Little plastic micro beads
I like to think of myself as trying to be a person somewhat informed about various things. I recycle as much as possible; paper and cardboard as well as steel, aluminum and plastic containers along with glass jars and bottles all go into their appropriately colored recycle bins. I drink tap water avoiding as much as possible buying water in a bottle. On those occasions when I do make such a purchase, I carry the plastic bottle home with me to dispose of in an environmentally friendly way, if I don’t come across a recycling bin. When not doing my own garden compost, I dutifully put my grass and hedge clippings in the green bin.
I was very surprised then to learn that the micro beads in many, or perhaps most, facial scrubs and washes are plastic. Naïve me thought that they were somehow ‘natural’. Not until reading the article Illinois in Ecosalon’s email newsletter did I learn the facts. Cheap to manufacture, these plastic micro beads are cost efficient to beauty manufacturers. Because they are so small, they slip through the filters during sewage and water processing, thus making their way into rivers where they harm wildlife and pollute waterways. Millions of micro beads have been found in Lake Michigan. As you read in the article, the state of Illinois is the first to ban the sale and manufacture of beauty products containing micro beads by the end of year 2017. Check your scrub’s list of ingredients, does it list that the micro beads are plastic?
A good scrub exfoliates your skin, leaving it feeling fresh and rejuvenated. Even better, when the ingredients are truly natural. That is why I adore HollyBeth’s Grits and Honey Scrub. It’s my favorite product from her beauty and cleansing range. First of all, it smells delicious! Gently fragrant, smelling of, what else? Honey. Honey not only smells blissful, but has known healing and hydrating qualities too. What a way to start the day or to have a little pick-me-up at day’s end. Secondly, it delicately sloughs off dead skin cells, leaving skin dewy fresh and moisturized. Finally, it rinses off easily and cleanly and, best of all, contains no plastic microbeads. HollyBeth uses for her wonderful scrub a traditional, natural, organic ingredient—grits! It’s a fond Southern staple, both in the kitchen and in the bathroom. Thoughts on Grits & Honey by Alicia Strickland