We’ve all heard about microbeads for a while now in our beauty products- and we love the exfoliating capabilities of the products that use them. But what they are exactly, and what they do to the environment, is a whole other kettle of (contaminated) fish. The small plastic particles that can be found in exfoliants, toothpastes, and a variety of other beauty products are contaminating waterways (and some dentists say people’s gum lines) and oceans in a dangerous fashion. Not only are the tiny plastic polyethelene beads powerful on your skin and tooth enamel, but they never degrade in the ocean and soul. Here, they settle right into the food chain. Fish and other creatures inevitably ingest them, and suffer the consequences. They will be banned from all personal care products by 2017 by Obama. Hooray!
A great personal care scrub can be found here:
Kate Murphy’s Coffee and Coconut Body Scrub
Mix together the following ingredients:
1/2 cup organic coffee grounds
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
To apply, get your body damp in the shower, rub the scrub all over, and then let it sit for five minutes before rinsing off.
Once you’re done scrubbing, you’ll want to moisturize. We’ve got DIY recipes for that, too!