The Microbead Ban Didn't End Microplastics
Microplastics didn't disappear with the microbead ban. They just got harder to spot.
Transcript
The microbead ban didn't get rid of microplastics. The U.S. ban only covered plastic microbeads in rinse-off products. Plastic still hides in makeup and glitter, under other names. Europe began phasing out added microplastics, including loose glitter, in 2023. Our Bath Soak is salt and clay, with no microplastics or glitter. Salt dissolves. Plastic doesn't.
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Microplastics and Liquid Polymers in Beauty Products
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Key points from the full guide
- Microplastics are tiny solid plastic particles, and some are added on purpose to cosmetics for texture, shimmer or scrubbing.
- The US Microbead-Free Waters Act banned plastic microbeads only in rinse off products.
- The EU adopted a broader restriction in 2023 that phases out intentionally added microplastics, including loose glitter.
- Liquid and soluble synthetic polymers are a separate group whose environmental fate is less understood.
- Natural exfoliants like sugar, salt and oats are simple swaps that dissolve or break down.
Read the full guide: Microplastics and Liquid Polymers in Beauty Products