JungleVine® Fabric Is More Than an Exfoliant

The Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project learned several months ago that its JungleVine® fabric traditionally has been used as an organic skincare product in northern Japan.  Responding to our article in last month’s newsletter, several readers suggested that JungleVine® on the skin probably was acting as an exfoliant.

An exfoliant removes dead cells from the skin surface. An exfoliant textile uses a mild abrasive action in the process. The luffa (also spelled loofa) sponge, from the interior of varieties of the luffa gourd, is the most widely-known non-chemical exfoliant.

Without doubt exfoliation is a natural result of using JungleVine® for skincare.  Usually the fabric is dampened or used in the shower/bath similar to a sponge.  Using it dry increases the abrasive effect, can remove hair and intensifies the stimulation of the skin, resulting in increased blood circulation.

Our experimentation with JungleVine® fabric for skincare continues. We have learned that it is safe (and believed to be wise) to use dampened JungleVine® gently on a baby’s skin beginning at the age of approximately 4 months.