Pigment producer Impact Colors has announced its new line of candelilla bead exfoliators, Nature XFol. The line has been created specifically to replace polyethylene microbeads, plastic exfoliant particles said to be polluting the environment.
Candelilla is completely natural, edible and bio-degradable. The wax obtained from the plant - which grows wild in the desserts of Northern Mexico and Southern Texas - is hard enough to exfoliate with, yet easily mouldable, according to the company.
"Our new candelilla beads line arrives at just the right time,” said Doug Thornley, Impact Colors CEO. "Until now, manufacturers replacing microbeads had to compromise. With candelilla beads chemists now have a full-function, cost-effective biodegradable replacement that is also sustainable in its natural environment."
With this launch, Impact Colors joins a line of firms including Johnson & Johnson and Unilever who have eliminating the use of plastic microbeads, targeting complete elimination by 2017 or before.
"Since it became clear that microbeads have such a negative impact on the environment and potentially on consumer’s health, manufacturers have been stepping up aggressively to eliminate polyethylene microbeads across the board,” said Mr Thornley. "With this announcement, Impact Colors gives formulators a clear path to stop using microbeads."
