Plastic Microbeads in facial scrubs damaging the environment

Microbeads in facial scrubs damaging the environment; “Save Sydney Harbour”.

As creator of Christian Acuña Organic Skin Care for Men I never thought the day would come when I would write a piece on a pernicious threat to our iconic harbour and the fish living in it.

Never say never as the saying goes.

Thanks to Miranda Kerr, a person for whom I have a great deal of respect and whose organic skincare ethos I share, I have been made aware of a sinister pollutant in our beautiful harbour.

As WA Today reported on 6 December 2013, plastic microbeads have been used by the larger skincare brands and, surprisingly, some smaller “eco” brands you may not have expected to incorporate such an ‘ingredient’.

According to the article and quoting Miranda, she uses bamboo to create the exfoliating properties in her scrub and the Christian Acuña range for men uses organic jojoba beads and Argan powder shell on its facial scrubs and organic pumice stone powder on its body scrubs.

The problem with these polyethylene microbeads according to the article and the advocacy group DoSomething is that at less than half a millimetre in size these beads end up in the waterways. Microbeads in facial scrubs damaging the environment are a great worry for those who invest time and money in producing a clean and environmentally friendly skincare.

Once flushed by stormwater into the harbour they end up in the sediment on the harbour floor and can be ingested by worms which in turn are eaten by fish.

Shockingly, scientific studies at Middle Harbour have shown these microbeads to be present in concentrations which are among the highest recorded in the world.

Companies big and small are taking steps to remove this nasty ingredient from their products and WA Today states DoSomething is in the process of writing to any manufacturers who have yet to commit to removal.

It’s hard to understand given the environmentally friendly alternatives to polyethylene microbeads in Miranda Kerr’s skincare and different alternatives again in the natural and organic Christian Acuña skin care range for men why these plastic microbeads were ever used. Low cost perhaps?

Well it doesn’t take a scientist to point out that microscopic plastic may get into the food chain. This ingredient should never have been included in exfoliants. The benefts of using jojoba beads as face exfoliants are great, the beads are perfect spherical fully biodegradable beads that will softly exfoliate the skin, freeing it from dead cells, pollutants and debris. While massaging the cream base exfoliants into the skin with minor pressure the jojoba microbeads will release nutritious jojoba oils into the dermis leaving your skin clean and super smooth, naturally.

Kudos to Miranda Kerr and DoSomething for their roles in reducing the threat to our harbour.

More than ever, looking good need not cost the earth.