The Environmental Cost of Pretty Lashes
I’m not a makeup artist nor a fashionista by any stretch. But I do have a routine and there is a piece of it I think I can’t part with. After showering, dressing and putting a comb through my hair, I engage in a behavior so ingrained in our society that it’s as important as regular hygiene. Mascara. Everyday, I get up and I paint my eyelashes in order to make my face “ready” for the day. I’m not the only one. I once heard a woman refer to mascara as her “confidence”. Considered the rare type of hair on a woman that’s actually desirable, long luscious lashes are perceived as especially feminine and for centuries, we’ve associated dark, ample lashes with womanly beauty.
In the late 19th century, an operation involving a needle and human hair was used to transfer hair from the head to the eyelid. In Ancient Rome, full lashes were the sign of the (chauvinistic) and desirable chastity, on a woman, as the loss of eyelashes are a consequence of diseases, like syphilis. The first mascara, made from coal dust and Vaseline jelly was developed for Queen Victoria and when Queen Elizabeth was throned, women tried to dye their eyelashes to match her red-hued hair.
A woman accomplishing an incredible, circumnavigation by sailboat and without modern technology- a feat that several throughout history have attempted and failed, was asked by a reporter, not about her skills but whether she packed waterproof mascara.
As mouths got covered up for the better part of the COVID-19 pandemic, eye makeup sales increased by over 200%. The eyelash extension market is projected to reach over 2.25 billion by 2028. Eyelash tinting, a semi-permanent dye treatment that lasts about 3–4 weeks, maintains popularity as it promises simplified routine, offering the ability to ditch the mascara wand altogether.
Faces touting mascara end each day with soap carrying the chemicals off lashes and into the waterways. Eyelash extensions begin to fall out, floating into the environmental ether. The dye for eyelash tint breaks down little by little, releasing the chemicals out into the world. And then what? It’s a small daily habit but if it doesn’t degrade, where does it go? One little bit, two bits, three…
As we know, everything is connected. We put something on our faces, it seeps into us and the remainder into the environment. But I wasn’t aware that washing my face off meant that a mussel would end up with immunotoxicity. (I find myself more and more passionate about these little bivalves these days) or that a fish would end up with liver damage.
In The Story of Cosmetics an 8-minute video produced in 2010, we learn that under 20% of cosmetic ingredients were being assessed for safety at that time. “It turns out the important decisions don’t happen when I choose to take a product off the shelf,” Annie Leonard, the sustainability proponent narrates. “They happen when companies and governments decide what goes on the shelves.”
This is a sore spot, as both the ideas of cultural beauty and the choice of whether it shows up in the in the digestive tracts of marine life seem to be imposed on us rather than selected by us.
In 2022, the FDA still does not approve cosmetics, including mascara, eyelash extensions or tinting but only “regulates” them.
With various types of plastic making up the majority of many cosmetic recipes, it’s disheartening to learn that surveys of aquatic plastic pollution have found that plastics have been ingested by two-thirds of fish and 90% of seabirds. Those same studies estimate that the rate of ingestion is increasing by roughly 2% per year.
To learn that this is a trend that has been going in the complete wrong direction for years, I am keen to understand what role succumbing to social ideals has been playing in the destruction of the ocean and its inhabitants.
Mascara
Attempting to take matters into my own hands, at the mercy of a wild wild west industry, I first try to understand what is in the mascara I insist I can’t live without. As I study the label of a well-known cosmetic brand, I am quickly dismayed. The words seem incomprehensible. Several seem to be inverted and then repeated.
In layman’s terms, mascara is generally made up of water, solvents, emulsifiers, waxes, pigment, film formers, preservatives, stabilizers and lengthening or volumizing powders.
Among these, a category of chemicals called PFAS quickly become the devil and like many evils, it comes disguised under different names on a label, I learn from an InStyle article that promises “everything to know about PFAS in makeup, and how to tell if your routine has them.”
PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are used “basically to impart a water-resistance or a long-lasting effect…If you look at regular mascara and you look at waterproof mascara, guess which ones have all the fluorine in it? It’s the waterproof ones,” says Graham Peaslee, a Notre Dame professor studying the occurrence of PFAS in the environment.
It is so ingrained in our culture to have beautiful, played up eyes that even a professional mermaid opts for waterproof mascara, despite her incredible ocean conservation efforts and education that she shares with the world.
Also known as “forever chemicals”, there have been extensive links to PFAS and serious medical issues in humans, but we’ve only scratched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to its final resting place — the ocean. PFAS travel far, wide and for decades, never completely breaking down. Found in seabirds and even plankton miles off the coast, alarming studies show impaired immune and liver function in striped bass due to exposure to PFAS. Seeing as how striped bass is a versatile dish for humans, we are most certainly consuming the residue of that dysfunction. The Revelator also reported that a phased-out PFAS that still shows up in the environment years after the fact, triggers “chronic immune activation” in bottlenose dolphins and causes immune problems in sea otters as well.
