What is the difference between microbeads and microplastics?

What are microbeads in cosmetics?

Microbeads are plastic particles smaller than 5mm in size, small enough to be seen and felt.
They are usually spherical and are used in cosmetics for purposes such as scrubbing and peeling.

The microbeads used in cosmetics are mainly made of polyethylene (PE) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

Microbeads are a type of microplastic

Microbeads are generally considered to be microplastics, and were once found in countless cosmetic products.

However, as awareness of sustainability and environmental pollution has increased worldwide, the situation has changed, as third-party organizations in various countries have called for a ban on the use of microbeads.

In the EU and other countries, legal restrictions have been put in place, and the use of microbeads in shampoos, toothpastes, cleansers, and facial cleansers that are washed off immediately after use has been significantly reduced. Furthermore, legislation is being developed to prohibit the use of microbeads in all cosmetics, including leave-in cosmetics, from 2023 onwards.

In Japan, there are no laws or regulations.
The government has only called on manufacturers to voluntarily restrict the use of microbeads in wash-off cosmetics.

Microplastics aren't just microbeads

In fact, the definition of "microplastics" has not yet been established globally. Currently, it often refers to plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm.

However, the definition of "microplastics" as a cosmetic ingredient is currently being defined, mainly in Europe.

Specifically, there are an increasing number of organizations and consumers who are thinking and acting with the following in mind:

What are microplastics?

• Small particles made of synthetic polymers , including but not limited to
• Not biodegradable
• Any type of plastic particle intentionally added to a product

In other words, the microplastic components are defined to include far more types than conventional microbeads.

Why are microplastics added to cosmetics?

Before microbeads became popular, natural ingredients like nut shells and salt were used in exfoliating and peeling formulations.

However, microbeads, which are smoother and feel better on the skin than these natural ingredients, were introduced, and since then, scrub products containing microbeads have rapidly increased in number.

In addition to the microbeads such as PE and PMMA mentioned earlier, many other microplastics are used in cosmetics.

For example, the following components are considered to be microplastics :

• Glyceryl acrylate/acrylic acid copolymer
• (Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate) crosspolymer
• Dimethicone
• PVP
• Carbomer

They have a variety of functions, including film forming, thickening and viscosity adjustment, and can be produced in large quantities at a lower cost than natural ingredients.

The reason why the cosmetics industry actively uses microplastic raw materials is not because they have skin-beautifying properties, but because they can add excellent functions to cosmetics at low cost.

In some cases, there are cosmetics whose ingredients contain up to 90% microplastics .

Where do the microplastics in cosmetics go?

These microplastics are so tiny they are barely visible to the naked eye, and in many cases are thinner than a hair.

Therefore, once it is washed away with cleansing products, it goes directly down the drain into the sewer.

However, wastewater treatment plants are not designed to filter out micro- and nano-sized plastics, which means they cannot be collected or recycled, and so they end up in the ocean.

These microplastics are then ingested by marine creatures, who then eat them, and they move through the marine food chain.
Ultimately, it is highly likely that humans, who are at the top of the food chain, are consuming it as well.

The risks of using cosmetics containing microplastics

Microplastics are not biodegradable. Therefore, once they enter the natural environment, they are nearly impossible to remove. They drift in the ocean and accumulate in nature almost forever.

Plastics contain a complex mixture of chemicals.
Some of these have been shown to be harmful to the environment and human health.

In other words, microplastics pose a risk to both the natural environment and humans, and using cosmetics that contain microplastics means taking on that risk.

Given these risks, what kind of cosmetics are the ethical choice?
It may be worth thinking about it carefully for a moment.