Hourglass Invented A Vegan Ingredient So Your Red Lipstick Isn’t Crushed Bugs Anymore
Whether you’re vegan or not, carmine—the ingredient that makes lipstick, red velvet cake and candy so red—is pretty icky. If you didn’t already know, carmine is derived from crushed bodies of cochineal insects. It’s in so many cosmetics and food products, it’s almost impossible to avoid directly though many vegans try. That’s why Hourglass created the Confession Lipstick Red 0. The special-edition shade is a totally vegan red hue.
Not to gross you out even more, but there are 70,000 insects in one pound of carmine, which means there could be as many as 1,000 insects used in a single lipstick. So, why even use it? Well, mostly because it’s cheap and easy. There are numerous vegan carmine alternatives including...
