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.
Reusable Products
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.
Exfoliating Scrubs From the Kitchen….
All these have been recommended on the internet. I usually use the above so cannot really comment.
BE CAREFUL
it is probably good practice to do an allergy test and do some further research.
Disclaimers
If you are happy to bumble along with me and are aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
Welcome aboard but please, proceed with caution….
Bicarbonate of soda. Before I knew as much as I did about bicarb I did use this occasionally on my face when it got really greasy and blotchy looking. Since I have found out how alkaline it is I think it is best left for the the laundry. I do not advise that you use it on your skin.
However if you choose to, its particles are rough enough to scour off dead skin but not so brutal as to leave you weeping. You can get plastic free bicarb here.
Pumice is a textural term for a volcanic rock that is a solidified frothy lava typically created when super-heated (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Salt is good and scratchy and makes a good scrub. It is not as harsh as pumice, and you can use it in a plastic bath. I like it for my oily chest but would not use it on my face. You can find plastic free salt here.
Sugar Scrubs – use sugar mixed with coconut oil. This one seems to work well .
Oatmeal – described as soothing, exfoliating, soft (no scratchy edges) and known for its gentle, skin-healthy effects. It also contains vitamins B and E. Grind up plastic free oats in a food processor. I don’t use this on my face because I have get a reaction to it. I find it too brutal.
Coffee Grounds – grab them out of the pot rub them on. Let them cool down first! I will use these occasionally and sparingly as it is a bugger to clean the shower afterwards
Other stuff….
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. Can be bought from Aromantics. (NB Comes in a plastic bag)
Other plastic free health and beauty products can be found right here