On the heels of the news that Illinois has become the first state in the world to ban plastic microbeads, here are 10 natural exfoliants to scrub your skin–and your conscience–clean.

While exfoliation rejuvenates your skin and enhances your complexion, who wants to ruin the environment in the process? Microbeads – those itty bitty plastic particles found in most face washes – are in the process of being scrubbed out of the beauty industry. Created as a more cost-efficient way to manufacture beauty products, they’ve been harming the environment in a big way.

Because of their size, microbeads slip through sewage system filters, polluting waterways and harming wildlife. (Preliminary studies in Lake Michigan have discovered millions of microbeads!). Illinois Governor Pat Quinn recently signed legislation that bans the manufacture and sale of beauty products containing microbeads by the end of 2017. Currently, at least four other states are considering similar bills, with New York wanting microbeads eliminated even earlier (by 2016).

Here are 10 natural exfoliants that are plastic-free alternatives to microbeads that will keep your skin healthy, while doing good for the environment too:

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal isn’t just for cookies: It can also be used as a mild exfoliator, helping to remove dead skin cells and keep your skin hydrated. If you have sensitive skin, consider oatmeal your new BFF. You can either grind it to create a scrub, or create a DIY face mask.

2. Sea salt

Out of the natural alternatives to microbeads, sea salt is one of the more abrasive: Because the granules are larger than say, those found in a sugar scrub, sea salt scrubs work wonders on rougher areas of your skin, such as the heels of your feet.

3. Coffee grounds

While enjoying your morning cup of java, why not give your skin the royal treatment by exfoliating with coffee grounds? Simply combine one tablespoon of coffee grounds with half a tablespoon of olive oil and a drop of your fave essential oil.

4. Ground almonds

What I love about almond oil is that it makes your skin feel soft, but not greasy. Grind almonds in a blender (or if you have the biceps of Mr. Clean, with a mortar and pestle) and mix them with either milk or yogurt for a soothing face scrub.

5. Sugar

Sugar is an ah-mazing exfoliant option: It’ll help keep your skin hydrated while giving you a dose of glycolic acid, which helps prevent aging. Melt one tablespoon of coconut oil and mix it with three tablespoons of sugar – you won’t believe how soft this simple scrub will leave your skin!

6. Baking soda

Baking soda is one of my favorite natural alternatives to microbeads, mainly because it’s cost-effective and requires very little prep work. Plus, it’s versatile: You can use it in tandem with other natural alternatives during your at-home spa days. It’s a fine, yet hard powder, so it gets the job done without causing excessive irritation. Add a teaspoon to your fave face wash, mix well and massage into your skin.

7. Pumpkin

It’s not only delicious at Thanksgiving: Pumpkin’s enzymes and gentle acids make it a fabulous natural exfoliator. See for yourself with our pumpkin face mask recipes.

8. Lemon juice

The natural citric acids found in lemon juice make it a great exfoliator and skin hydrator. It contains antioxidants, which aids in the removal of dead skin cells, and acts as a toner by removing bacteria from the surface of the skin. Use the juice from one freshly squeezed lemon and mix with one tablespoon of sea salt for a refreshing face scrub.

9. Yogurt

As far as natural alternatives go, yogurt’s on the ball in every way: It contains anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities that fight against common skin conditions, not to mention lactic acid which helps exfoliate. Plus, it can be used with other natural alternatives (like oatmeal) to help you banish microbeads from your repertoire.

10. Honey

Honey contains many antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that help protect the skin and keep it hydrated. Mix one tablespoon raw honey and one tablespoon brown sugar and massage gently onto wet skin. Sayonara, microbeads!

Which natural alternatives to microbeads are your faves?

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A good facial scrub is essential to healthy skin, but is this seemingly innocent beauty product to blame for massive water pollution?

Life on this planet can’t exist without water, yet water pollution is a major problem for countries around the world. And it’s not only the fault of industrial polluters (although they’ve been allowed to dump horrifying toxins into the water supply for decades). Thanks to hidden ingredients in everyday products, we too are contributing to water pollution without even realizing it.

Many modern exfoliation products contain plastic microbeads that help to slough away dead skin cells. What the makers of these products failed to tell us is that these tiny plastic beads are NOT water soluble. When used, they’re flushed away to water treatment plants that aren’t capable of filtering them out. As a result, the end up in the our oceans, lakes and rivers where they wreak havoc on the ecosystem.

The plastics can be digested by marine life like plankton and mussels and then passed along the food chain to human consumption, according to research by the 5 Gyres Institute. The beads can also attract other pollutants in the water and pass it along to humans.

Here in the U.S., the use of products that contain plastic microbeads is taking a toll on the Great Lakes, which together hold nearly one-fifth of the earth’s surface freshwater. “The highest concentrations were found in 2012 in Lake Erie. Researchers found polyethylene and polypropylene that included traces of aluminum silicate and coal ash, often coming from coal power plants. Some of the samples had 450,000 particles of plastic per square kilometer,” reports EcoWatch.

Of course, making your own facial scrubs and exfoliating masks from edible ingredients is the best way to ensure that your beauty regimen doesn’t encourage water pollution. But if you’re not into DIY, there are other ways to avoid plastic-filled cosmetics. Two Netherlands-based organizations, the North Sea Foundation and the Plastic Soup Foundation, teamed up to create a smartphone app that can help consumers steer clear of products that contain these toxic plastic beads.

The app, called “Warning: Plastics Inside!” can be downloaded at the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, and Windows Phone Store.

