What are
microplastics?
What are
MICROPLASTICS?
According to the definition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), microplastics are solid plastic particles of five millimetres or smaller that are not soluble in water and are not biodegradable.
Microplastics can be divided into two categories: primary microplastics and secondary microplastics. Primary microplastics are intentionally manufactured as small particles and may be used in certain applications. Secondary microplastics are created when larger plastic items break down into smaller particles over time due to environmental influences such as sunlight, weathering and mechanical wear.
As part of our ongoing formula development efforts, NIVEA phased out polyethylene exfoliating particles (microbeads) from all exfoliating products by the end of 2015. Since the end of 2021, all NIVEA product formulations worldwide have been free from microplastic according to the UNEP definition.
Reducing microplastics in product formulations has been an important focus area for NIVEA for many years.
As an early step, NIVEA phased out polyethylene exfoliating particles (microbeads) from all exfoliating products by the end of 2015. We later removed additional ingredients that fall under the UNEP definition of microplastics from rinse-off products such as shower gels and facial cleansers.
Since the end of 2021, all NIVEA product formulations worldwide had been reformulated to be free from microplastic according to the UNEP definition.
Throughout this process, we carefully evaluated alternative ingredients to ensure our products continue to meet our requirements for safety, quality and performance.
*According to the UNEP definition of microplastics.
The discussion around microplastics has expanded to include substances with very different properties. Some of these ingredients are polymers that are dissolved in water or present in the form of a gel. They are sometimes referred to as “liquid microplastics”, although this term is not scientifically accurate. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), these polymers are not part of its definition of microplastics.
In cosmetic formulations, polymers can serve different functions, for example as thickeners, stabilisers or film formers. They can contribute to product properties such as water resistance in sun care products or conditioning performance in shampoos.
All polymers used in NIVEA products must meet our requirements for product safety and quality. We consider biodegradability as one of the aspects in our continuous efforts to further develop our formulas.
Biodegradability is one of the aspects we consider when further developing our formulas. As part of this approach, biodegradable polymers have already been introduced across our shower gel range.
The formulas of our shower gel range have been updated to include biodegradable polymers. You can find more information on our product pages to help you better understand the ingredients and properties of our products.
We are still in the process of reformulating our sun protection formulas. Our first relaunches will include our new products for kids with 100 percent mineral UV filters.
We are committed to providing clear and transparent information about sustainability at NIVEA. If you would like to learn more about our commitments, targets and progress, please visit the sustainability website of NIVEA's parent company, Beiersdorf.