<ul><li>If you think it's gross that there are <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegan-nail-polish-zoya-sparitual_n_1896463">beetles in your nail polish</a>, <strong>you're not going to like this truth about lipstick.</strong></li></ul>

Beetles In Your Nail Polish!! 

<ul><li>Anyone who has read <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rainbow-fish-marcus-pfister/1100058470?ean=9781558580091"><em>The Rainbow Fish </em> </a>knows that <strong>fish scales have a certain pearly quality to them. </strong></li><li>That glow makes them a <a href="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine">commonly used ingredient </a>in various shimmery makeup, lipstick included.</li><li>When scales, which have been used to create that same pearl-like look in jewelry, are layered on top of one another, they have a crystallized effect. </li></ul>

The Rainbow Fish

<ul><li>As light hits the plane of each crystal, some light is reflected back, and some keeps going down until it hits another crystal. </li><li>As light gets thrown up, in a diffuse way, from many different levels, the scales seem to emanate light from within. </li><li><strong>Slather enough layers on a bead, and it has a glowing, pearlescent quality.</strong> <strong>If it works on a bead, it must do the same for lipstick.</strong></li></ul>

The Physics Behind It 

<ul><li><a href="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine"><strong>Check the ingredients list for guanine</strong></a>, <strong>the name by which this crystalline substance made from fish scales is typically listed.</strong></li><li>And if slathering on fish scales just isn't your thing, <strong>try out</strong><a href="http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/red-lipsticks-bold-cruelty-free-look/"><strong> PETA-approved lipsticks </strong></a><strong>instead.</strong></li></ul>

How Can You Tell If Your Makeup Contains It? 

<figure><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9eb55926000035008062a5.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale&amp;format=webp"><img alt="Through the glass at the Tennessee Aquarium." width="628" height="314" src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9eb55926000035008062a5.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Through the glass at the Tennessee Aquarium.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">If you think it's gross that there are<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegan-nail-polish-zoya-sparitual_n_1896463" role="link" data-vars-item-name=" beetles in your nail polish" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9eb559e4b03a1dcc9c8286" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegan-nail-polish-zoya-sparitual_n_1896463" data-vars-target-content-type="buzz" data-vars-type="web_internal_link" data-vars-subunit-name="article_body" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="0" dir="ltr"> beetles in your nail polish</a>, you're not going to like this truth about lipstick.</p><p dir="ltr">Anyone who has read <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rainbow-fish-marcus-pfister/1100058470?ean=9781558580091" role="link" data-vars-item-name="The Rainbow Fish" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9eb559e4b03a1dcc9c8286" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rainbow-fish-marcus-pfister/1100058470?ean=9781558580091" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="article_body" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="1" dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">The Rainbow Fish</em></a> knows that fish scales have a certain pearly quality to them. That glow makes them a <a href="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine" role="link" data-vars-item-name="commonly used ingredient" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9eb559e4b03a1dcc9c8286" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="article_body" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="2" dir="ltr">commonly used ingredient</a> in various shimmery makeup, lipstick included. </p><p dir="ltr">When scales, which have been used to create that same pearl-like look in jewelry, are layered on top of one another, they have a crystallized effect. Now, thanks to <a href="http://io9.com/here-s-why-fish-scales-get-put-in-lipstick-1699582340/+chris-mills" role="link" data-vars-item-name="Gawker's science-focused offshoot io9" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9eb559e4b03a1dcc9c8286" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://io9.com/here-s-why-fish-scales-get-put-in-lipstick-1699582340/+chris-mills" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="article_body" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="3" dir="ltr">Gawker's science-focused offshoot io9</a>, we know why:</p><BLOCKQUOTE><p>As light hits the plane of each crystal, some light is reflected back, and some keeps going down until it hits another crystal. As light gets thrown up, in a diffuse way, from many different levels, the scales seem to emanate light from within. Slather enough layers on a bead, and it has a glowing, pearlescent quality. If it works on a bead, it must do the same for lipstick.</p></BLOCKQUOTE><p dir="ltr">How can you tell if your makeup contains it? <a href="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine" role="link" data-vars-item-name="Check the ingredients list for guanine" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9eb559e4b03a1dcc9c8286" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="article_body" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="4" dir="ltr">Check the ingredients list for guanine</a>, the name by which this crystalline substance made from fish scales is typically listed. </p><div>An essential daily guide to achieving the good life</div><div>Subscribe to our lifestyle email.</div><p dir="ltr">And if slathering on fish scales just isn't your thing, here is a <a href="http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/red-lipsticks-bold-cruelty-free-look/" role="link" data-vars-item-name="list of PETA-approved lipsticks" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9eb559e4b03a1dcc9c8286" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/red-lipsticks-bold-cruelty-free-look/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="article_body" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="5" dir="ltr">list of PETA-approved lipsticks</a> for you to try, instead.</p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9c4f441f00002d00212b38.jpeg?ops=scalefit_960_noupscale&amp;format=webp"><img alt="" width="327" height="327" src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9c4f441f00002d00212b38.jpeg?ops=scalefit_960_noupscale"></picture><div>The Best Vegan Nail Polishes</div><div><button data-vars-item-name="view_slideshow" data-vars-item-type="button" data-vars-action-type="open" data-vars-action-value="view_slideshow" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-unit-name="5b9eb559e4b03a1dcc9c8286" data-vars-type="web_content_action" data-vars-position-in-subunit="0" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-target-content-type="slideshow">See Gallery</button></div>

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<p>If you think it's gross that there are<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegan-nail-polish-zoya-sparitual_n_1896463">beetles in your nail polish </a>, you're not going to like this truth about lipstick. </p>

<p>Anyone who has read <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rainbow-fish-marcus-pfister/1100058470?ean=9781558580091"><em>The Rainbow Fish </em> </a>knows that fish scales have a certain pearly quality to them. That glow makes them a <a href="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine">commonly used ingredient </a>in various shimmery makeup, lipstick included. </p>

<p>When scales, which have been used to create that same pearl-like look in jewelry, are layered on top of one another, they have a crystallized effect. Now, thanks to <a href="http://io9.com/here-s-why-fish-scales-get-put-in-lipstick-1699582340/+chris-mills">Gawker's science-focused offshoot io9 </a>, we know why: </p>

<p>As light hits the plane of each crystal, some light is reflected back, and some keeps going down until it hits another crystal. As light gets thrown up, in a diffuse way, from many different levels, the scales seem to emanate light from within. Slather enough layers on a bead, and it has a glowing, pearlescent quality. If it works on a bead, it must do the same for lipstick. </p>

<p>How can you tell if your makeup contains it? <a href="http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/guanine">Check the ingredients list for guanine </a>, the name by which this crystalline substance made from fish scales is typically listed. </p>

<p>And if slathering on fish scales just isn't your thing, here is a <a href="http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/red-lipsticks-bold-cruelty-free-look/">list of PETA-approved lipsticks </a>for you to try, instead. </p>

💄Fish Scales in Your Lipstick? Are You Kidding Me?

Beetles In Your Nail Polish!!

The Rainbow Fish

The Physics Behind It

How Can You Tell If Your Makeup Contains It?

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