This week a very exciting new educational took was launched which helps educate us as consumers about some of the unjust methods that are used for gathering raw materials for many of our every day consumer products, SlaveryFootprint.org. According to this new State Department funded site: Every day tens of thousands of American women buy makeup. Every day tens of thousands of Indian children mine mica, which is the little sparkles in the makeup.

While the cosmetic industry does not require cosmetic grade micas be naturally sourced, or lab-produced, both versions are used by nearly all mineral and traditional cosmetic companies. Unlike iron oxides, which for cosmetic use must be lab-produced, there is no current way to differentiate whether a produce contains unethically sourced, mined micas, or those that are synthetically produced.

Hopefully well-respected natural beauty brands will quickly take steps to ensure that all of their micas are synthetic, but for now, this is just another reason to look for those mica-free natural cosmetics lines that use cosmetic grade iron oxides instead.

Here is the first of what will be many videos to come demonstrating the use of ELISA Tek’s EZ Gluten Test Kit, a simple, effective way to test foods and products for gluten.  In this first video I tested Dr. Hauschka’s Natural Lipstick (which was previously verified gluten free via the Dr. Hauschka company). And was able to proudly confirm that yes, it really is gluten free!

Here’s my demonstration–and during the testing I really didn’t know which way the test would go!