So this morning as I'm laying in bed, sick and trying to keep myself from going all cabin-fever, I decided to hop around to different news outlets to see what's going on in the world. While stumbling around on Yahoo, I came across an article entitled "How Exfoliating Hurts the Environment" and immediately went "Say what now?! How can me looking fresh and glow-y be bad for the environment?!" (Just imagine that exclamation in a very squeaky, cracking half-voice)
The writer, Joanna Douglas, brought up a lot of excellent points that a lot of us probably don't think about on a day-to-day basis. For instance, scrub beads and what they're actually made of. Maybe I'm a bit naive ("A bit" is an understatement at times), but I had always thought that exfoliating beads were made of biodegradable product. I've always thought that as I saw the scrub goo dissipate, that the beads would too once they made their way down the drain. Most products that use the beads claim to be "organic", or at least many of the ones that I've seen, so I never once thought that there was a chance that those beads were made of plastic, but this morning I found out that's exactly what they're made of.
I'm genuinely surprised, and now saddened, as I've come the realization how many pounds of scrub beads I've washed down the drain and out to sea over the years, all in the name of "beauty". The article makes a harsh reality for us consumers who are in love with those beads - that when they're washed out to sea, sea life will inevitably go "Mmmm, that looks tasty!' and eat it, not realizing it's plastic, and ultimately die or become disfigured from the chemicals breaking down in their bodies.
The article goes on to give various alternatives, such as scrubs that use sugar or salt. Honestly, those options are cheaper than any exfoliating bead scrubs I've seen on the shelves, and they actually break down safely when you wash them down the sink. I think that's beauty we can all invest in <.3
Inexpensive Exfoliating Alternatives
While the original article listed some wonderful alternatives, I wanted to listed a few from brands that I have experienced and love.
My mother introduced me to this brand a few years ago with this exact scrub. It smelled soooooo amazing, and my skin felt so nice afterwards.
I bought a soap from them last year and am now kind of obsessed with their philosophy and unique products.
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