Maybe I'm childish, but my jaw dropped when I wet the sponge for the first time and it expanded. I've had these random dry patches for the last few months and had to ease back in to chemical exfoliation and these sponges provided the mechanical exfoliation that I needed to get back on the right path. I use them before/while I apply my toner in the morning and night. I was looking for a more sustainable alternative and these babies are it.