Formulated Without Microplastics: Our Standard, Explained
With one exception, every Susanne Kaufmann formulation is free from microplastics — not only under the definition set by EU law, but under the broader one used by environmental organisations, which also covers synthetic polymers that remain legally permitted. The exception is our Enzyme Exfoliator. We think that's worth explaining rather than leaving out.
What does "microplastic-free" actually mean?
There are two definitions in circulation, and they're not the same bar.
The legal one comes from EU Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, which restricts solid, insoluble synthetic polymer particles — the kind found in old-style exfoliating microbeads. If an ingredient doesn't exist as a solid plastic particle in the finished product, it falls outside this restriction.
The broader one is used by environmental organisations and an increasing number of consumers. It extends to synthetic polymers more generally — including some, like Carbomer, that are still legally permitted because they don't meet the EU's narrower technical definition.
We formulate against both. That second, stricter definition is the one we hold ourselves to, and it's the reason this is a longer story than "we comply with the law."
Where our formulations stand today
We checked our current range against the Red and Orange Lists published by Beat the Microbead — a campaign that applies the broader definition, not the narrower legal one. Every Susanne Kaufmann formulation clears that bar, with one exception: the Enzyme Exfoliator, which still contains Carbomer.
Is Carbomer a microplastic?
Not under EU law, and not in the form it exists in a finished product. Carbomer is supplied to us as a powder, but during manufacturing it swells permanently into a gel. By the time a formulation reaches you, there are no solid particles left — which is specifically what the EU restriction addresses. That's also why Carbomer sits outside the scope of Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, even though it's a synthetic polymer.
Carbomer is also independently recognised as safe for skin. It isn't restricted under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, it has been assessed by the independent Cosmetic Ingredient Review, and — like every ingredient we use — it's covered by the product's own safety assessment.
So why are we moving away from it?
Because our own standard goes further than either regulation requires. Carbomer is a synthetic polymer, it isn't readily biodegradable, and it can enter the environment through wastewater. None of that makes it unsuitable for skin — it simply sits outside the boundary we've set for our formulations. We've already removed it from every product except one.
Why is it still in the Enzyme Exfoliator?
Because we haven't found a replacement that meets our standard yet. The alternatives we've tested so far have noticeably changed the exfoliator's texture and performance, and we're not willing to put an unfinished replacement into a product people rely on. The work is ongoing — we don't have a date to share, but we didn't want to leave the Enzyme Exfoliator out of this conversation while we finish it.
Our standard going forward
Every new formulation we develop from here is built without microplastics from the outset — under our own broader definition, not only the version currently set by law. That's the standard we're holding ourselves to, one product at a time.
FAQs:
Is Carbomer a microplastic? Not under EU Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, which restricts solid, insoluble plastic particles. Carbomer is supplied as a powder but swells into a gel during manufacturing, so no solid particles remain in the finished product. It is a synthetic polymer, though, which is why some broader, non-legal definitions of "microplastic-free" still exclude it.
Is Susanne Kaufmann skincare free from microplastics? With one exception — the Enzyme Exfoliator, which still contains Carbomer — yes, across both the EU's legal definition and the broader definition used by environmental organisations such as Beat the Microbead.
Is Carbomer safe for skin? Yes. It is not restricted under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, has been assessed as safe by the independent Cosmetic Ingredient Review, and is covered by the product's own safety assessment, like every ingredient Susanne Kaufmann uses.
Why do some "microplastic-free" skincare brands still use Carbomer? Because Carbomer isn't legally classified as a microplastic — it swells into a gel during manufacturing and exists as no solid particles in the finished product. Brands that avoid it anyway, including Susanne Kaufmann in nearly all of its range, are applying a broader, self-imposed standard rather than following a legal requirement.