Ah, loofahs – those mysterious things we use to exfoliate the bejeezus out of our skin, but no one actually knows what they are.
For some reason, it’s been etched into our collective minds that the “all-natural” loofahs were some kind of sea sponge or coral.
After all, their rough, sponge-like texture could easily be mistaken for something oceanic, but this is actually far from the truth.
Their origin is actually much closer to home than you think, and it’s blowing the internet’s mind as they’re finding out.
Taking to her Instagram page, British influencer @clemmie_telford explained that she only just found out what the beauty tool is made from.
“I am coming to you directly from my bathroom to say I’ve had my mind blown by the internet today,” she begins while holding up a loofah.
“I thought these loofahs grew at the bottom of the sea, I was wrong,” Telford continues.
She then stitches her clip with a TikTok from gardening creator @allotmen4life, which shows a woman picking a cucumber-looking vegetable from her garden.
After cutting it from the vine, the TikToker says, “Wait a few weeks until the skin has gone brown and completely dry before you peel it.”
She then cracks open the skin weeks later to reveal the loofah inside.
“Tie it up with an elastic so it’s easier to use as a scrubber,” she says, showing the finished product.
The vegetable she’s referring to is actually called a ‘Luffa’, which is a gourd in the cucumber family.
They start as vibrant, green vegetables, but over time, their insides turn fibrous and sponge-like.
According to Healthline, after the plant matures and is harvested, it can be left to dry out for up to six months.
The dried Luffas are then peeled and have their seeds removed before being sliced, cut, or shaped in a variety of ways before they’re sold as sponges.
Telford’s video has left everyone equally shaken, with others admitting to only discovering this fact as an adult as well.
“Every day is a school day”
“WTF, no way!” exclaimed one follower.
Another person wrote, “Every day is a school day!” while someone else chimed in, “I totally thought they came from the sea! I’m doubting everything I know now.”
“Did. not. know. this, mind blown,” concluded another.