The Dark Secret Behind Your Favorite Makeup Products | Shady | Refinery29

Summary

This video script exposes the dark side of beauty, revealing the use of child labor in the mica mining industry in India, a key ingredient in cosmetics. Companies like Lush Cosmetics are taking ethical stands by opting for synthetic mica, while others pledge to improve supply chains. The script delves into the lives of children in Jharkhand, the center of the mica trade, highlighting the struggle between poverty and exploitation. It calls for responsible corporate actions and consumer awareness to break the cycle of child labor and empower the affected communities.

Takeaways

• 💄 Makeup is highlighted as a tool for liberation and self-expression, but it also has a dark side due to the use of controversial ingredients like mica.
• 🌟 Mica is a crucial mineral in many everyday products, including cosmetics, for its heat and electrical resistance properties.
• 💎 The demand for mica in the cosmetics industry has surged, especially for creating a radiant shimmer effect in makeup products.
• 🇮🇳 Most of the world's mica comes from India, where a 2016 investigation revealed child labor and dangerous working conditions in the mining process.
• 🤝 Some companies, like Lush Cosmetics, have chosen to use synthetic mica to avoid contributing to unethical practices in the mica supply chain.
• 🛑 The beauty industry is facing a moral reckoning and some companies are working towards creating a sustainable and ethical supply chain for mica.
• 🏭 Jharkhand, a state in India, is known for its rich mineral resources but also for the poverty and child labor associated with illegal and unregulated mica mining.
• 👧 Children involved in mica mining face significant risks, including injury, illness, and even death, as illustrated by the tragic story of Surma Kumari and her family.
• 🔄 The mica trade operates on a facade that conceals the involvement of child labor, with the mineral often sold under the license of legal mines.
• 🏫 Efforts are being made to provide alternative income streams for families to prevent children from working in the mines, such as the 'child friendly village' model.
• 🌐 The role of companies and consumers in addressing this issue is emphasized, with the power to determine the lives of those involved in the mica trade.
• 📚 The Indian government's response to the issue is mixed, with some agencies seemingly unaware or uninvolved in addressing the problem of child labor in mica mining.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of makeup according to the script?

Makeup is described as a tool for liberation and expression, capable of making people feel beautiful.

What ingredient in cosmetics has been highlighted as controversial in the script?

Mica is the controversial ingredient in cosmetics, due to its dark side involving child labor in its mining process.

What property of mica makes it invaluable in various industries?

Mica's properties of heat and electrical resistance make it essential in industries such as electronics, insulation, paint, and even toothpaste.

Why has the demand for mica in the cosmetics industry increased significantly?

The demand for mica has increased due to its use in creating a glowing, radiant shimmer effect in makeup products, driven by the industry's pursuit of a no-makeup makeup look and highlighter effects.

What was the revelation about mica mining in India that forced the beauty industry into a moral reckoning?

The revelation was that mica was being mined by children in India, with a deadly cost, as reported by the 2016 Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation.

What approach has Lush Cosmetics taken regarding the use of natural mica?

Lush Cosmetics decided to pull out of using natural mica altogether due to the lack of a transparent supply chain, opting for synthetic mica instead.

What is the significance of synthetic mica according to the script?

Synthetic mica is highlighted as having a greater variety of sparkles and pigments, making it a viable alternative to natural mica without the ethical concerns.

What is the situation of the mica mining areas in Jharkhand, India?

Jharkhand is a mining state with rich reserves of various minerals including mica. However, most of the mining is illegal and unregulated, with many mines abandoned or scavenged, and children are often involved in the dangerous work.

What are the risks and consequences faced by children working in the mica mines?

Children face numerous risks including cuts, broken bones, respiratory illnesses, and even death due to accidents such as tunnel collapses.

What efforts are being made to address the issue of child labor in mica mining?

Initiatives like 'the child friendly village' model, piloted by the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, aim to connect parents to new income streams and rescue children from labor, enrolling them in school.

What is the role of companies and consumers in addressing the mica mining issue?

The script suggests that companies and consumers have the power to influence the situation through their choices, such as choosing to buy from companies that ensure ethical sourcing or supporting initiatives aimed at ending child labor.

How does the script suggest the Indian government is responding to the issue of child labor in mica mining?

The script indicates that while the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights is aware of the issue, there seems to be a lack of clear action or coordination between different government bodies, with some officials appearing uninformed about ongoing efforts.

What is the 'Child Parliament' mentioned in the script and its significance?

The 'Child Parliament' is an outcome of the child friendly villages initiative, where children like Champa Kumari are empowered to advocate for the elimination of child labor and participate in making decisions affecting their lives.