🙂
.-= Rae’s last blog post… The five most expensive items on Sephora.com =-.
Hi Rebecca,
I know how you feel x.x Full-time student without a part-time job = no makeup budget! Steals like this mean that I can save my cash for something else… like that Guerlain quad you’re lemming, perhaps? 😛
.-= Rae’s last blog post… The five most expensive items on Sephora.com =-.
Oooh! I must go try this 🙂
.-= Christy’s last blog post… More MAC Magic, Mirth, and Mischief! =-.
Hi Christy,
Hope you like ’em!
.-= Rae’s last blog post… Monday morning and the coffee’s on the brill… =-.
How much do they cost.?