A common ingredient often found in lipstick is carmine, which many vegans may be familiar with since it is a hidden ingredient in many products. According to L’Oréal Paris, carmine is a dye mixture of carmine acid salt and crushed insects known as cochineals.
These insects have been used to make red dye for hundreds of years. The female insects have the cochineal extract extrapolated from them which is mixed with the salt from carmine acid. Astoundingly, to make just one pound of carmine, 70,000 insects need to be added.
Today cosmetics companies rely heavily on using carmine in their product line, particularly in red, pink, and orange lipsticks and blushes. Carmine is also used as a common red food dye and is found in many things from bakery goods to coffee flavors. Even mega company Starbucks has used it in the past but has since stopped due to public outcry.
Post source: The List
