PART 1 OF THE MICROPLASTY SERIES – MICROPLASTY IN COSMETICS

    Posted by Markéta Vanešová on March 20, 2026
    1. DÍL SERIÁLU MIKROPLASTY – MIKROPLASTY V KOSMETICE

    Where do they actually come from?

    Cosmetics are meant to care for the skin. However, in recent years, scientists have begun to point out a problem hidden in many common products – microplastics.

    These are tiny synthetic polymer particles that are so small they are invisible to the naked eye. Yet today they are present almost everywhere. In water, in soil, in the air, and according to new studies, even in the human body.

    The cosmetics industry is one of their sources.

    Microplastics directly in cosmetic formulations

    Some cosmetic products contain microplastics directly in their formulation.

    They are used, for example:

    • as exfoliating particles

    • to create product texture

    • for optical effects in decorative cosmetics.

    A study analyzing common cosmetic products found synthetic polymer particles in four of eight tested products.

    Microplastics were found, for example, in:

    • glitter gels

    • cleansing pastes

    • exfoliants

    • some decorative products.

    Researchers also point out that conventional analytical methods sometimes fail to correctly identify microplastics. It is therefore possible that their actual occurrence is even higher.

    Why microplastics are used in cosmetics

    The reason is simple. They are cheap, stable, and technologically easy to use.

    In cosmetics, they can serve, for example, as:

    • thickeners

    • texture stabilizers

    • abrasive particles

    • pigment carriers.

    From a technological perspective, they are a quick, but not entirely healthy, shortcut. And for the environment, they represent a long-term problem.

    Microplastics take hundreds of years to break down

    Unlike natural substances, synthetic polymers decompose extremely slowly. They can persist in the environment for hundreds of years and gradually break down into ever smaller particles – microplastics and nanoplastics.

    These tiny particles then spread through ecosystems and enter:

    • aquatic ecosystems

    • soil

    • the food chain.

    However, the problem of the cosmetics industry is not only in microplastics directly in product formulations. Packaging itself also plays a significant role.

    Each year, the cosmetics industry produces approximately 120 billion packages, most of which are made of plastic. Approximately 95% of these packages end up as waste after a single use.

    Although plastic is often considered a recyclable material, the reality is significantly more complex. Approximately 14% of plastic packaging enters the recycling system, and only about 9% is actually recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or incinerators.

    One of the main reasons is the design of cosmetic packaging. Many of them are made from a combination of different materials – for example, a mixture of plastics, metal springs, pumps, or other components. These parts are very difficult to separate, and the packaging is therefore practically unrecyclable for recycling lines.

    Another complication is the size of some packaging, such as lipsticks or mascaras. These are often too small for sorting technologies and fall through the screens, so they do not get recycled at all.

    Recycling is also complicated by the remainder of the cosmetic product inside the packaging, which contaminates the plastic and prevents its further processing.

    The result is a large amount of plastic waste that can persist in the environment for decades to hundreds of years and gradually decompose into further microplastic particles.

    Microplastic regulation begins

    Precisely because of these impacts, governments are gradually beginning to regulate their use.

    In the European Union, the regulation
    REACH 2023/2055, which progressively restricts microplastics in cosmetics, has been adopted.

    For example:

    • rinse-off cosmetics – ban from 2027

    • leave-on cosmetics – ban from 2029

    • decorative products – ban by 2035.


    There's another way

    Bohemian Cosmetics is a conscious choice with respect for both skin and planet.We work exclusively with natural, organic ingredients sourced from small Czech farmers and herbalists. Each product is created according to our own recipe and produced in small batches. This gives us full control over the entire process – from raw material to final packaging.

    You won't find synthetic substances or microplastics in our products. We use only natural stabilizers and pure, functional ingredients.

    In addition, we package our cosmetics in compostable biopolymer, which reliably protects them without harming nature or releasing harmful substances.

     

    But microplastics are not just in the ingredients

    Perhaps even more surprising is that microplastics do not have to get into cosmetics only from the product's composition itself.

    They can also originate from plastic packaging. And that's what we'll discuss in the next part.

    Written with love and respect by

    Markéta V.

    Back to blog