It is depressing to consider how we got here and why it is necessary to have this chemical in something we put near our eyes and I am further disheartened to discover that a class action lawsuit filed in February 2022, claims that makeup brands L’Oreal and Maybelline fail to disclose PFAS present in various mascara products sold by them.
According to the complaint, a June 2021 study performed by researchers at Notre Dame analyzed 231 cosmetic products to determine the presence of fluorine, which is an indicator of the presence of PFAS. Per the case, the researchers concluded that PFAS were most commonly found in foundations, mascaras and lip products and that “very few” of the items’ labels disclosed that the substances were present.”
Alarming are the concerns raised over what PFAS are doing to us –cancer, reproductive and immune system harm to name a few, and the fact that the whistle has been blown many times and for many years, only to have it continue to show up in not only lash-beautifying mascara but in non-stick pans, furniture, cosmetics, household cleaners, clothing, and packaged food containers.
In late 2021, Water & Waste Digest published “The Surprising Places PFAS are Being Found’ and unfortunately, it’s no surprise they are reportedly being found in the Arctic “including in seals, waterfowl and even the brain tissue of polar bears.”
A study done in 2018 found that green mussels exposed to PFAS had a 50% reduction in their immune system function. “The immunotoxic response was found to be related to the organism’s burden of PFASs, and was reversible when the compounds were removed from the test organisms.” the study determined.
Polyethylene, one of the most abundant types of plastic found in the ocean, shows up in many hot on the market mascaras (as well as eyeliners, face scrubs, lip gloss and other cosmetics). It also has been shown to virtually never degrade in marine environments and disrupt the digestive tracts of marine life.
As I look at my desirable lashes in the mirror, I question if I can let go of how well my lashes conform to the ideal standard of beauty.
Eyelash Extensions
It is commonplace to see celebrities and many famous eyelids sporting perfect lashes. A trend seeped into the masses, those not covering their lashes might opt for the alternative- eyelash extensions. An industry consistently on the rise, there is a business on almost every corner of New York City that offers eyelash extensions and Yelp reviews run amuck advising people on who to go to and where to have them applied.
The first time we see a version of eyelash extensions is in 1916 for the movie Intolerance. Director D.W. Griffith used human hair woven through gauze and gummed to actress Seena Owen’s eyelids. She played a princess of silent film after all and so, she should have impressive, expressive eyes.
Since then, the eye-beautifying industry learned how to attach semi-permanent lashes one by one and by hand. With a lifespan of about 6–8 weeks, the lashes begin to fall out little by little, but lash devotees have nothing to fear. Skilled lash technicians can fill in missing lashes, offering the option to maintain the perfect eyelid.
With the choice between synthetic and natural eyelash extensions it might first appear that the choice is simple if we want to both be able to flutter our adoration at someone and preserve our oceans at the same time. Unfortunately, despite being biodegradable, the mink farming that exists in conjunction with producing soft, natural fur lashes is one of the most cruel, violent practices that exists in order to serve the fur industry.
Synthetic lashes, usually made from the ever-present and wicked plastic, specifically a type called polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) that doesn’t biodegrade, offer what many lash lovers especially seek- the ability to hold a beautiful curl. A curvature that ends up broken into the bitty microplastics continuously showing up in the intestines of marine life.
Approximately 463 million microplastics could be ingested by one striped dolphin, the consequence of many of our everyday choices which have no benefit to their existence and not the least of which is how alluring our lashes make us look in selfies.
A simple Google search tells us that of great concern in the eyelash extension market seems to be whether or not we can swim with eyelash extensions or if it makes sense to get them before a beach vacation. Forums assure those donning lash extensions that they can have their fun in paradise, look good doing it and how. Conveniently, “all about lash extension” guides fail to mention where they end up after they’ve detached from the eyelid.
As a research article deep diving the lifecycle of false eyelashes mentions, “There is not a lot of information regarding the actual formulation and processing of false lashes from [plastic] to the soft, fluffy final product. A lot of the information seems to be missing outside of the fact that they are made out of plastic, making it difficult to understand the full scope of the lifecycle of false lashes.”
It may be difficult to get the full picture of where exactly a plastic eyelash goes once it is lost, but we do know what type of plastic they are made from and what types of plastic are found in the ocean and its inhabitants. In a study of the prevalence of microplastics in fish and the feces of marine life, PBTs made up 6% of the particles found. Polyethylene, the consistent ingredient mentioned earlier in many popular mascaras, made up 28% of the particles found. So far, our pretty lashes fall into categories making up at least a third of the microplastics our oceanic eco-systems are absorbing.
For a species that loves to be by the ocean and have beautifully curled lashes doing it, we don’t have enough of the connection for where it ends up.
