The cosmetics industry is a huge market. The makeup one use everyday including the personal care products like body wash, soaps, perfumes are store house of lot of chemicals. These chemicals are linked with infertility, cancer , birth defects and even causes hormone imbalances . According to reports there are over 10,000 industrial chemicals that are used to formulate cosmetics and personal care products, the same chemicals are used to grease gears, or the chemicals that are used to sterilize equipments and plastics are used in our everyday makeup. So these are the consequences of using a cosmetics but let us discuss how make up industry is affecting the low wage workers.

Mica, these are group of minerals used to give sparkle to a product. On record atleast thirty seven varieties of mica are found and mined all over the world. India is one of the largest producer of mica. The cosmetic industry is fourth largest buyer of mica , after electronics industry, painting industry and construction industry. Mica has it's presence in most beauty and personal care products. To be precise, Every shiny and shimmery product has a presence of mica in it. These products can be eyeshadow palette, highlighters, blush, conditioner to name a few. 

India,  every year officially produces fifteen thousand (15000) tonnes of mica , yet it exported 1,30,000 tones. Who is accounting for this “ huge difference” . The answer is illegal mines . In remote villages of jharkhand, rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh children as young as five (5) risk their lives everyday to extract mila flakes. These children doing this dangerous work without any kind of protection earn upto only rupees thirty (30) a day. There are several occupational hazards that they are exposed to like long term respiratory infection, on-site accidents like head injuries, cuts and abrasions.  According to Reuters report children regularly dies in that mines. Because of extremely low wages, whole family has to work in order to fill their stomach . Most of deaths are purposely unreported in order to continue this illegal activity. One can easily predict the illegal activity by simply looking at the unbalanced production numbers and the amount of mica traded.

Some cosmetic brands like loreal and chanel have joined the group “ responsible mica initiative” . Also a  more expensive products does not mean it is  safer for use , one should always look for labels that have fewer ingredients . Therefore one should shop responsibly in order to avoid harmful health hazards.