On October 8, 2015, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law one of the toughest bans in the nation on personal care products containing plastic microbeads. Plastic microbeads are frequently used by cosmetic companies in soaps, shampoos and scrubs. They are in hand sanitizers and in toothpaste. This ban has a direct impact on cosmetic and personal care companies and could lead to various consumer protection-related lawsuits. It also has a potential effect on the way other states address this commonly used ingredient.