The square root of healthy, radiant skin? Exfoliation, exfoliation, exfoliation.
It's an inescapable truth that the grainy consistency of an exfoliator will refresh your skin like nothing else could. When used a couple of times a week, they rid your complexion of dead skin cells, clean out your pores and ultimately, leave your skin glowing. But, before you turn to your usual tub in the bathroom cabinet, it's important to check whether it contains microbeads (tiny plastic particles found in a number of face scrubs).
While they may leave our faces feeling polished, these little beads leave a not-so-clean mark on the environment - which is precisely why a new law comes into force in 2017 which will phase out the sale of products containing them.
With this in mind, we've rounded up five ocean-friendly formulas to buff and brighten your complexion, sans microbeads...
Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator, £15.75 If you enjoy the feeling of a proper scrub but are after a more natural formula, Liz Earle's contains really fine jojoba beads, which will buff away dead skin cells and leave your skin feeling fresh, soft and clean.
Origins Modern Friction Nature's Gentle Dermabrasion, £23 This creamy scrub provides a gentle exfoliation with no irritation. It leaves your complexion polished, refined, refreshed and beaming with luminosity.
Bee Good Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator, £10.50 Suitable for all skin types, Bee Good's exfoliator ticks a trio of boxes; exfoliating, hydrating and calming. Lavender gently lifts and buffs away dead skin cells, wheatgerm oil soothes and moisturises and British propolis helps to balance problematic complexions.
Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser,£34This pearly white exfoliator may have a fairly creamy consistency, but the cocktail of acid exfoliants it contains (lactic, glycolic and salicylic) alongside teeny tiny jojoba bead granules provide a double-duty polish, for skin that is left feeling super smooth.
Pai Kukui & Jojoba Bead Skin Brightening Exfoliator, £20If you have really sensitive skin, Pai's exfoliator takes a truly gentle approach. Jojoba beads are pretty similar in shape and size to microbeads - but the difference is they melt once warmed by the heat of your skin. Not only does it gently slough away dead skin but you get all the benefits of jojoba oil too. The result? Your skin will feel silky and look a whole lot brighter.
