Microplastics in Skincare: The Ingredients to Avoid and the Brands That Don't Hide Them

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The ban most people think happened didn’t fully happen

The 2015 Microbead-Free Waters Act banned plastic microbeads (the visible scrubbing particles) from rinse-off cosmetics in the United States. The EU followed in 2018. Media coverage at the time created the impression that microplastics had been removed from cosmetics broadly.

That impression is partly wrong.

The ban addressed solid plastic particles intentionally added for exfoliation, in rinse-off products only. It did not address:

• Liquid synthetic polymers used as film formers, binders, or texture modifiers.
• Leave-on products (moisturizers, lotions, sunscreens, makeup).
• Microbeads under 1 mm not used for exfoliation (still permitted in some product categories).
• Microplastic-shedding ingredients that meet the regulatory definition of “soluble” or “liquid” even though they fragment into solid microplastic particles during normal use.

The Plastic Soup Foundation’s 2024 analysis of 7,704 cosmetic products in 10 European countries found that 87% contained at least one synthetic polymer ingredient, despite the microbead bans. The EU is now in the process of finalizing a broader restriction (REACH Annex XVII), but the U.S. has no equivalent in progress.

For affluent consumers buying premium skincare, the assumption that “natural” or “luxury” brands have already addressed the issue is mostly wrong. The polymer ingredients are common across price points.

The ingredients to recognize on the label

Cosmetic ingredients are listed in International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) format. Synthetic polymers appear under technical names that are not obviously “plastic.” The most common ones:

Solid plastic microparticles (rinse-off ban applies)

• Polyethylene (PE) — Was the original microbead material. Now restricted in rinse-off exfoliants. Still appears in leave-on products.
• Polypropylene (PP) — Hard particles, glitter, decorative shimmer.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — Glitter, decorative particles.

Liquid synthetic polymers (broadly permitted)

Not all of these carry the same weight of evidence. Acrylates copolymer, acrylates crosspolymer, nylon, and polyurethane are treated in the scientific and regulatory literature as settled synthetic polymers. Carbomer, PVP, sodium polyacrylate, polyacrylate crosspolymer-6, and high-molecular-weight PEGs are soluble or gel-forming polymers whose microplastic classification is disputed and still under regulatory review, not an established fact. Both groups are worth spotting on a label, but they don't belong in the same certainty bucket.

• Polyacrylates (acrylates copolymer, acrylates crosspolymer) — Used as film formers in makeup, hair products, masks. Become microplastic particles when the film flakes off.
• Sodium polyacrylate — Also a polyacrylate, but a water-soluble, gel-forming one. Its microplastic classification is disputed rather than settled. The EU's proposed microplastics restriction exempts polymers that dissolve above a set solubility threshold, and sodium polyacrylate is one of the ingredients still being evaluated against that line.
• Carbomer — A polyacrylic acid polymer used to thicken gels and creams. Its classification is contested: carbomer forms a swelling gel rather than shedding solid particles, and whether that counts as a microplastic is under active regulatory review, not settled.
• Nylon-6, Nylon-12, Nylon-66 — Used as bulking agents and texture modifiers in foundations, primers, eye makeup.
• Polyurethane (PU-2, PU-9) — Film-forming agent in long-wear makeup, mascaras, hair products.
• PVP (Polyvinylpyrrolidone) — Hairspray and styling-product film former. Like carbomer, it is a soluble polymer, and its status as a microplastic is disputed rather than confirmed.
• PEG-based polymers (PEG-7, PEG-12, PEG-100, etc.) — Surfactants and emulsifiers. Behavior varies by molecular weight. Some researchers flag high-molecular-weight PEGs as persistent microplastics, others classify them as soluble polymers that fall under the EU's solubility exemption. That question is unresolved, not settled.

Silicones (separate category, related concerns)

• Dimethicone — Polymerized silicone, ubiquitous in skincare.
• Cyclomethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclotetrasiloxane (D4, D5, D6) — Cyclic siloxanes. D4 and D5 are now restricted under EU REACH due to environmental and endocrine concerns. D6 follows in 2026.

Silicones are not technically “microplastics” but share many of the same end-of-life behaviors. The ECHA D4/D5/D6 restriction is the regulatory acknowledgment of this.

Quick answers on specific ingredients

Is acrylates copolymer a microplastic?

