... To raise awareness of the damage caused by some exfoliate beauty products

[daisychain01]

Hi MNers, You may already know this, because this forum is full of well-informed people, but just to raise awareness that some exfoliates contain inert polymer ie plastic beads (J&J, Unilever products for example).

The damage to the environment is caused because these micro-beads get washed down into the water-course, into our oceans, ingest by marine life which is bad for them, and equally bad for humans if we then eat cod, tuna, mussels. It's bad for everyone!

journeytotheplasticocean.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/are-you-washing-your-face-with-plastic/

All I'm suggesting is please think twice about buying these products, if we all stop the demand, it will stop the supply.

Thanks for reading, if you can spread the word to all your family and friends, we can collectively make a huge difference. I know we have US and Ozzie friends on here, so we can spread the message around the globe in the time it takes to say

"Balls to Micro-beads"

I had no idea!

Neither did I, chipped I was so shocked! Literally an hour ago my DP told me because he is a technical diver so he is really plugged into all the marine conservation fora.

I am pleased that this starts the process, thank you for feeding back. i will be interested to know if this is news to others too.

It's awful. I've never paid much attention to LUSH until I saw an advertisement for this very issue on their shop window. I am paying attention now. I just hope they don't do a complete U turn a la bodyshop.

I think sugar/salt based products are a good alternative - still not great for your drains mind, but much better for the environment.

YANBU.

I was quite horrified when I read about it, a few weeks back. Particularly because the plastic microbeads are often in products not even marketed as exfoliants.

I'm using a Japanese wash cloth now.

Same results, cheap, lasts forever.
Just throw it in the wash.

Chemical exfoliants (eg exfoliants using lactic or glycolic acid) rather than physical exfoliants (eg these plastic beads) are better for your skin anyway! Exfoliants with lactic acid are the most gentle - you can use natural yogurt as an exfoliating mask.

Isnt salt and sugar water soluble tho cornetto?

A much better and sustainable alternative to plastic, that's for sure.

I wonder about the exfoliates that contain crushed up peach stone. I'm thinking the residue isnt too dissimilar to sand, so if that ended up in the ocean, it would just sink and get mixed up. But maybe Im being naive!

Sugar and salt based ones often have oil as well, and that clogs up.

Hey we could turn this thread into "give your best alternative sustainable exfoliate.

I didnt know about yoghurt.

Thanks, I opened this thinking you were going to say damaging to skin[shallow]. Will check my tubes in future!

I use a muslin cloth.

I don't actually know how I managed without muslin cloths before I had children. They have hundreds of uses

Thank you for that info OP. I didn't know about this and, although I rarely use these products, I do have some on the shelf.

I've been thinking about making my own scrubs for a while, so this has given me the push I needed.

I use a flannel. Old school.

Good campaign OP, I had never thought about the environmental damage these products can cause.

But it makes my skin pretty.

Actually, I just use lotion and face soap. :)

Thank you, daisychain.
No, I didn't know that. I have such a product, it's going in the bin right now.

Some toothpastes have plastic in them too. A few colleagues have reported finding bits of blue plastic in their patient's gingival crevices

Crushed aspirin here.

YANBU! I'm a diver too (but not techie like your DH - techie is scary!) so I have read about this before.

People do need to know because despite pressure being put on companies to stop using tiny bits of plastic in their products, as long as consumers go for it, they will keep selling them. Despite knowing full well the damage it causes. It's horrible.

I had no idea about this either. I don't use the products myself, but I do remember that when I was younger and like a fool I lapped up all the beauty articles in glossy women's mags, they were always banging on about artificial micro-bead exfoliators being far better for your skin than natural products, so I bet there are probably loads of women of my vintage who have faithfully been using them on their skin without being aware any negative impact on the ecosystem.

When I've needed to exfoliate my hands after gardening I've always used hand cream and sugar which works brilliantly. I can't see why it wouldn't work on your face and then once it's washed off the sugar would dissolve normally causing no problems to the environment.

Oh for a world without plastic .

Oh no, I love my exfoliating scrub - it's the only thing that helps keep my skin vaguely blemish free

I'd second sugar as an exfoliant. I use it with any skanky moisturizer and rinse off in the shower.