Woman complains of facial scrub microbeads discovered stuck in her pores

A social media influencer, Emma, who goes by the username @emickkah on TikTok has claimed that her aesthetician found the beads from a face scrub in her pores.

In a video posted on her TikTok account last month, she said that her aesthetician found the beads during a facial treatment. The video has since then garnered more than 1.8m views.

Emma claims in the video that her aesthetician asked her whether the product she has been using on her skin contains pink or red beads and informed her that she had found some beads in her facial pores.

She then concludes the video by showing herself throwing out her Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub Oil-Free Acne Wash, writes The Independent.

"Guys, this is wild. So, I just went and got my facial and she asked me mid-facial, she said: 'What kind of face wash are you using?' And I was like: 'Well, I ran out of my normal stuff so I've been using Neutrogena, the grapefruit stuff,'" Emma recalled.

"Neutrogena beads have been stuck in my face. Stuck in my face. She pulled out multiple Neutrogena beads," Emma continued. "If you are using Neutrogena Grapefruit Scrub, stop... what, crazy, wild. I feel so much better."

The video has received a lot of traction with users sharing their own experience with the face scrub. "Omg!! I literally use this one and noticed my skin started getting bumpy!" one person commented.

While another wrote: "Omg. I had one get in my eyeball!! My eye swelled so badly and had to go to the eye doctor to have it removed." The use of plastic microbeads in cosmetic products has been banned since 2015 in some countries as they have a harmful impact on environment.

Neutrogena does mention on its website that the beads are not made of plastic.However, social media users are still questioning as to what exactly these beads are made of.

The face scrub "features gentle exfoliators that smooth away roughness without over-drying or irritating acne-prone skin," according to Neutrogena's website. The brand further adds that the scrub "does not contain plastic microbeads."

The UK had banned the use of microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products in 2018. These beads are found in multiple face scrubs and toothpastes and wash into the sea every year where they end up in the stomachs of marine animals.