Cosmetics ingredients come from a variety of sources but, unlike the ingredients of food, are often not considered by most consumers.
Cosmetics often use vibrant
colors that are derived from some unexpected sources, ranging from crushed insects to rust. Many new techniques have allowed manufacturers to synthesize such colors; the use of
animal products has been reduced, due in large part to the efforts of
Beauty Without Cruelty,
PETA and other groups, though not eliminated.