How to Cleanse Your Beauty Regime of Microplastic | National Geographic

Did you know what that plastics could be hiding in your beauty products? Many body products contain plastics, specifically microplastics. They're plastics that are really tiny; I mean smaller than a grain of rice. Tiny cosmetics, body washes, and toothpastes are some of the biggest culprits for containing microplastics. Often used as exfoliants, they're a cheaper alternative to natural ingredients used for the same purpose.

First, let's talk toothpaste. See all those little blue dots sparkling like stars? Yeah, those could be plastics. Toothpastes that look like this may contain tiny bits of good old polyethylene, the world's most popular form of plastic. Next, we have face and body washes. This stuff makes you feel clean, but how? Previously, it was with tiny pearls of polypropylene, another commonly used plastic material in microbeads. These dots of polypropylene are what exfoliate your skin and open up your pores.

Finally, cosmetics. Blush, concealer, foundation, mascara, lipstick, and eyeliner—almost every type of makeup product can be made with plastic. The usual suspects like polyethylene and polypropylene are used, but so are other plastics like polyethylene terephthalate, which is found in glitter. Yes, glitter is really just shiny pieces of plastic. So every time you brush your teeth, shower, or wash off makeup, you could be sending all those microplastics down the drain and into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

But even before the microplastics are washed down the drain, they can still pose a danger. Inhaling fine particulates like microplastics has been linked to asthma, heart disease, and cancer. Thankfully, measures are being taken to help mitigate the world's microplastics problem. In 2015, the United States passed a law called the Microbead-Free Waters Act. It has already begun to phase out the use of microbeads in toothpastes and rinse-off cosmetics.

Manufacturers are already using natural alternatives to microplastics, and you can also make a difference when purchasing cosmetics, soaps, and toothpastes. Read the packaging. If you see polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate, you might want to consider a more environmentally friendly option. While it will be nearly impossible for us to live 100% free of plastics, thinking twice about how we use plastics in our day-to-day lives makes a huge difference for our bodies and our planet.