Microbeads in face wash?

[Amfeelingfline]

I have just purchased the following face wash: Himalaya herbals lemon-honey. I bought it online and received this morning. I’ve had a look at it and it looks like it has Microbeads in it... I thought products that contain plastic Microbeads were now banned in the Uk...I’ve checked the ingredients, but cannot see the culprit in the list, however the beads are blue and I’m almost certain it’s plastic (tried to bite some to check) I’m really annoyed. I’ve contacted a website to see if they could help me checking... Should I contact the company I bought it from? Should I remind them of the ban? Thankfully it wasn’t very expensive so easily replaced but as I’m usually quite diligent, I’m annoyed with myself. Is there anyone who could help?

I don’t know the answer but could you put one of them strainers in the plug hole to catch the beads so you can bin them.

Yeah I did think about that but they are really really small ( I think I swallowed a couple when trying to bite them ) so maybe will have to put a muslin down or something?

I love microbeads in face products! Was gutted to hear of the ban. If I were you after getting the beads out, add some sugar to help with exfoliation

Or I could send them to you

Was it made by a UK company?

It's disappointing. Sugar, salt or ground up fruit pits are perfectly good exfoliating products.

Are they made of wax? Soap and glory do a face wash with wax "microbeads"

No not made in the Uk, it’s made in India, I was looking for something for my oily skin and I find it hard to find something suitable that is fairly natural ( I usually get living nature but it’s really expensive) and wanted to try something new and a bit cheaper... and I’m pretty sure they are plastic as they are blue and don’t seem to dissolve

What site did you buy it because you can contact them and explain about the law in the uk regarding microbeads. As others have said maybe put something down to strain them like thick kitchenroll or something if you insist on using it. That said why tf did you bite them?! thats the sort of dumb shit i do.

@florriefloflorence why were you sad that a product that is hugely environmentally damaging has been banned? There are a gazillion things that can exfoliate your face without being catastrophic for marine life. Not that you’ll give a fuck about your face when the true cost of the climate emergency fully hits.

@Waffles80 I’m just not in that demographic of society that is overly bothered about the environment. I don’t know anyone personally who particularly cares about all that kind of thing. It’s not unusual

@florriefloflorence

Maybe it would be a good demographic to be part of? Microbeads were banned because all micro plastics very easily find their way into the seas, into aqauatic animals and into us.

It just seems selfish at best and moronic at worst to not care about “all that kind of thing”. How old are you? Do you have children? Have you considered what you want for their futures and the futures of their children?

Yes, one exfoliating face scrub isn’t going to raise global temperatures and increase sea levels catastrophically, but the collective give-a-fuck-about-my-own-impact attitude definitely does.

I mean it’s not ideal about the animals but there’s no point in me not using the facial scrubs when there’s countries like China with humongous populations that are doing very little to limit their pollution. I’m nearly 24 and so are most of my friends and the environment is the last thing on our minds- we don’t discuss it, we don’t do anything about it.

So if everyone drink drives there’s no point you not doing it? If everyone smokes around children there’s no point you no doing it? So if everyone uses lead in make up there’s no point you not doing it? We learn about stuff that is dangerous and stupid, and we stop doing it.

Why are you so bothered about what your friends think?

I just think it’s terribly terribly sad. You seem to think you’re part of an enormous community of young people who do not give a fuck? You’re not. Millions of young people are now hugely engaged on every aspect of the climate emergency: as they should be. We all have a part to play even in the face of very those countries who don’t act responsibly.

I agree Waffles. The “demographic of society” that doesn’t care about this is the selfish and lazy imo. It’s a shame that products that are being sold from abroad with this kind of environmentally toxic ingredients aren’t banned (I thought they were tbh) from the U.K. Its the only way to force the entitled to change.

Muslin might work, capture some of them. But then they still need disposing of. If I were you OP, I’d maybe return if possible, if not use it as there is no point in throwing it away but review on the website you got it from to advise others then look for an alternative. I can totally recommend let the good times roll from lush, ifs polenta and maize flour and smells like popcorn it’s lovely. Or just a simple homemade brown sugar, honey, coconut oil and whatever essential oil you like (tea tea is my go to because it’s anti inflammatory and anti bacterial.

I just think it’s terribly terribly sad. You seem to think you’re part of an enormous community of young people who do not give a fuck? You’re not. Millions of young people are now hugely engaged on every aspect of the climate emergency: as they should be
I don’t care what my friends think particularly, I’m just reinforcing what I said about how I’m just not part of that demographic. Yes many young people are interested in the environment but I still think that they’re greatly outnumbered by those who don’t. Unless you’re a young adult yourself, surround yourself with other people of that age, you can’t really say that we’re the odd ones out. I think if you actually speak to lots of young adults especially in not so affluent areas, it is a large community of young people who don’t give a fuck. Sorry to burst your bubble but it’s true.

To be fair, micro beads have naff all to do with the climate emergency. Shame really. If we could fix global warming by forcing L’Oreal to use rice germ or apricot pits instead of plastic in face wash we’d be laughing. Nobody would have to care or be inconvenienced at all.

Anyway, OP I think you should try and report the product to the site you bought it from.

Thank you all for your messages, I am waiting for the website beatthemicrobeads.org To get back to me to see if they can advise and I will contact the shop I bought it from and leave a review. I wasn’t even looking for an exfoliator, I just wanted a face wash
I’m glad I’m not the only one who does stupid things like bite into stuff to check them 😂.
As for the environment, Flo, I was pretty aware @ 24, and I don’t come from a privilege background, and I am not English but in all honesty we are so much more aware as a society about the impact our habits have over the environment that the little steps we take as individuals can actually have a huge impact.

Bought it from fragrance direct but it’s available on a fair few sites... I got some other bits from there and they have a eco section... think I’ll just have to bite (recurring theme for me it seems) the bullet and get something a bit more expensive but maybe more natural, thanks again for your replies 👍

Don’t they still see the one that had ground almond shells in it? I seem to remember that in the 80s but aren’t sure if it’s still ok to flush into the drains.

florriefloflorence might be typical of the people she knows, but that just means she gravitate towards people with similar attitudes, it doesn't say anything about he attitudes of younger people per se.

In my experience (I meet a lot of young people from lower economic backgrounds) they do care - not least because they live in poorer areas so are more likely to notice and be affected by things like pollution and the destruction of green spaces.

I’m nearly 24 and so are most of my friends and the environment is the last thing on our minds- we don’t discuss it, we don’t do anything about it.

Why not? How do you think you can keep living the way you do for years to come?

As for micro beads, they were banned with good reasons, you can always try an acid exfoliator.

Or just a good old cotton flannel.

A muslin cloth with soap is an easy and effective exfoliater and it’s a cheap way of doing a little bit for the environment.

They are connected to the climate emergency as the plastic that's needed for them is derived from fossil fuel.

Also, they end up everywhere.

Or just a good old cotton flannel.

I have chuckled when I've seen people cooing over "new reusable face wipes" as a great environmental product.

Or flannels, as they are usually known.

In France they use a gant de toilette, which a flannel glove, they are great as they stay on your hand whilst you wash your body, face. I have loads as though I don’t use them much my dad when he comes over always uses them... and yes @Lordfrontpaw they still exist and yes they can go down the drain, I just wasn’t looking for an exfoliator, I usually make my own, I was looking for a face wash to regulate my oily skin and this had good reviews, just wished I had noticed the ones about the beads...