Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, hiking through a mosquito-infested field, and picking flowers until dawn for just $1.50. Now, imagine your children next to you, doing the same grueling work.
This isn’t a scene from a dystopian novel – it’s the harsh reality for families in Egypt’s jasmine fields, as revealed by a recent BBC research.
In this compelling episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier, Chartered Environmentalist, Biologist and CEO of Formula Botanica, exposes the hidden human rights abuses in the cosmetics industry, from child labor in jasmine harvesting to slave conditions in Brazilian carnauba. wax production.
If you missed last week’s riveting interview with Ashlee Posner about fragrance transparency, be sure to catch up. It sets the scene for the urgent debate we are having today.
“The only way the cosmetics industry will change this is through transparency, traceability and a genuine desire to do the right thing.”
Lorraine Dallmeier, CEO of Formula Botanica
Basic foods
- Child labor in jasmine harvesting: The BBC investigation revealed a grim truth. Children as young as five work alongside their parents in Egypt’s jasmine fields, picking flowers at night. These jasmine flowers end up in high-quality perfumes, but the families who pick them earn barely enough to survive.
- Carnauba Wax Controversy: In Brazil, the production of carnauba wax – an ingredient used in both food and cosmetics – is marred by serious labor abuses. Workers are subjected to dangerous conditions, inadequate protective equipment and unsanitary accommodation. Despite big brands’ claims of ethical sourcing, the reality on the ground tells a different story.
- Industry secrecy and profit-driven practices: The cosmetics industry is notorious for its lack of transparency and relentless focus on profit. This creates fertile ground for human rights violations. Companies often hide behind complex supply chains, making it difficult to trace the origin of ingredients. This lack of transparency allows exploitative practices to continue unchecked, affecting thousands of workers around the world.
- The need for an ethical source: To truly address these issues, brands must commit to ethical sourcing practices. This means that suppliers provide fair wages, safe working conditions and adhere to strict labor standards. Consumers have a critical role to play in supporting brands that prioritize transparency and accountability, pushing the industry towards a more ethical future.
Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us at Facebook and Instagram.
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Lorraine Dallmeier is a biologist, certified environmentalist, and CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetics school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica team.
