Since the advent of ancient bathing cultures, people have known and used a bath sponge. Whether original natural product or modern synthetic material, most bath sponges are used for body care during shower or bath.
What is a bath sponge?
For about 6,500 years, people have been practicing what is known as sponge dipping to obtain natural sponges. Sponges harvested in this way were very expensive, so they were considered a luxury product. The first known bath sponges were obtained from the skeleton of the horn keel sponge. This is a type of sponge that lives in water and is found mainly in seas, less commonly in fresh waters. The meshed skeleton, which is reminiscent of silk threads in terms of its substance, is exposed by washing, fulling and air-drying. Until modern times, sponges from the Mediterranean were mainly used, but it was not until the middle of the nineteenth century that Caribbean sponges found their way into European bathrooms through maritime trade. They were used for cleansing and massaging the skin. For about 6,500 years, people have been practicing what is known as sponge diving to obtain natural sponges. The sponges harvested in this way were very expensive, so they were considered a luxury product. In England, for example, the import of Mediterranean bath sponge for 113,000 pounds sterling made headlines in 1870. At about the same time, therefore, bath sponges began to be cultivated by artificial propagation – with moderate success. As a result of ongoing industrialization and the development of new synthetic materials, the majority of bath sponges used today are manufactured artificially. However, with the increasing return to natural products, the demand for natural sponges is on the rise again.
Shapes, types and kinds
Basically, bath sponges are divided into natural and artificial sponges. The most commonly used natural sponges include Spongia officinalis (“common bath sponge”) and the coarser Hippospongia equina (“horse sponge”) from the Mediterranean. Caribbean bath sponges such as Spongia barbara, Spongia graminea or Hippospongia lachne are also important. The bath sponge is a multicellular organism that feeds on plankton. It is a high-performance filter: it sifts through almost 2,000 liters of seawater every day. Due to their animal origin, natural sponges are about ten to twenty times more expensive than an artificially produced bath sponge. However, not all natural sponges are suitable for cosmetic use. This is reserved for horn sponges. When dry, horn sponges are fibrous and rough, but when they soak up water, they leave a pleasant feeling on the skin when used for wet massage with gentle circular movements. They loosen dead skin cells and stimulate blood circulation. The skin becomes soft, the tissue massaged. The finest natural sponge is the bath sponge harvested from the Syrian and Asia Minor coasts. Consumers especially appreciate those bath sponges that have a regular round or cone shape. The most delicate bath sponges from the Eastern Mediterranean are purchased almost exclusively for consumption in Paris. The so-called Konjac bath sponges are also currently enjoying great popularity. They are made from the plant fiber of the white konjac plant, which belongs to the arum family. Strictly speaking, they are not real sponges. Modern artificial sponges are not as absorbent as natural sponges and remain harder in structure. This effect is explicitly appreciated by some users.
Structure and mode of operation
A natural bath sponge consists of a framework of horny threads arranged in a net-like or mesh-like pattern. The material is called spongin. Chemically, it is a collagen-like protein that serves to cross-link the sponge needles. The horny sponges suitable for cosmetic applications, however, do not form sponge needles, which is why their complete skeleton consists of spongin without exception. This guarantees the soft consistency of the bath sponges. Although spongin is rough when dry, it becomes very soft when it comes into contact with water. Natural sponges are sturdy and extremely durable when properly cared for. Bath sponges have always been refined by washing them in hot soda solution, for example. However, the refinement is always at the expense of durability.People who do not want to use natural sponges because of their animal origin, but who also cannot tolerate modern artificial sponges, can resort to natural sponges of plant origin. First and foremost here is the loofah sponge, which is obtained from the loofah cucumber. Luffa sponges are harder than natural bath sponges and are particularly suitable for body scrubbing.
Medical and health benefits
In addition to skin care and stimulation of blood circulation, bath sponges are also used in other areas. For example, sponge compresses used to be used in surgical practice to extract fluid from wounds. The enormous absorbency of natural sponges was exploited for this purpose. A sponge containing iodine was also used medically in the past to treat goiter. Furthermore, small natural sponges are used in feminine hygiene as an alternative to tampons. To this day, bath sponge is also used to filter water, for example in the field of aquaristics. The main field of application of the bath sponge, however, remains cosmetics, if only because of its costliness. Here it is used to lather and apply care products in the bath, such as soaps, shower baths or peeling lotions. These are massaged into the skin with gentle circular movements. However, due to its natural fibers, the skin can also be gently exfoliated with the sole use of the bath sponge. It gently removes dead skin cells and at the same time stimulates blood circulation in the skin. Natural sponges are hypoallergenic and are suitable for the care of all skin types, even the sensitive area of the face. They can also be used for dry brushing according to Kneipp.