Yes, by the definition used in the Plastic Soup Foundation's product analysis. Acrylates copolymer is a liquid synthetic polymer in the polyacrylate family, used as a film former in makeup, hair products, and masks. The microbead ban does not cover it, because that ban addressed only solid plastic particles in rinse-off exfoliating products. Once the film it forms flakes off, it becomes microplastic particles.

Is carbomer a microplastic?

Disputed, not settled. Carbomer is a polyacrylic acid polymer used to thicken gels and creams, and it belongs to the same broad family as the polyacrylate film formers. But carbomer forms a swelling gel network rather than shedding solid particles, and whether that gel structure meets a microplastic definition is an open question in the regulatory literature, not an established fact. The microbead ban doesn't settle it either way: that ban addressed only solid plastic particles in rinse-off exfoliating products.

Is dimethicone a microplastic?

No, and the distinction matters. Dimethicone is a polymerized silicone, and silicones are a related but separate category: siloxane polymers rather than hydrocarbon plastics. They share many of the same end-of-life environmental behaviors, which is why the cyclic siloxanes (D4, D5, D6) are now restricted under EU REACH. The microbead ban does not cover silicones, and dimethicone itself remains ubiquitous in skincare.

Is polyacrylate crosspolymer-6 a microplastic?

Disputed. Polyacrylate crosspolymer-6 is a polyacrylate, but unlike the solid-forming acrylates copolymer and acrylates crosspolymer, it is a gel-swelling polymer, and gel-swelling polyacrylates are the ones currently caught up in the EU's solubility-threshold debate. The microbead ban doesn't cover it regardless, since that ban addressed only solid plastic particles in rinse-off exfoliating products. Worth spotting on an INCI list, but its microplastic status isn't settled the way a solid particulate like polyethylene is.

Is sodium polyacrylate a microplastic?

Disputed. Sodium polyacrylate is a water-soluble, gel-forming polyacrylate, closer in behavior to carbomer than to the solid-forming acrylates copolymer and acrylates crosspolymer. The EU's proposed microplastics restriction exempts polymers that dissolve above a set threshold, and sodium polyacrylate is one of the ingredients still being evaluated against that exemption. The microbead ban doesn't resolve the question either: it covers only solid plastic particles in rinse-off exfoliating cosmetics.

Ingredient lookup table

The same ingredients, condensed into one reference. Categories and verdicts summarize the sections above.

What products are most affected

The polymer load varies substantially by product category.

Long-wear and “all-day” makeup. Foundations, primers, setting sprays, mascaras. The film-forming chemistry that makes makeup wear all day is almost always synthetic polymer. Mineral makeup is the exception.

Sunscreens (especially water-resistant). Polyacrylate film formers are the water-resistance mechanism in most chemical sunscreens. Mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) typically have lower polymer content but vary by formulation.

Hair products. Hairsprays, styling creams, leave-in conditioners are heavily polymer-loaded. PVP and polyurethane copolymers are the standard.

Anti-aging serums and creams. “Plumping” and “filling” effects often come from polymer film-formers. The visible result lasts as long as the film does, which is hours.

Glitter products. Almost universally PET or aluminum-coated polyester. Even “biodegradable glitter” is often cellulose-coated synthetic polymer.

Brands worth attention

The skincare brands that have made verifiable, third-party-documented commitments to remove synthetic polymer ingredients are a small subset of the broader “clean beauty” category. “Clean beauty” as a marketing term has no enforced definition and frequently does not address microplastic ingredients specifically.

The third-party certification that actually addresses microplastics is the Plastic-Free Beauty certification from organizations like Beat the Microbead (Plastic Soup Foundation) and Good Face Project. Look for these specifically.

Brands with explicit microplastic-free certifications or public commitments

Weleda — Long-established European brand. Documented synthetic-polymer-free formulations across most of the line. Premium price tier.

Dr. Bronner’s — Liquid soaps and personal care. Synthetic-polymer-free; uses traditional natural-soap chemistry instead of polymer-based film-formers.

RMS Beauty — Mineral makeup, transparent ingredient sourcing, lower polymer content than most makeup brands.

Living Libations — Premium natural skincare, explicit avoidance of synthetic polymers.

Tata Harper — Premium tier, ECOCERT-certified organic line with third-party verified ingredient lists. ECOCERT's organic and natural certification standards restrict synthetic silicones, which is why silicones are not a typical finding in this line.