Tinting
“It’s so nice to not have to think about it,” a friend told me of having her eyelashes tinted. A process that involves darkening the lashes without adding volume or length, accounts of lash tinting seem to come to the same conclusion- what a relief to not have anything to do in the morning to make sure my eyelashes are noticeable. Typically favored by those with light or blonde lashes, it takes only 10 minutes of a cream dye to go from barely noticeable to dark and appealing. Of course, with this comes the application of a chemical dye, within it, p-phenylenediamine, known on the street as PPD. Another chemical with a bad reputation, human allergic reaction is of great concern along with the development of cancer. Since it is a routine ingredient in regular hair dye, we can imagine how much of it is getting rinsed into the waterways and out into the aquatic ecosystem.
Among the most environmentally hazardous chemicals found acutely toxic to aquatic life, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics explains that “P-phenylenediamine is part of a class of chemicals called aromatic amines, which are found in the plastic and chemical industries as byproducts of manufacturing. In addition to hair dyes, this chemical is used in the manufacturing of rubber and certain polymers, such as Kevlar. It also acts as developing agent in photography.” Yummy- not.
Wading through whatever information I can find about how this chemical affects marine life, I learn that many supposedly safe vegetable dyes add PPD in order to extend the life of the product, and henna is mentioned over and over again as containing it, as well as some horrifying accounts of people getting hospitalized after getting henna tattoos.
Mosaic Science notes, “The uncertainty here results from the fact that there are no available data on how hair dyes break down after they enter the environment. How are they affected by the disinfection process at sewage and drinking water plants? How are they metabolized by algae and other aquatic life? What by-products do they leave behind?”
How do we not know this yet?
I’ve discovered since rifling through the different ways to make eyelashes beautiful that the plastics and chemicals involved in don’t degrade. But they must be consumed and absorbed somewhere, most likely starting with the tiniest sea life and working their way up the chain.
Continuing to turn over new stones on the journey of where the consequences of pretty lashes end up, I learn that since lash tinting only offers an intensification of color, it is not uncommon to get the service in conjunction with a lash lift, a type of perm that keeps eyelashes extending upward for maximum appeal and for up to two months. And of course, with that comes more chemicals.
With such limited information following mascara, eyelash extensions or the color of tinting precisely from the eyelid to seafloor, I take into account what I’ve discovered. Each process falls into a category of plastics and chemicals that we already know contribute to various problems in the ocean, and frankly to us. They don’t degrade, and that’s why studies find them decreasing the immune system of mussels, and almost definitely other shelled marine life. Studies find them in the brain tissue of polar bears, one of the most photographed animals in the wild. Influencers do poses amongst the waves without realizing the products that have sponsored their amateur photoshoot are just what contributes to the destruction of their ambient setting. Judging by how many people seem to ask if it safe to get eyelash extensions before a beach vacation, I would assume the same people who want to look good at the beach, care about the beach. But it’s not common practice to put safe products on the shelves. We have to work double time to avoid these harmful chemicals and plastics and even so, it appears to be a clown car of problems with new offenders popping up at every turn — if it’s not this chemical, it’s that plastic and if not that, then the packaging, and if not that then….
We seem lightyears away from changing our perception of what makes lashes beautiful. Even Ancient Egyptians, darkened their lashes with ‘kohl’, a substance made by grinding lead sulphide into a powder and mixing it into oil. And so, the idea of intensifying this part of the face is, presumably, deeply ingrained in human DNA.
One woman wrote, “I Gave Up Mascara for 27 Days and Lived to Tell the Tale”, certainly for many people, a relatable and shocking sentiment.
I too have massive qualms about the thought of ditching mascara. I even wore my favorite ones on excursions during a life-changing trip in Costa Rica. In fact, the one jungle excursion I didn’t wear it on, are the photos I don’t like my appearance in. Which is ok, I gained far more from that day in the wilderness than mascara could give me in a lifetime, anywhere, and still it feels like a massive undertaking to get rid of it. A search for eyelash salons in NYC will bring back more than 3000 results, a trend that is going nowhere but up.
It seems unfair that, as previously mentioned, companies and governments would decide how we go about doing it. Class action lawsuits shouldn’t have to be filed to find out what ingredients are in our mascara and I shouldn’t have to spend many pre-dawn mornings trying to figure out the entire life cycle of an eyelash extension.
For the moment, I am choosing to use my newly found knowledge to attempt to make the best choices I can. Fruit pigmented mascaras, clay-based, zero waste brands — the best way we can say “this is what we want!” is with our dollars, our inquiries, and our care for where our products end up once they’ve washed off our eyelids. I don’t want a mussel to feel sick because I feel it necessary to look “presentable” at work. Frankly, I didn’t decide what “presentable” looks like.
Since it is a centuries old ideal and a money-making market, we can bring it to its fully eco-safe potential by demand. Look how far we’ve come since the days of sewing eyelashes on with needle and thread, as though we were mending a sock. Every little bit we do, no matter how small, contributes to what shows up in the oceans, and so every little bit we do to keep it out matters. One little bit, two bits, three…
