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The item I have chosen was my makeup, specifically my eye shadows. I have chosen my eye shadow palettes because it is something I use every once in a while to either express myself or perform in drag. Before I would use any type of eyeshadow no matter the brand, but now I am more particular about what brands I use now. Some brands are not cruelty free which means that during the process of making the product, it is tested on animals. Not only that but the eyeshadows that involve red dyes in them will include the dye from crushed beetles known as cochineal. A brand I have used more often is called Juvia's Place, they sell makeup that is vegan and cruelty free, which they highly advertise, as well as being a black owned brand which matters a lot to many today people as we know, trying to build something from the ground up as a person of color tends to be a little more difficult than someone who is white.

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Most eyeshadow brands tend to use similar raw materials in their eyeshadows such as, paperboard, glass, abs plastic, talc, silica, capric triglyceride, and mica. However, different brands will begin to advertise something called a vegan eyeshadow palette or a cruelty free palette to their consumers and claim to be very proud of this. The reason for this is because in the process of making their eyeshadow pigments they will substitute a raw material for something else to avoid using an insect called a cochineal. The primary use for this insect is for red dyes to be used in fabrics, food coloring, and cosmetics. It takes several thousands to produce a few pounds of dye and while they are not near extinction people frown upon brands that use these insects in their products. The insect is not close to becoming extinct. Why would someone be upset if a few thousands are being used in eyeshadows? The problem isn't the fear of the insect being erased from the planet, but more of using it for unnecessary things just to dye products into colors such as red, purple, orange, pink, etc. Many believe we do not need to kill thousands of the insects just to get the perfect shade of red or purple. But if killing them to make certain pigments then why is it okay and encouraged to eat insects for protein and health? The difference between these two controversial opinions is because one of them is being used for a luxury while the other is used as an alternative for protein to avoid causing the extinction of other endangered animals while keeping us humans with a healthy diet. So if the cochineal insect is often the main source for red dyes in cosmetics then what are other alternatives to them? Some eyeshadow brands have found what they believe to be successful substitutes, some of which are beets, purple sweet potatoes, pomegranate, and iron/ferric oxide.

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While eyeshadow can make someone feel more beautiful as well as giving them the ability to express themselves however they like, the work that goes into producing them is not so pretty and neither is the aftermath. A lot of the raw materials used for eyeshadows are minerals which means it will need to be frequently mined by machines that will contribute to air pollution. While the eyeshadows are being made and pressed in factories the machines that help with the process will also emit gasses into the atmosphere. The brand of eyeshadow I often use, Juvia's Place, is manufactured in the People's Republic of China (PRC) which for many is a deal breaker for several different reasons and they will end up looking for alternative brands to buy from. Because their product is made in China this means that it will have to travel overseas and run many risks while in transport and cause more dangers to the environment. To begin the products could either be transported through aviation and freight both involving a lot of physical labor and both will again emit more gasses into the atmosphere that contributes to greenhouse gasses. Because most eyeshadow palettes don't involve environment friendly materials, if there is lost cargo and it ends up at sea it will harm and pollute surrounding wildlife, the most dangerous material being plastic waste. Then finally the product comes to your doorstep and in your hands, while the product is being used there is no real waste that comes from this, but after someone is done wearing their makeup for the day. Makeup wipes are used to remove the product and throw it away which will end up in a landfill and when it comes time to clean off the makeup brushes the chemicals and minerals used will be washed down the drain and contaminate more water along the way. Some of the raw materials in eyeshadow can be harmful for the consumer currently using the product as well. An example is talc, while it is not harmful if it lays on top of your skin it can cause some damage if it gets into an open wound, if someone breathes it or swallows it, it can cause lung problems, skin irritation and redness in the eyes. This is the reason why on the back of a Juvia's Place eyeshadow palette it advises the makeup user to not use certain colors in the palette near the eye as it contains these harmful minerals. While some of the material used to make the palette, not the eyeshadow, can be recycled or reused, not too many makeup companies advertise it as much so many will end up throwing it away and what is worse is that many eyeshadow palettes will come with a glass mirror and they do not give the consumer the option of whether they want it or not, further adding to the hazardous material being thrown away.

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Every eyeshadow brand wants to outsmart their competitors and gain more followers to buy whatever it is they are selling. But with more people craving more vegan options in every category possible, meals, cosmetics, fashion, etc. how do companies that continue to test on animals and use animals in their products differ when it comes to how they advertise their products? Brands such as Juvia's Place, Elf, and NYX are vegan and cruelty free. When it comes to how they advertise their products they make it clear that the have vegan or cruelty free options. But then there brands such as Mac, Maybelline, and OPI that do test on animals and either hardly or don't have any vegan options for their customers and for many this will prevent them from wanting to buy from this company anymore so they have to be creative. People want more diversity no matter the setting and when they see that a brand is supporting and displaying a range of skin colors it will draw people in. The brand which I buy makeup from, Juvia's Place, is owned by a black women and when people review the makeup they always add that the brand is black-owned because even today many are aware of the difficulties trying to start a business as a person of color, so we as a community support our brothers and sisters. However, there has been some controversy with the brand because they often advertise that it is makeup that will compliment anyone's skin color while people black people first because many makeup brands before had hardly any selections for people with a darker skin tone. The issue came when people criticized the brand for caring more about white people because they would advertise and support more white people some being Nikkietutorials and Jeffree Star. This is where I think many brands are careful with who they have as the face of their brand and who they are openly supporting because their image means everything and something little as a one star review can end the brand and lose their followers.

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Johnson, K. (n.d.). The chemistry of eyeshadow. www.ChemistryIsLife.com. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.chemistryislife.com/the-chemistry-of-eyeshadow

Keller, A. (2021, April 20). Is talc in makeup safe?: Side effects & talc-free makeup. Drugwatch.com. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.drugwatch.com/talcum-powder/is-talc-in-makeup-safe/

Peterson, A. (2021, November 23). Eyeshadow palette - design life. Cycle. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from http://www.designlife-cycle.com/eyeshadow-palette

Rogers, T. (2015, July 13). Everything you need to know about ABS plastic. Everything You Need to Know About ABS Plastic. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-abs-plastic