Carmine, also known as cochineal, is a bright red dye that’s widely used to color food and cosmetics.
Is Carmine Vegan?
Carmine is made by boiling and grinding up cochineal beetles, and is therefore not vegan.
Cochineal beetles are native to desert environments and feed upon the prickly pear cactus. It was from these beetles that some of the first dyes were made, and archaeologists have recovered carmine-dyed garments from neolithic sites. Fortunately, carmine is rarely used to dye textiles anymore, since modern dyes are cheaper and much more colorfast.
Some people aren’t disturbed by the killing of insects, arguing that these animals are not sentient and lack the ability to perceive pain. But a growing body of evidence suggests that insects can indeed suffer. If that’s the case, the fact that it takes thousands of cochineal beetles to make a relatively small amount of dye is certainly worthy of consideration.
Since cochineal beetles are just a half-centimeter long, a large number must be killed to create a small amount of dye. In fact, it takes 70,000 of these beetles to make just 100 grams of carminic acid, which supplies the red pigment present in carmine-based dye.
What Products Contain Carmine?
Carmine may appear in these products:
- Make-up (particularly Lipstick, Blush, and Eye Shadow)
- Candy
- Food (maraschino cherries, cherry pies, desserts featuring red or pink frosting)
- Ink
- Packaged juices
- Paint
- Food coloring
As long as the beauty items you purchase are certified vegan, they will never contain carmine. Our makeup guide lists the top vegan brands from every category.
Carmine Derivatives and Alternate Names
Carmine derivatives include cochineal extract, crimson lake, natural red #4 and E120. All of these substances commonly appear on food and cosmetics labels. Contrary to what some websites claim, Red #40 (a coloring agent found in candies like Red Vines) does not contain carmine—it’s actually produced from coal.
Consider carmine to be yet another animal-derived substance for which excellent cruelty-free replacements abound. When it comes to red dyes used in processed foods, the most wholesome choices are made using pigments extracted from vegan foods like strawberries, radishes, and beets.
