How Your Cosmetics Are Killing Sharks

How Your Cosmetics Are Killing Sharks

Your makeup might be killing sharks — here’s how you can make better choices. (warning: distressing images).

An estimated 100 million sharks are killed annually, a portion of which are killed simply for the oil in their livers, called squalene. The most desirable squalene comes from deep-sea sharks, which are also among the most vulnerable of species.

The global cosmetics industry is still largely supplied with shark-driven squalene. But this oil can also be extracted from plants such as olives, wheat, and rice.

‘Cruelty-free’ labels on cosmetic products can be misleading, so it’s up to consumers to make a difference.

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