Pumice: The Ideal Replacement for Exfoliating Microbeads

FROM THE WORLD'S PUREST COMMERCIAL DEPOSIT OF WHITE PUMICE

Pumice: The Ideal Microbead Replacement

pumice is the all natural, highly effective, non-toxic microbead replacement

pumice is an ideal replacement for banned microbeads

Hess Pumice has been used for years in a variety of exfoliating and cleaning products—shower and body gels, facial and foot scrubs, heavy duty hand cleansers, and household cleansers for kitchen and bath surfaces. Our pumice deposit is naturally pure, abundant, neutral in pH, chemically benign, hard enough to exfoliate yet soft enough to not damage skin. Pumice also boasts a valuable friability characteristic, in that it can be crushed and processed to an fine powder and still retain its gentle abrasive quality (texture). Pumice-based scrubs and soaps exfoliate without needing help from chemistry...or a lot of elbow grease, as a light-touch scrubbing is all that is needed for the microscopic surfaces of the pumice to do the job.

MICROBEAD USE PROHIBITED. With the US law banning the manufacture and commerce of products containing plastic microbeads (Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015), pumice stands as a proven and effective replacement for microbeads in cosmetic and cleansing products while doing no harm the environment.

ABOUT PUMICE. In brief, pumice is a lightweight, frothy stone formed from volcanic activity. It is non-crystalline in structure (amorphous) and so poses no respiratory hazards. Many factors affect the useful quality, color, and purity of a pumice deposit, but on a chemical analysis level, pumice is basically an aluminum silicate. Pumice has a variety of uses in a wide range of industries—from filtration to horticulture to concrete pozzolan to paint filler and extender—and hence enjoys a healthy and vibrant marketplace.

THE PUMICE OPTION. Is Hess pumice the right "scrub" ingredient for your exfoliant product? That can only be answered definitively at the other end of your careful evaluation and testing process, but we can tell you that pumice comfortably meets these key consideration criteria:

Proven Effective—pumice is already being used successfully in exfoliating products.

Sustainable—our pumice comes from an ancient sea bed and our patented deposit has a confirmed yield in the millions of tons.

Cost Effective—the valuable physical and chemical characteristics of pumice were "manufactured" by Mother Nature. The refining-to-grade process for our pumice is minimal. Thus, the cost of refined pumice is highly attractive while the environmental impact is negligible.

Eco-Friendly—pumice is abundant and benign. Nor does it add a carbon source with the potential to unbalance the eco system (that it is eventually washed into) like biodegradable botanical grits can.

Ideal Structure—the frothy micro-sponge structure of pumice—even when refined to fine powders—means pumice provides both excellent exfoliating texture and absorbency for liquid ingredients and scents. A very low specific gravity means pumice stays suspended in the product.

Naturally Pure and White—The Hess pumice deposit, found in Southeast Idaho, is naturally white (84 brightness on the GE scale) and of a purity that has our pumice in demand world-wide. [download tech data sheet]

PREMIER PUMICE SUPPLIER. Hess Pumice Products processes pumice to some 300 grades and enjoys a well-earned reputation world-wide for delivering pumice on-spec and on-time. Once we’ve helped you determine the ideal spec for your application, we combine that expertise with state-of-the-art lab and processing equipment to insure the spec is maintained throughout the entire process—insuring consistency from batch to batch.

GET A PUMICE SAMPLE. We know the process of identifying and testing a viable replacement of exfoliating microbeads is a complex one—as a variety of criteria must be met. We're here to help. Contact us for a testing sample from the purest commercial deposit of white pumice on the planet. Call 800-767-4701 x111 or email brian@hesspumice.com