After reading about an article about crushed insects being used as dyes ( to be exact, red dye ), I was surprised because I actually didn't feel mortified, disgusted , or whatever. The article is summed up as FDA wanting the food manufacturers or cosmetics manufacturers to properly label their products if they do contain cochineal extract, or carminic acid. The article states that the said extract or food/cosmetic additive triggers allergic reaction from others, and they're really not labelled properly, labelled as "color added".

Imagine, they're in almost everything red! Strawberry ice cream..preserved cherries ( no wonder they're sooo plucking red! A vampy shade for a lipstick..)..uh oh, lipstick? hehe:) Good thing I'm not a vampy-red lipstick user, I'm more of a pink one. But hello? Pink = still from the red family! Geez! But honestly, I didn't screech yuck. Maybe it's because of my roots. Not the roots in my hair, but the roots of my culture! hehe :)

I've been eating alot of exotic foods ever since I was small, so I didn't develop any trauma towards weird-looking foods like bayawak ( a rare kinda lizard ), pork tongue, laman-loob ( intestines ), pork blood ( I so love this! ), frog legs ( super in love with this! ), uh! alot lot more! Exceptions include dog ( I love puppies...sigh, no way for eating dogs, phuleez...), and wormiessss!!!! In other words, being Filipino, I can eat almost anything. Being Chinese as well, I can eat ALMOST anything too!

So, am I bothered by the crushed insect in my blush - on? my lipstick ? Well, those are the only products I can think of that I use which have red...:P Absolutely not! I'm not allergic, but I can't be selfish!!! The essence of the article was for the people who are sensitive to those food additives. I just wish that cosmetics and food companies would actually just give in and follow what would be best for its consumers - after all, they're the market, and the market dictates!!! To add up to that, I also have this hobby of checking the ingredients of cosmetics and food products - I check cosmetics for comedogenic ingredients ( if there are, scrap em! ), well, with food...as long as they're yummy, I won't mind! :)

The essence is simple - I'd put it in my vanity writing style, as, " I could smother that lipstick in my lips as long as I am aware that there's cochineal extract or carminic acid in it! "
For the safety of everyone - it is a must. People deserve honest information.

Another add on : I have actually taken this topic up in my Chemistry class way back in college. Some food colorings ( some colors ) are even cancerous, and banned in other countries! So...I would totally feel betrayed if I get cancer in the future and find out that it came from the junk food that I'm eating.

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