1/ Our Core Things - Microplastics & lessons from Lupus
🧠 How microplastics affect our health | 🎙Becoming a makeup artist & living with lupus ft. Sapphire Shen
Let’s start.
It has taken me a while to find the right format to deliver the stories I want to tell: stories about planetary and personal wellness. The overarching themes are oneness and connection. When we connect with ourselves, we show up better for each other and the planet.
I’ve had this swirling in my head but it took me a while to connect the dots. I understand now why I couldn’t have put it together anytime sooner, because it is only through periods of deep introspection that I’ve been able to reconnect with myself, find my voice, and show up in the world in a more authentic, aligned way.
This weekly newsletter will be based on the themes of planetary and personal healing. It will also be supplemented with a podcast episode, where you’ll hear a summary of my feature article, plus the weekly podcast interview.
🌎 Article: How microplastics affect our health
What are microplastics?
Plastic debris is the most common type of marine debris and microplastics (MPs) are debris that are less than 5mm in size. The plastics in our oceans originate from a variety of sources, including plastic trash thrown into the sea, resin pellets and microbeads.
Microbeads are tiny plastic particles often used in beauty and skin products. They are used because of their effective exfoliant properties; you may have come across them in your toothpaste and bath scrubs.
Because they are so miniscule, microbeads bypass filtration systems and directly into our oceans. Due to their size, they are easily ingested by marine animals, affecting ecosystem health. Ultimately, they can enter into human bodies through our food, water, via the air we breathe, and through direct dermal contact.
How do microplastics enter and affect our bodies?
Amongst the various pathways, exposure via food and water is the most commonplace. A 2023 study from Korea that reviewed MP levels in over 90 foods found the highest levels of MPs in soy sauce, salted seafood and beer. Another study from Japan found that consuming marine dried fish products might contribute to the ingestion of microplastics, posing health risks especially in Asian countries.
MPs have been found in blood, feces, human breast milk and placental tissue. Below are some ways MPs can affect our health:
Can trigger an immune response
Can affect neural development
Can impact sperm quality and embryo development
Pregnant women and infants are particularly sensitive to MP exposure. The concentration of PET in infants, is ten times higher than in adults, suggesting infants’ susceptibility to MPs may be particularly high. The main form MP exposure for infants is through breastfeeding and the usage of plastic feeding bottles and toys.
Obstetrician Antonio Ragusa said in a Washington Post article that the danger lies in the endocrine disrupting chemicals used to produce plastics. Endocrine disruptors mimic and interfere with human hormones, affecting fetal and neural development.
(Note: Almost all studies of MPs on human health have been conducted on animals or experimental modelling, hence specific harm to the body is still unclear)
Three Steps to reduce microplastics exposure
Use plastic-free food containers: Use containers made of glass or porcelain, like this one from Frank Green.
Use plastic free baby products: Buy toys made from materials like wood, bamboo, cloth or natural rubber; use eco-friendly baby bottles.
Use skincare and beauty brands that prioritise natural, organic ingredients
L’oreal: Eliminated all plastic microbeads in exfoliant products since 2017. The brand also eliminated microplastics in all rinse-off products since 2020.
Aveda: Inspired by ayurvedic principles, Aveda’s products use only ingredients that are organically and biodynamically farmed.
Honest Beauty: Jessica Alba’s beauty brand places emphasis on pollutant and plastic-free ingredients
🌱 Product: INIKA Organic (@ inikaorganic)
Launched in Sydney in 2006, INIKA’s founders wanted to fill a gap in the market for healthy, toxin-free beauty. Over the years, they’ve won over 60 awards for product excelllence and innovation. INIKA became the first certified neutral plastic neutral brand globally. (See their full list of certifications here)
🎙 Podcast: Journey to becoming an MUA and living with Lupus | Sapphire Shen
“A lot of people thought I would be devastated [to be diagnosed with Lupus], but it was a relief to be diagnosed after ten months of struggle. ”- Sapphire Shen
Sapphire Shen (@shensapphire), is a Hong Kong-based make-up artist, creative director and founder of My Lupus Diary. Sapphire has over ten years of experience in the beauty industry, and has produced numerous creative projects around the world, from fashion shows to dramas and TV ads.
In this episode, Sapphire talks about how she dealt with being diagnosed with a chronic illness, and how she turned her struggles into inspiration for her charity, My Lupus Diary.
A sneak-peek
Tell me about your Lupus Journey.
I was officially diagnosed a decade ago, I was still in university. Something chaotic happened in my family, I ran away from home. I came down with a flu, my body was shutting down. All the specialists said ‘something is wrong’ but they could not pinpoint it. After ten months, I was so fed up. I decided to get one more opinion from a Rheumatologist. That doctor changed my life.
He said, ‘I can assure you 100% you have Lupus.’ Then I started medication and treatment. I felt like a normal human being again. A lot of people thought I would be devastated, but it was a relief to be diagnosed after ten months of struggle.
Did lupus affect your self-esteem?
That year was one of the most depressing moments of my life. Hair loss was crazy, I was in my early 20s. I cared about how I looked a lot. The weight fluctuations, the breakout, the bloating affected me a lot. I did not want to look at myself in the mirror.
As a content-creator and MUA, how do you protect your mental health?
It’s challenging especially because of the industry I’m in . Sometimes, you really start comparing yourself to who you’re following, I never thought I’d get to that state. With social media, we’re exposed to a lot of information that affects us subconsciously, and also trigger us. I decided I don’t want that this year, I still post on IG but don’t look at anything unless I actively choose to.