Loofa
A natural vegetable sponge used to clean the skin. Excellent when dry to stimulate circulation, but use it on your face only after it has been broken in or else it may be too harsh. When used with a natural facial cleanser it can gently and safely exfoliate the skin., i.e., remove the top layer of dead skin cells that cause the complexion to look muddy.
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Luffa is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines in the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae).
| Luffa | |
|---|---|
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| Egyptian luffa with nearly mature fruit | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cucurbitoideae |
| Tribe: | Sicyoeae |
| Genus: | Luffa Mill. |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
In everyday non-technical usage, the luffa, also spelled loofah, usually refers to the fruits of the species Luffa aegyptiaca and Luffa acutangula. It is cultivated and eaten as a vegetable, but must be harvested at a young stage of development to be edible. The vegetable is popular in India, China, Bangladesh and Vietnam. When the fruit is fully ripened, it is very fibrous. The fully developed fruit is the source of the loofah scrubbing sponge which is used in bathrooms and kitchens.
