The global beauty industry creates one hundred and twenty billion units of packaging every year, most of which isn’t recyclable. Beating our faces and our environment, San Luis Obispo High School students are moving beyond the ugliness of the beauty world and the cover up they use to hide their contributions to an unsustainable world. 

   “Honestly, I do not look at the sustainability of my makeup products. It depends on what product I am using, but I would and do look at the chemicals, but not plastics or what the makeup is in. I am against testing on animals. I do believe that non sustainable makeup does affect our environment. I think it affects our environment negatively. It goes from our faces, to our sinks and eventually into the ocean or near lakes,” said junior Sage Somma. 

  The word “vivisection,” or animal experimentation, does not begin to describe how hundreds of millions of animals are used in science every year. The physical pain, deprivation and emotional distress experienced by animals who are cut up, poisoned, burned, irradiated, gassed, shocked, dismembered or genetically designed to suffer is unbelievable.

  “I would look at the brand of the makeup but I don’t pay much attention to exactly what is in it. I have a couple brands that I really like that I get everytime and they work well for me so I am not sure I would change them. I’m against testing on animals and I don’t think makeup or any products should be tested on animals. I think non sustainable makeup is okay but not the best for the environment, and I think it’s a good idea to use all natural products for sure,” said sophomore Paige Beckett. 

  Millions of animals such as dogs and cats, rats and mice, rabbits, pigs, horses, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and guinea pigs are sacrificed as a result of animal experimentation.

  “Yes, I am very particular about the brand I use to make sure that it’s good for my skin. Testing on animals is a cruel and violent act, that I do not support. The chemicals that are produced from the non sustainable makeup-products are bad for the environment, for example it could pollute various bodies of water,” said sophomore Kyndal Hernandez. 

  Next time you go to put on that blinding highlight, or bright pink lip, look at the sustainability of your makeup and how it either makes our world glowing or caked with trash. 

Source: acalaonline.com and navs.org