The Truth About Microplastics in Scrubs and How They Damage Your Skin & the Ocean

For years, body scrubs have been marketed as the secret to glowing, smooth skin. But hidden inside many mainstream scrubs are tiny plastic beads—known as microplastics—that do far more harm than good. At first glance, they seem harmless: small, colourful, exfoliating spheres that gently buff away dead skin. In reality, they’re one of the most damaging ingredients in personal care products, harming not only your skin but also the planet.

What Are Microplastics?

Microplastics are microscopic plastic particles, often made of polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). In scrubs, they are used as exfoliants because they are cheap, uniform in shape, and easy to produce. Unlike natural exfoliants—like sugar, salt, coffee, or ground seeds—microplastics are synthetic, non-biodegradable, and designed to last.

How Microplastics Damage Your Skin

• Micro-tears: These plastic beads aren’t as “gentle” as they appear. Their rough, uneven edges can cause tiny abrasions on the skin, disrupting the barrier and leading to irritation, dryness, or even breakouts.
• Chemical leaching: Microplastics can absorb harmful chemicals from the environment and transfer them onto your skin.
• Disruption of balance: Instead of nurturing your skin, plastic particles can interfere with the natural microbiome, leaving your skin more vulnerable over time.

The Environmental Crisis of Microplastics

Every time you rinse a scrub containing microplastics down the drain, billions of these particles flow into our waterways. Since they don’t biodegrade, they accumulate in rivers, oceans, and even in the food chain. Studies have shown microplastics in fish, shellfish, and drinking water—meaning they ultimately circle back into our own bodies.

• Marine life: Fish, turtles, and seabirds often mistake these particles for food, leading to injury, poisoning, and even death.
• Ocean health: Microplastics contribute to the growing plastic pollution crisis, choking ecosystems that sustain life on Earth.

Why Regulations Aren’t Enough

Some countries have banned micro beads in cosmetics, but loopholes remain. Certain plastics still make their way into “exfoliating” products, hidden under vague ingredient labels like “polyethylene” or “acrylates copolymer.” And in many parts of the world, there are still no bans at all.

True Born’s Commitment: Nature, Not Plastic

At True Born, we believe exfoliation should revitalise your skin and respect the planet. That’s why we never use microplastics—or any synthetic exfoliants—in our scrubs and body polishers. Instead, we turn to natural, biodegradable alternatives:

• Sugar crystals for gentle polishing
• Salt minerals for detoxification
• Finely ground botanicals like coffee, rice powder, or walnut shells for deep, skin-loving exfoliation

These ingredients are safe for your body, kind to your skin barrier, and return harmlessly to the earth.

Choosing Better Is Choosing Healthier

Your skincare routine should be more than a quick fix—it should be a daily act of care for yourself and the planet. By avoiding products with microplastics, you’re not just protecting your skin; you’re helping to protect oceans, wildlife, and future generations.

✨ At True Born, every scrub is a celebration of nature’s intelligence—crafted to leave your skin glowing, your conscience clear, and the oceans untouched.