Australia’s beauty crackdown: Why trusted brands are being pulled from shelves right now

For years, Australians have turned to familiar beauty brands promising healthy, glowing skin. But that trust has been shaken after authorities discovered some of the country's most recognisable names were still selling products containing banned plastic particles—years after the industry claimed to have phased them out.

The shocking discovery behind closed doors

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued formal compliance notices to six businesses, ordering the removal of nine products from shelves.

The banned ingredient? Microbeads—tiny plastic fragments smaller than five millimetres that have been outlawed in personal care items since November 2022.

Despite a federal plan nearly a decade ago to phase out the use of microbeads, the EPA found that some exfoliating scrubs were still being sold with the banned ingredient.

The regulator said testing uncovered the particles in products that were supposed to have been reformulated years ago, making NSW ‘one of the first regulators in the world to clamp down on the use of microbeads in personal care items’.

EPA chief executive Tony Chappel said it was clear these plastic additives had no place in beauty products or waterways.

Chappel noted that some of the plastic fragments were made from bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) and cellulose acetate—materials that still do not break down naturally and remain classified as plastic under the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act.

The EPA also cited research from scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology warning that microbeads ‘have the potential to affect soil sediment, water, and air all at once, yet nobody is paying attention’.

The affected products include:

• Aesthetics Skincare's Bio Fermented Triple Action Scrub
• Coles Group's KOi for Men Cleansing Face Scrub and Desert Lime
• Frostbland's Alya Skin Pomegranate Facial Scrub and Exfoliating Sorbet
• JMSR Australia's Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub and Cranberry Orange Exfoliator
• McPherson's Consumer Products' Dr LeWinn's Essentials Gentle Exfoliant Weekly Facial Polishing Gel
• Natio's Purifying Face Scrub for Men and Ageless Skin Renewal Exfoliator

Some of the products remain available in other states and territories, with Jan Marini listing its body scrub as unavailable in NSW but still sold elsewhere.

How the beauty industry let you down

Back in 2016, environment ministers from across Australia agreed to a voluntary phase-out of microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics.

The campaign was managed by Accord Australasia, the peak body for personal-care companies.

In 2022, Accord and the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water announced that the phase-out had been ‘delivered’ and that the target of removing microbeads from rinse-off products ‘had been met’.

But the latest enforcement actions show that some brands didn’t keep their promises.

Accord has since told media that it is ‘no longer coordinating control of microbeads’ and that responsibility has passed to the states and territories that have legislated bans.

The EPA said once companies were notified they moved quickly to remove stock.

What this means for your bathroom cabinet

The NSW notices carry weight: failing to comply can attract penalties of up to $550,000, plus $55,000 per day for ongoing breaches.

A Coles spokesperson said the supermarket ‘acted immediately’ after being contacted. ‘Following our review of the ingredient identified in the notice, we removed the product from sale in all stores nationally,’ they said.

‘We have since updated our policies to ensure it is not included in any own-brand products again.’

What happens next

The EPA said its action sends a strong message to the industry that ignoring the law is not an option.

Chappel said the notices were necessary to protect both the environment and consumers.

For now, the message is clear: check your skincare and grooming products carefully, read the ingredients, and don’t assume long-standing brands are always following the rules.

Read next: Australians are washing microplastics down the drain and it’s ending up on our farms

Key Takeaways

• The NSW EPA issued compliance notices to six companies for nine products found to contain banned plastic microbeads.
• Some particles were made from bioplastics such as PLA and cellulose acetate but still classified as plastics under NSW law.
• A 2023 study from the Indian Institute of Technology warned that microbeads could affect soil, water, and air environments simultaneously.
• Penalties for breaching NSW’s microbead ban can reach $550,000, with additional daily fines for ongoing non-compliance.

Have you checked your skincare products for microbeads recently? Share what you’ve found in the comments below and help others make informed choices.