Microbeads…. the newest way to exfoliate. These tiny particles, or microbeads, scrub away at the skin supposedly leaving it wonderfully cleansed. These beads may well deep clean your skin but guess what? Unless otherwise stated, they are almost certainly made from plastic.
After using, they are washed off your face and down the drain and into the ocean where they become pollutants that don’t biodegrade. Truly, plastic is rubbish!
Here’s a really easy way to avoid this problem.
Totally plastic free exfoliation
Cotton Flannels – the old school way to clean up. Rub away the dirt and dead skin…it works, honest.
Want tougher love? try a luffa. These dried fibrous vegetables will buff up your blackheads and polish your butt. I got mine, unwrapped, from TKMax. I cut off smaller pieces to do my face with. Gently scour.
Then there are natural bristle brushes for body brushing. This is exactly as it sounds. Brushing your body and I love this. I have had my brush for ages and I can’t remember where I got it, but these look quite nice – sustainable beech body with pig bristles – vegans and vegetarians you could try these with tampico fibres.
Then there is, as always, the wonderful and versatile bicarbonate of soda. Its particles are rough enough to scour off dead skin but not so brutal as to leave you weeping. Grab a handful and rub it on. I use this on my face and body. You can get plastic free bicarb here.
Some plastic elements
I can only get the following products in polythene bags. These bags are simple plastic, can be easily recycled and, it is claimed, are safe to burn. So, not as bad as other types of plastic packaging, but still…..
Pumice is a textural term for a volcanic rock that is a solidified frothy lava typically created when super-heated (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For truly brutal exfoliation try pumice powder…arghhhhh. Best suited to hands, feet and really grisly elbows. Use up to 10% in a moisturising cream base (find out how to make your own right here). Do not use the pumice scrub on sensitive skin. Do not use in a plastic bath – it may take off the surface.
Sea salt is good and scratchy and makes a good deep cleaning scrub. It is not as harsh as pumice, and you can use it in a plastic bath. I like it for my oily body but would not use it on my face.
I buy both of the above from Aromantics.
Oatmeal – soothing, exfoliating, soft (no scratchy edges) and known for its gentle, skin-healthy effects. It also contains vitamins B and E. To use, grind the oatmeal up in a food processor, or buy the really fine stuff to begin with, add enough water to make a paste and use all over. I use this on my face where it works really well. I got my oat meal from Goodness (and I use it to make biscuits)
Oatmeal chocolate and butterscotch chip cookies. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Suppliers
I love aromantics and buy most of my stuff from them but there are loads of good guys out there.
Other plastic free health and beauty products can be found right here
You can find out HOW TO …do all sorts of other things… plastic free right here
Find other plastic free products with the >>>A-Z<<< plastic free index
- Baking Soda Scrub! (skincarebydonna.wordpress.com)