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The post Is Your Facial Scrub Causing Widespread Water Pollution? appeared first on EcoSalon.

From sunblock to liver cleansing, we celebrate 20 uses of green tea you may never have known about.

Green tea is hailed as an antioxidant-rich, anti-aging phenomenon. With reports that regular green tea consumption can lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers, it’s a popular drink among the health conscious. However, green tea is more than just a cup of tea. Here are 20 unusual, thrifty and eco-friendly uses for green tea that will surprise, challenge, and excite you.

Dark Circles and Puffy Eye Relief

After you’ve enjoyed a cup of green tea – or two – let the tea bags cool and place one over each closed eye. Tea contains polyphenol particles known as tannins. Tannins are an astringent and are able to shrink living tissue, including human skin. Green tea bags can reduce swelling and tighten the skin around the eyes by reducing the dilation of the blood vessels under the eyes.

Irritation and Redness Alleviation

Green tea has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce redness and irritation. Steep a few bags in boiling water. Allow the water to cool and soak a washcloth in the water. Wring the washcloth of excess water and use the rag to pat irritated or red skin.

Facial Scrub

Take advantage of green tea’s skin-tightening ability and use it in a facial scrub. With the addition of water and white sugar, you are not only infusing the skin with the benefits of green tea, but also exfoliating it to a smooth finish.

Teeth Health Boost

According to a research study published by Preventive Medicine, drinking one cup of unsweetened green tea could increase teeth health. People between the ages of 40 and 64 who drank one cup of green tea per day were less likely to lose their teeth. According to the study, antimicrobial molecules called catechins are the reason for this effect. Grab a green tea infused toothpaste off pharmacy shelves or be sure to get your daily dose of tea.

Weight Loss Aid

According to a 2009 study by the Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, the catechins in green tea proved to significantly decrease body weight an as well as maintain body weight after a period of weight loss. This is good news to those looking to shed a few pounds.

Bleeding Reduction

The tannins found in green tea help stop bleeding by coagulating the blood. Steep a tea bag in hot water, remove it after one minute, and then let it cool. Place the tea bag on top of the bleeding area or dip gauze into the tea water and apply the gauze to the gash. You could also use a green tea extract for application.

Sunburn Treatment

While green tea does not block UV light, it protects exposed skin cells from damage. Studies have shown that when green tea is directly applied to the skin, it helps to protect the skin from sunburn and skin cancer. You could apply a green tea extract to the skin or a cooled cloth that was soaked in brewed green tea. Drinking green tea regularly a few weeks prior to sun exposure can also reduce the possibility of skin damage, due to the tea’s powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate.

Fridge Odor Elimination

Sometimes things can get a bit stinky in the refrigerator. To counteract an odor that just doesn’t seem to budge, take a handful of green tea leaves and place them in a thin cloth bag or cheese cloth. Place in the refrigerator. The leaves will absorb the odor and render your fridge fragrance-free.

Humidity Reduction

Much like it reduces odor, green tea also diminishes ambient humidity. Take a thin cloth bag full of green tea leaves and hang it in a room or area of your house that collects too much humidity. The leaves absorb the moisture.

Silk Worms Fodder

Got silkworms hanging around? Feed the harmless little creatures leftover green tea leaves. Apparently, what goes around comes around – it is said that silkworm extract is a natural aphrodisiac.

Wrinkle Reduction

The potent antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate found in green tea prevents the activation of collagen-digesting enzymes called matrix metalloproteinase. These enzymes are what causes wrinkling of the skin. Green tea also has anti-inflammatory properties that assist in preventing wrinkles and fine lines. By applying lotions and creams with green tea extract or drinking the tea on the regular, you can steer clear of premature aging and the onset of wrinkles.

Carpet Cleaning

Take a handful of moist, but not wet, green tea leaves and scatter them across the carpet. The tea leaves attract dust, so vacuuming is twice as effective.

Foot Bath

Soak your feet in a strong green tea brew to get rid of foot odors. Green tea is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. It also helps to get rid of bad smells.

Plant Water

Green tea is packed with antioxidants and is a great way to improve the health of plants. Soak tea leaves in water for a few days, remove the leaves, and then use the water to fertilize plants.

Liver Protection

Everyone’s liver could use a little help these days. Given the toxicity of our environment and diet, even if we live as eco-conscious and healthy as possible, our lifestyles still take a toll on our livers, which processes just about everything you ingest and absorb. The antioxidants in green tea help us to prevent liver disease as well as to boost the overall health of our livers.

Lingerie Freshening

Place green tea leaves in a thin cloth bag and toss it into your lingerie drawer. The leaves will absorb any odor and leave your precious apparel fresh and ready to rock.

Anxiety Remedy

An amino acid called theanine is found in green tea leaves and it is thought to give a relaxing and tranquilizing effect on the body.

Acne Treatment

Due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and anti-fungal properties, green tea is a powerful anti-acne treatment. Find a moisturizer or cleanser with green tea extract or take the homemade route and simply rub green tea leaves on your face and body before rinsing.

Deodorant

Dab green tea water that has cooled to your underarms and you can avoid a smelly summer afternoon. It’s a cheap and effective way to battling the effects of heat and stress.

Ice-Cream Flavor

Oh, how surprisingly delicious green tea ice cream is! Many Japanese restaurants feature a green tea ice cream on their menus. Considering all the benefits of the green tea, we have yet another excuse to indulge in dessert. Order it or try your hand at a homemade version.

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

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