We can wrap a lot of make-up cloth around it, smear thick layers of greenwashing on top of it, cover things up with a lot of make-up, but the fact remains that many (large) companies in the cosmetics sector continue to deliberately add junk to cosmetics, shampoos and skin care products.
What is microplastic?
In addition to potentially hormone-disrupting and hazardous substances, plastic microparticles are deliberately added to cosmetic products. Microplastics are mini-particles of (liquid) plastics. In 2013, the larger particles (previously used in scrubs, among other things) were fortunately banned, but today more than 500 types* of microplastics are still deliberately added to cosmetics and other products.
Microplastics in cosmetics
Microplastics have three purposes:
1. Improve the spreadability of a product
2. Waterproofing products
3. To serve as a filler for a product, to make it slightly thicker
In addition, it is an easy ingredient that costs little. The large multinationals often use the counterargument that 'it is not that harmful' and that the microplastics they use are 'below the norm'. However, the choice lies with them whether they want to maximize their profit or bring products to the market without microplastics and thus help people and nature.
Why is microplastic a problem?
Microplastics are forever plastics and are not biodegradable. This is a big problem, because they end up in the water via your shower drain. And because they are too small to be filtered out of the water, they end up in our entire ecosystem. In March 2022, a new study from the Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam also appeared, which showed that these plastics can also end up in human blood.
*Image frombeatthemicrobead.org
Cosmetics without microplastics
Can the cosmetics industry just use microplastics? By constantly developing new forms of microplastics - smaller and more fluid - it is still possible to add microplastics to cosmetic products. The law currently only prohibits those old/larger particles, but in the meantime manufacturers have been smart enough to create all kinds of new forms that do not fall under this legislation.
Because manufacturers use this limited definition of microplastics, some still add 'no microplastics' to their products. It is imperative that we create a clear definition of microplastics, so that manufacturers can no longer hide behind these empty words.
Beat the Micro Bead app
To be able to find out as a consumer whether there are microplastics in your products, you now have to be a chemist. Those ingredients are not even pronounceable anymore. That is why we are so happy with the Beat The Microbead app from the Plastic Soup Foundation. With a photo you can immediately see whether your favorite shampoo, cream or toothpaste contains microplastics. And not just microplastics that are not allowed by law, but also all those other 500 types that are still allowed by law, but are really not nice for nature and people.
The Plastic Soup Foundation is doing groundbreaking work to keep microplastics out of cosmetics. For example, they already made the above app, but they also do research. For example, they announced the following study in which, among other things, 10 well-known brands were examined down to the smallest microplastics. Spoiler: almost 90% of these brands appear to contain microplastics in their products.
You help by ordering from Food for Skin
We donate 1% of our gross turnover to the Plastic Soup Foundation each year to support their important research into microplastics. Indirectly, you also contribute by ordering from us!
The Plastic Soup Foundation has already achieved great successes with their donations in shaping new legislation and tackling deliberate microplastic polluters. Read more about our collaboration here .
Legislation against microplastics
In the meantime, there are European laws that will ban some of the polluting microplastics . Cosmetic products are given up to 12 years (!!!) to remove the microplastics from their products. As far as we are concerned, this can be done a bit faster..
Food for Skin does not believe it is the responsibility of consumers to check this, but of producers.
Care products without microplastics
At Food for Skin we only make 100% natural skincare products, without microplastics of course! Check out our shop for the range of products, or start with a sample set to try it out.
