Micro-plastics. If you are deep into cosmetics, skincare products, and organic products, you’ve probably heard this term come up in the past couple of years. Even mainstream skincare and beauty companies have attacked them for their harmful properties in ads (they claim to have no microplastics but that’s questionable).

So, what are they, and why are they so harmful? Let me explain. 

Micro plastics, as the name suggests, are extremely tiny pieces of plastic that show up in skincare, haircare, and cosmetic products. They are made out of synthetic, industrial chemicals called polymers (they have many molecules, consult a chemist for deeper explanations). They come from refined natural gas and crude oil, stuff that’s not safe to ingest in any form, and they get made into the solid and liquid materials in our products.

They are used in eyeliner, toothpaste, lipstick, rouge, and many other products. However, in skincare, they show up as microbeads. 

Microbeads are made from a polymer-based chemical called polyethylene. Polyethylene is used to exfoliate, smooth, and polish the skin. It also bonds surfaces and the product itself together, to strengthen hair by giving it weight against humidity, and as an anti-static and adhesive. It is found in a lot of facial cleansers and body washes because of its exfoliation properties. It is the most commonly used microplastic. 

The second most commonly used microplastic is called acrylics copolymers. They are synthetic copolymers made of 2 or more monomers with either acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or another related acid in them (seriously go find a chemist to tell you about these acids and what’s in them, I can only tell you what they are and why they suck). They do most of the same things polyethylenes do except they also add waterproof properties to the product they’re in. They are showing up in 3 out of 10 cosmetic products in the market because the big cosmetics companies are starting to use them in place of microbeads for good PR. But they are extremely unregulated and terrible for the environment. 

Why are they bad for the environment, you might ask?

Because they are getting into bodies of water and soil and harming the plants and animals that live there. Much like an oil spill, plastic can rings, and plastic bags do to plants and animals. If you care as much as I do about plants and animals, I recommend advocating for your government officials to enact legislation banning these materials. And in the meantime, check the labels on your skincare products, and don’t buy things that have microplastics in them! If you want more information about microplastics, go to websites of campaigns like Beat the Microbead!