Cosmetic product containing microbeads. Cosmetic products such as cleansing scrubs, shower gels and toothpastes contain tiny particles of plastic called microbeads. Trillions of tiny pieces of plastic are accumulating in the world's oceans, lakes and estuaries, harming marine life and entering the food chain. The microbeads in scrubs, shower gels and toothpastes are an avoidable part of this plastic pollution problem. A single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean.