All about: Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant

One of my biggest beauty bugbears is the use of plastic microbeads, which are present in a wide range of personal care products such as scrubs, shower gels and shampoos around the world.

These tiny, non-biodegradable pieces of plastic get washed down the drain and out to sea where they are ingested by marine life and disrupt the natural balance of our oceans. One study found that around 35 per cent of fish examined had microplastics in their stomachs, and as activists push for a ban on microbeads, cosmetic companies - and consumers – are on the search for environmentally friendly substitutes

This seriousness of this problem has led to an international campaign called Beat the Microbead, which has seen California recently banning microbeads in cosmetic products. For years, research has shown that beauty products made with tiny microbeads, gritty cleansers that scrub off dead skin cells, have been damaging water supplies, marine life and the ecological balance of the planet.

Beat the Microbead reports that marine species are unable to distinguish between food and microbeads. According to the campaign, "over 663 different species were negatively impacted by marine debris with approximately 11 per cent of reported cases specifically related to the ingestion of microplastics". Just hideous, and to make things worse, microbeads can act like tiny sponges, absorbing several other dangerous chemicals, including pesticides and flame retardants. As they ingest microbeads, marine animals also consume these other poisons and then often we eat them.

So, it is with great joy that I can repot that Trilogy’s Gentle Facial Exfoliant features in Fauna & Flora International’s Good Scrub Guide, identifying products that use safe, natural alternatives. Trilogy’s products have always been and will continue to be free of plastic microbeads, and the formula is top notch too.

Formulated with natural, biodegradable and non-abrasive jojoba wax spheres, Trilogy’s exfoliant gently polishes the complexion, refining its texture and improving clarity without irritation or compromising the skin’s natural barrier function. It is gentle enough (when used properly) for even a reactive skin like mine, and it nourishes too.

In a nutrient-rich base of sweet almond, evening primrose and certified organic rosehip oil, active honey enzymes and camellia oil work to lift dead skin cells while botanical extracts of macadamia nut and calendula soften and soothe your skin for a treat that leaves a gentle glow as opposed to a red mess! 

It’s also certified natural under the internationally recognised NATRUE standard, and in store now.