Carmine Red

OAXACA, MEXICO

A little goosebump: Parasites may actually produce the bright red color in your lipstick. The pigment is created from clusters of female cochineal removed from cactus pads and dried, after which large amounts of carminic acid are extracted from their dead bodies. Carmine red has at least 2000 years of history in textile dying, and is now widely used in cosmetics and food coloring.