We'll admit it - we love our good old Minky cloth.
Queen of Clean Mrs Hinch is famously a big fan of the cheap and cheerful cloths, which are thought to be more durable as they're double-sided.
While they're good for cleaning the kitchen and bathroom with, one TikTokker believes she's found another use for our all-purposes cloths. Watch the video here.
Sharing a beauty hack on the popular video platform, user Lucy Eccleston explained: "My brother uses a Minky sponge to apply cream to himself, and I thought I'd try it after laughing at him."
Advert
Showing how easy it was to apply using the cloths, Lucy continued: "I'm not even joking, it's actually the best thing I've ever used. It spreads so easy, and you don't get sticky hands.
"I'm so shocked - you need to get one."
Lucy's video, which has since been watched over 147,000 video, has seemingly encouraged others to try the beauty hack.
Advert
"I'm investing in one of these - I hate getting creams on my hands," one woman said.
"This is a game changer," a second commented, while a third said: "Off to get my Minky."
Consultant Dermatologist, Rachael Burns, says the Minky's compact design and ridged edges make it a useful application tool.
"Using a Minky sponge may appear to be a strange way to apply moisturisers and skin care products in general but the ridged scrubbing side spreads the product evenly," she explained to Tyla.
"It's obviously much better than using your hands which can often leave them sticky due to the product residue and fake tan mats in general aren't great for applying multiple products due to the cross contamination of fake tan. Fake tan mits also cost around £20 whilst a Minky sponge is £3... It's a no brainer."
Advert
However, before you bulk buy hundreds of these cloths to start rubbing in your moisturiser, another skincare expert has warned using the cloth could be potentially damaging.
Dr Ana, aesthetic doctor at Kat & Co. told Tyla that using a Minky to apply creams could actually damage the skin.
"Using anything other than your hands to apply products to your skin can cause rubbing which often leads to irritation, abrasion and thereby compromises your skin barrier," she explained.
Advert
"Any disruption to your skin barrier will cause TEWL (trans-epidermal water loss) and in the long run will worsen dehydration as your skin will struggle to retain moisture.
"Therefore, it is best to be as gentle as possible when washing and applying products to your skin to ensure your barrier protection stays optimised. This is crucial for your skin to feel plump, smooth and look radiant. Your hands and fingers are the best tools for that reason."
Dr Ana adds using your hands also leads to less wastage.
"When it comes to the body, using your whole hands is the best way of getting the most out of your moisturiser because otherwise a significant amount of the product will be absorbed by whichever sponge or mitt you decide to use," she said.
Advert
"Any amount of moisturiser that is absorbed by your hands will just moisturise the skin there anyway which is still beneficial as your hands are often the area which is exposed to the most environmental stress, and they tend to require extra attention to stay hydrated.
"At the end of the day, you end up with zero wastage if you use your hands rather than a sponge or mitt."
But if you do insist on using a Minky, Dr Ana says there are tips to make your moisturiser last longer.
If you were still keen on using a sponge, I recommend dampening it beforehand to ensure that the minimum amount of product is absorbed into the sponge," she said.
"The best way to apply moisturisers to your body is within minutes of coming out of the shower or bath while your skin is still damp.
"Listen to your skin and adapt as your skin changes with the seasons and environmental changes rather to sticking to a fixed routine. Start once a day and work your way up or down from there depending on how your skin is looking and feeling."
Featured Image Credit: TikTok - lucyeccleston94Topics: Life News, Beauty, Health, TikTok