03/08/2026
How do you feel about bugs in your lipstick? ๐๐
Carmine is a red pigment commonly used in lipsticks, lip glosses, blushers, eyeshadows and tinted lip balms. Itโs made from the dried bodies of female cochineal insects.
On ingredient labels, look out for:
โข Carmine
โข CI 75470
โข Natural Red 4
Many people are surprised to learn that a โnaturalโ colourant can still be animal-derived, so if youโre looking for vegan cosmetics, this is one ingredient worth checking for.
Did you know that bugs could be used to pigment your cosmetics? Let me know in the comments! ๐