Are you using a gentle face scrub and ensuring you slather on a layer of sunscreen before stepping out? If yes, then good for you! These are good skin care practices to have. But have you ever thought about how your skincare items are having a detrimental effect on our ecosystem? Particularly of the oceans??
This World Ocean’s Day please educate yourself and be more conscious of the skincare products you choose to support & purchase! Read on to know more!
A lot of the scrubs that are available in the market these days use micro-beads which are made of plastic. Now, while these do not cause any micro-tears on your skin (unlike a walnut shell /salt scrub), these are insoluble in water and therefore non- degradable. When washed down the drain, they eventually find their way into a river, lake, or ocean and wreak havoc to its ecosystem. They become impossible to remove from the water body and often are ingested by the marine life in it. If not ingested, they always contribute to water pollution which eventually leads to the death of the ecosystem.
Another skincare product that causes devastation in the aquatic ecosystem is sunscreen. It contains a substance called Oxybenzone. When found in the ocean in abundance, it kills & discolors the coral reefs. The coral reefs contain more than 60% of the ocean’s ecosystem and are important for them to survive & thrive. Killing the coral reef means killing the majority chunk of the aquatic life at large.
Further, all parabens, SLS & other chemicals that are washed into the ocean with the skincare products mess with the physiological & biological systems of the fish & lead to issues such as blindness, reproductive problems, and also nervous system disasters.
The pollution caused due to plastic packaging of the products is another story to tell!
However, here’s what you can do about it!!
1. Make sure that the scrub you purchase has natural exfoliants such as sugar grains, fruit powders, or Jojoba beads. They provide a great exfoliating action & are also soluble in water and hence degradable.
2. Use physical sunblock like a scarf, hat, sunglasses, or an umbrella. They’re better at sun protection, stylish & do not cause any pollution. Also, if you’ve still managed to get a tan and want to get rid of it use a de-tanning ubtan mask. Like the one here.
3. Lastly, use products that are natural & packaged in glass, metal, or paper. These are free of any sort of chemicals that might upset the eco-system & are re-usable & up-cyclable.
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