Many consumers do not realize that "clean" makeup often uses Carmine. This is a red dye made from crushed beetles to achieve its pink and red hues. Meaning the product is neither vegan nor cruelty-free. For a truly ethical routine, consumers should seek out makeup colored exclusively by pure vegetable and superfood pigments.

The "Clean" Label Hides a Lot of Secrets

If you are trying to shop ethically, the ingredients list on your favorite clean blush might shock you. Because the beauty industry is trying to move away from synthetic, lab-made red dyes (like Red 40), many natural brands have reverted to an ancient coloring method: Carmine.

Carmine (sometimes listed as Cochineal Extract or Natural Red 4) is created by boiling and crushing thousands of cochineal insects to extract their vivid red color. While it is technically "natural" and allowed under the "clean" beauty umbrella, it is absolutely not vegan, and many consumers find it highly irritating to sensitive skin. Plus, how is killing something living cruelty-free?

The 100% Vegan Alternative

You don't need crushed bugs to get a vibrant, beautiful flush. The earth already provides the most brilliant colors imaginable.

At Fluency Beauty, we are proudly 100% vegan. We achieve our stunning berries, and reds by extracting pure pigments directly from purple potatoes, radishes, and beets. It’s proof that you can have bold, beautiful, high-performance makeup that is genuinely cruelty-free and strictly plant-based.