Part 3/5:
Despite its glamorous presence in makeup, sourcing mica poses serious ethical challenges. A substantial proportion of the mica utilized in cosmetics hails from regions such as India, Madagascar, China, and Brazil—countries where the mining process is often tainted by the prevalence of child labor and perilous working conditions. The extraction of mica typically occurs in environments that are not only dangerous but also exploitative, with miners receiving minimal wages and lacking viable alternative employment opportunities.