(electronic buzz)
- What's up beautiful people?
It's your home girl Miss Shameless,
all up in your building.
Let's just get into this now shall we?
(electronic music)
Okay what's inside?
Slave made?
What do they mean by that?
Okay.
Mica is the glittery mineral found in makeup
that gives products like eyeshadow, nail polish,
lipstick, and concealer their sparkle.
Okay, I'm wearing it, I believe.
Let me see.
Yep, girl has a highlight on.
So, let us continue.
Got a letter.
I will read this.
Slavery still exists today... Okay.
There are 40 million people working around the world
for little or no pay, controlled by threats,
debt and violence.
It takes many forms, but amounts to the same thing,
modern slavery.
I see what's... okay.
(inhales sharply)
This is very heavy.
I feel like, we know it exists, whether it's in,
whatever this is, makeup, or clothing.
Now, let's just
deal with the reality of it.
Wow.
150 billion dollars, the amount of illegal profits
made from slavery each year.
(inhales heavily)
Today there are 40 million slaves in bondage,
more than in all recorded human history.
These are facts.
Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.
And we act like it's over and we're living
in the post-slavery world, but clearly it's over,
maybe even here... I don't know if it's done
here in the U.S., but this is clearly going on
in other parts of the world.
One in four victims of modern slavery worldwide is a child.
(exhales heavily)
That's so sad.
You know what's really sad?
It's sad that...
We live... I'm so grateful to live in this country.
I'm very, very grateful.
So when I hear things like this,
I'm just like... it reminds me why I'm so grateful
and we have to do something.
70% of mica production in India is from illegal mining.
This isn't happening here,
so it's almost like out of sight, out of mind.
But now that this is in front of me, it's like damn.
Fewer than 10% of mica mine deaths are reported to police.
(snaps lid closed)
Wait, so this is a lip gloss.
Many people working in mica mines
make less than a dollar a day.
Oo, hoo, hoo.
How does someone who's in these conditions get out?
Maybe the part of the solution is we create makeup
that actually does an impact, and does good for people.
Because, I'm on the other end feeling myself
and my highlight, but how can everyone win
without somebody having to lose?
This is actual mica.
Children must their bare hands
to extract the shiny mica flakes.
I wonder if all shiny makeup is mica.
Now I'm going to have to figure it out.
You should...
Part of me just wants to like, woo... Go away.
But it's literally right here in my face.
And they had the nerve to...
you know what, that's pretty genius.
They had the nerve to put this on a mirror
and then show it to my face.
It's in my face.
Damn, damn you.
Okay, I need to look for some friendly glitter.
Let's read this letter.
Dear Maya, the makeup you are unboxing
does not contain slave mined mica.
Sadly, most mica today is mined illegally
by tens of thousands of forced laborers,
many of them children.
These child slaves work in mines abandoned decades earlier
due to their deteriorating conditions.
The children are forced to chip away at the mica
with broken equipment, and use their frail fingers
to extract the glittery parts from within the mineral.
Those fortunate enough to not be killed by collapsing mines
are often killed later from
the constant inhaling of poisonous chemicals.
Slavery is thriving today.
It's time to change that by rallying together.
I agree, I completely agree.
You know, it's crazy because I feel like
there's so much happening in the world
and a lot of the times we either one feel powerless,
two don't know what to do, or three look the other way.
So, let me finish reading.
To be clear, we're not asking you to stop unboxing
or your fans to stop watching.
We're simply asking people to start asking
the right questions and demanding accountability.
What's the human price of the products you buy?
Help end modern slavery at trust.org.
Sincerely, Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Okay, so... Woo, hoo, hoo.
Okay, I am reading this with you boos
and the first thing that's going through my mind
is what am I going to do about this.
Because I feel like all of us are part of the problem.
I'm going to go to trust.org and check that out.
I'm also going to... I have to find alternatives to mica
that are ethically sourced, because a girl loves glitter.
But I also do not want to be supporting this.
And, makeup brands, no shade but...
I mean, I think we all need to take a look at
our role in this.
And if you run a company, I think it's important
that we find out how that company's being run.
We're out here doing swatches and face beats,
and then there's someone, a child,
on the other end of this, dying.
Okay, so... Whoa, whoa, whoa.
How many of you knew about this?
This is news to me.
I didn't know about minerals.
So, we really do need to be mindful of
how much we're consuming and what we're consuming.
And just taking a moment to pause and be like,
how does this affect other people?
Because someone is being affected.
Let me know what you guys know.
Share your information in the info box below,
as well as check out trust.org.
I don't even feel...
You know what, do you, be you, stay true.
Be shameless, be smart, be aware, be conscious.
Let's help.
Be a part of the solution.
(exhales heavily)