If you use a face scrub regularly, you are probably not thinking about what the exfoliant particles are actually made from. Most people assume that if a product is on the shelf in Australia, it has been formulated to a safe and legal standard.
The reality is more complicated. Plastic microbeads were banned in rinse-off personal care products in Australia in 2022. Yet a 2025 peer-reviewed study examining 28 face scrubs across multiple regions found that over half still contained microbeads. In regions with full bans in place, six out of eight products tested still contained them.
If you surf regularly and care about what goes on your skin and into the ocean, this matters.
What Are Microbeads and Why Were They Banned?
Microbeads are tiny solid plastic particles, typically polyethylene or polypropylene, added to face scrubs, body washes and cleansers as exfoliants. They create a scrubbing sensation on the skin and were common in mainstream skincare products from the 1990s through to the mid-2010s.
The problem is what happens after you rinse them off. Wastewater treatment systems cannot filter most microbeads. They pass straight through and enter rivers, lakes and oceans. Once in the ocean they do not biodegrade. They accumulate. Marine life mistakes them for food. They enter the food chain.
A single application of a face scrub can release between 4,594 and 94,500 microbeads. Research from Plymouth University found that each 150ml of certain products contained between 137,000 and 2.8 million microparticles. That adds up to an estimated 80 tonnes of microplastic waste entering the sea every year in the UK alone.
Australia responded by banning plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care products from November 2022. New South Wales has been one of the few regulators globally to actively enforce the ban, issuing compliance notices to six businesses in 2024 and forcing the withdrawal of nine products from sale.
Why Are They Still Being Found?
Three reasons.
First, enforcement is limited. Most regulators announced bans but have done little to follow up. The NSW EPA is a notable exception globally, not the norm.
Second, the definition of microbeads in legislation is narrow. A 2025 study published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research identified a significant loophole. Synthetic waxes, which have almost identical physical and chemical properties to conventional plastic microbeads, are not covered by most bans because they are not technically classified as plastics under current law. Some brands have simply reformulated with synthetic wax particles instead.
Third, global supply chains mean products manufactured before bans took effect continue to be sold through distribution channels for months or years after the deadline.
The result is that many face scrubs available in Australia today, including some sold through major pharmacy chains and beauty retailers, may still contain plastic or plastic-adjacent synthetic particles.
What to Look for on the Label
Microbeads are not always easy to identify on an ingredient list. Common names to look for include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), nylon and acrylates copolymer. Synthetic waxes may appear as microcrystalline wax or polyethylene wax.
If you are looking for a natural exfoliating face scrub or natural body scrub free from synthetic particles, the clearest signal is a short, recognisable ingredient list made from naturally derived botanicals and minerals.
What Naturally Derived Exfoliants Actually Do
Naturally derived exfoliants work differently from plastic particles, and for surf skin specifically, they do a better job.
Mineral exfoliants like finely milled sea salt, Balinese sea salt and rice powder physically lift and remove buildup from the skin surface, including zinc, sunscreen, salt and daily grime, without micro-tears and without leaving synthetic residue in the ocean or on your skin.
Plant oils like coconut oil and jojoba dissolve oil-based buildup before the exfoliant even touches the skin. This is the step that plastic microbeads cannot perform at all. They scrub the surface but they cannot dissolve zinc oxide or waterproof sunscreen, which bond to the skin and require oil to break them down.
Botanical ingredients like kencur, turmeric, aloe and rice powder calm, refine and support the skin barrier during and after exfoliation.
The result is skin that is genuinely clean, not surface-scraped. Buildup removed. Moisture restored. No plastic in the ocean.
Who This Matters to Most
If you surf regularly, you live in and around the ocean. The idea of rinsing synthetic plastic particles off your face and into the water every time you cleanse is not an abstract concern. It is a direct contradiction of the lifestyle.
But it is not only about the ocean. Growing research is examining the effects of microplastic absorption through the skin, with particular concern around synthetic particles linked to endocrine disruption and hormonal dysfunction. The science is still developing, but the precautionary case for choosing naturally derived face scrubs and body scrubs is strong.
The Simple Alternative
Surfocco creates naturally derived face and body scrubs formulated specifically for surfers' skin. No plastic microbeads. No synthetic particles. No parabens, sulfates or harsh chemicals.
A dual-action Exfoliate + Restore system combines plant oils that dissolve zinc, sunscreen and daily buildup with naturally derived botanical and mineral exfoliants that gently lift and remove it while restoring moisture. Skin is cleaner, clearer and smoother after every session.
Made in Bali. Built for the ocean.
Surf. Salt. Skin.
Shop the Surfocco face and body scrubs at surfocco.com.