Brands marketed as “clean” that still contain synthetic polymers

This is not an exposé list — these are not bad brands. They are clean-marketed brands whose ingredient lists still include polyacrylates, nylons, or carbomers. Read the INCI list of any specific product before buying:

• Drunk Elephant (selected products)
• The Ordinary (selected products)
• Beautycounter (selected products)
• Glow Recipe (selected products)
• Pixi Beauty (selected products)

The point is that “clean beauty” branding is not a reliable filter for synthetic-polymer content. The ingredient list is.

The practical guidance

For the highest-leverage swaps, focus on rinse-off and high-volume products first. A face wash used twice daily contributes more cumulative polymer exposure than a face serum used in 0.5-ml portions. The order to address:

1. Body wash, face wash, shampoo, conditioner (rinse-off, daily, high volume).
2. Toothpaste — many contain polyethylene microbeads.
3. Sunscreen (daily, leave-on, applied to large skin area).
4. Foundation, primer, setting spray.
5. Lotion, body cream.
6. Specialty products (serums, masks, etc.).

For products you cannot replace, look for the lowest-polymer formulation in the category. Mineral sunscreen instead of chemical. Powder foundation instead of liquid. Bar soap instead of liquid cleanser.

Check ingredients against the Beat the Microbead app. The Plastic Soup Foundation maintains a free app that scans cosmetic INCI labels and flags synthetic-polymer ingredients. Limited to recognizing common polymer types but a reasonable starting filter.

For the broader microplastic exposure picture across the household, see Microplastics in Food: What Your Containers Are Actually Releasing. Related reading: microplastic exposure in young children, where ingested and absorbed particles end up, and chemical migration from everyday products.

The regulatory direction

The EU is in the process of finalizing a broader restriction under REACH Annex XVII that would cover most synthetic polymers in cosmetics by 2032. The U.S. has no comparable regulation in progress.

For consumers, this means the responsibility of identifying microplastics in skincare will remain on individual ingredient-list reading for at least the next 5–8 years. The packaging marketing is moving faster than the actual chemistry change in most cases.

Sources

• Plastic Soup Foundation, “Beat the Microbead — Annual Report 2024”
• US Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-114)
• ECHA REACH Annex XVII Restriction Proposal, “Intentionally Added Microplastics in Products,” 2023 update
• ECHA Restriction on Cyclic Siloxanes (D4, D5, D6), 2018 and 2024 expansion
• Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reports on PEG, polyacrylate, and polyurethane families
• Lebreton, L. & Andrady, A. (2019), “Future scenarios of global plastic waste generation and disposal,” Palgrave Communications, doi.org/10.1057/s41599-018-0212-7

Frequently asked questions

Are microplastics in cosmetics banned?

Partially. Solid plastic microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics were banned in the US (2015) and EU (2018). Liquid synthetic polymers, leave-on products, and most film-forming polymer ingredients remain permitted. The EU is finalizing a broader restriction (REACH Annex XVII) but the US has no equivalent in progress.

What ingredients are microplastics on a skincare label?

Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylates copolymer, acrylates crosspolymer, nylon-6, nylon-12, and polyurethane are the synthetic polymer ingredients treated as settled microplastics in the scientific and regulatory literature. Carbomer, PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone), sodium polyacrylate, polyacrylate crosspolymer-6, and high-molecular-weight PEGs are soluble or gel-forming polymers whose microplastic classification is disputed and still under regulatory review.

Are silicones microplastics?

Silicones (dimethicone, cyclomethicone) are technically a separate category — siloxane polymers, not hydrocarbon plastics. They share many end-of-life environmental concerns and the cyclic siloxanes (D4, D5, D6) are now restricted under EU REACH. The mainstream microplastic ban does not cover silicones, but the regulatory direction is similar.

Is “clean beauty” microplastic-free?

Not reliably. “Clean beauty” as a marketing term has no enforced definition and frequently does not address microplastic ingredients specifically. Many “clean” brands still contain polyacrylates, carbomers, and other synthetic polymers. The ingredient list (INCI) is the only reliable filter.

How do I check if my skincare contains microplastics?

Read the INCI ingredient list and look for: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylate, acrylates crosspolymer, carbomer, nylon-12, polyurethane, PVP. The Beat the Microbead app (Plastic Soup Foundation) scans labels and flags common synthetic polymer ingredients automatically.

Are there microplastics in sunscreen?

Most chemical sunscreens contain polyacrylate film-formers as the water-resistance mechanism. Mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide as active ingredients) typically have lower synthetic polymer content but vary by formulation. The base formulation matters as much as the active ingredient.