Microplastics in cosmetics: what they are and how to avoid them

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What are microplastics in cosmetics?

Microplastics in cosmetics are tiny solid plastic particles that manufacturers add to a product on purpose, most famously the little beads in some exfoliating scrubs, but also as films, glitter, and texturizers in makeup, shampoo, and lotions. They are different from the microplastics that form when a larger plastic item breaks down; these are made small from the start and added for a function, which is why regulators call them intentionally added microplastics. The concern is not that they harm your skin in the bathroom but what happens afterward: rinse-off products send these particles down the drain, and because they are too small for many wastewater treatment plants to catch fully, a share reaches rivers and the sea, where they persist and enter the food chain. That environmental route is the main reason both the European Union and the United States have moved to restrict them. For someone trying to cut plastic, cosmetics are an easy and often invisible source, because the plastic is listed on the label under chemical names most people do not recognize.

Which products contain them, and what are they for?

The products most likely to contain added microplastics fall into a few groups, and knowing the job the plastic does helps you spot it. The classic case is the exfoliating scrub or shower gel with visible beads, where solid polyethylene beads act as the abrasive; these microbeads were the first to be banned in several countries. Beyond scrubs, plastic polymers turn up as film formers in shampoos, conditioners, and hair styling products, where they coat the hair; as texturizers and bulking agents in foundations, powders, and other makeup, giving a silky slip or a matte finish; and as glitter in decorative cosmetics, which is often plastic. Toothpaste historically contained polyethylene as a mild abrasive and for the colored specks, though many brands have removed it. The pattern is that the plastic is doing something functional and cheap, which is why it was used, and why the same effect can usually be achieved with mineral or plant-based alternatives once a rule forces the change.

How do I read an ingredient list to spot them?

The single most useful skill is learning the ingredient names, because the label will not say plastic; it lists the polymer under its INCI chemical name. The most common solid microplastics to look for are Polyethylene (often abbreviated PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Nylon-6 and Nylon-12, Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates Crosspolymer, and Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA). Seeing one of these high in the ingredient list of a scrub or a makeup product is a strong signal that it contains added plastic. A fair caveat is that the definition has edges: campaigners and some regulators also count soluble and liquid synthetic polymers that do not fit the strict solid-particle definition, so different lists disagree at the margins, and a name on one campaign list may not be a regulated microplastic. If you want the strict version, focus on the solid polymers above; if you want the precautionary version, the free ingredient-checker apps and the buying guides published by environmental groups flag the wider set for you.

What has the EU banned, and what does it mean for what is on shelves?

The European Union has introduced the most far-reaching rules, and they are being phased in rather than switched on all at once, so what is on the shelf is changing year by year. In 2023 the European Commission adopted a restriction under the REACH chemicals regulation on microplastics that are intentionally added to products, overseen by the European Chemicals Agency. The first and most visible ban, on the loose microbeads in rinse-off scrubs and on loose plastic glitter, took effect in October 2023, and further deadlines extend the restriction to other categories over the following years, including leave-on cosmetics like makeup and lotions later in the decade, to give manufacturers time to reformulate. The United States acted earlier but more narrowly: the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 banned plastic microbeads specifically in rinse-off cosmetics, which is why scrubs reformulated years ago, but it did not cover leave-on products or the wider polymer uses. So the direction of travel is clear, but for now the responsibility to check leave-on products still largely sits with the shopper.

How do I avoid them in practice?

Avoiding microplastics in cosmetics is mostly about reading labels and choosing a few reliable swaps, and it is more manageable than the long chemical names suggest. Start by checking the ingredient list of the products you rinse off, scrubs, cleansers, shampoos, and shower gels, for the polymer names above, since these are both the most common offenders and the ones with the clearest environmental route. For exfoliation, choose a scrub that uses a natural abrasive such as sugar, salt, ground seeds, or fine minerals instead of plastic beads, all of which work just as well. For makeup, favor brands that state they are microplastic-free or that use mineral and plant-derived texturizers, and treat plastic glitter as something to skip. Free smartphone apps and the buying guides published by environmental groups let you scan a product and see the flagged ingredients without memorizing them, which is the practical shortcut most people use. The same transparency principle we apply across personal care holds here: a brand that lists recognizable ingredients and states its position on microplastics is easier to trust than one hiding behind a long list of unexplained polymers, and our non-toxic personal care guides walk through the swaps in more detail.

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