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 from cochineal insects, and is therefore not vegan. The cochineals are killed by heat or hot water, an especially inhumane way to end their lives.
Cochineals are native to desert environments and feed on the prickly pear cactus. It was from these insects that New World cultures made their first dyes, and archaeologists have recovered carmine-dyed garments from ancient 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 cochineals to make a relatively small amount of dye is certainly worthy of consideration. It takes about 150,000 of these insects to make just a kilogram of dried cochineal material, which supplies the red pigment present in carmine-based dye.
What Products Contain Carmine?
Carmine may appear in these products:
- Makeup (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. My makeup guide lists the top vegan brands from every category.
Carmine Derivatives and Alternate Names
Carmine derivatives include cochineal extract, carminic acid, crimson lake, and E120. All of these substances appear in a variety of food and cosmetics labels, so always read 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 petroleum.
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 with pigments extracted from vegan foods like strawberries, radishes, and beets. Since these plant-based pigments don’t hold their color nearly as well as dyes extracted from cochineals, it’s unlikely that carmine and its non-vegan chemical cousins will be phased out anytime soon.
