Recently companies have decided to ban using them in facial washes and body products as the small beads have ended up in the ocean and back into the food chain. What I have seen is many companies selling off old stock at a fraction of the price to get rid of them. I will admit I have bough them and used them up quickly, but it will be hard to eradicate as microbeads are used also in laundry detergents, and people stockpile these items. Will you buy microbead items on sale? I did as a tube of exfoliator was down to 25 pence, but I am aware of why they were selling it off and will avoid microbeads in future.
I personally avoid using anything that contains microbeads on my face unless recommended tp me by someone who knows about skin situation. I learnt that scrubs with particles in them aren't always a good choice for black skin, because they can tear the skin and lead to hyperpigmentation. Because my skin is prone to very heavily uneven skin stone as it stands, I always opt for gentle exfoliators like Retin A (well not so gentle, but no scrubbing required LOL) facewash with good exfoliators like AHAs (my favourite being Kanebo silk peel) and gentle peels like TCA and glycolic acid that I can use at home.
I have heard that microbeads have been used in many different products, but to be honest, I never really completely understood why. I didn't take the time to do any research, but the sound of something tiny inserted into products I use, especially health and beauty products, which are used in such a personal way, bothered me. I have heard of toothpaste with microbeads causing the beads to become embedded in gums, which is scary, so I can see why they would be banned. Who in their right mind ever thought it was a good idea to introduce plastic into toothpaste or facial/skin products? I tend to lean toward natural products as much as possible.
I've tried a facial wash before with microbeads in it and I just bought it out of curiosity, that was actually the first time I heard about microbeads in a beauty product, particularly facial foam cleansers. I thought it was a good thing thinking that these microbeads will thoroughly cleanse deep dirt stuck on your pores however, while using it, my skin suddenly break out and I think it's just my skins reaction towards the new product until I realize to stop using it. After that, I never bought any facial products with microbeads ever.
