Eyeshadow Palette

Material Composition Assumptions

A typical eyeshadow palette weighs approximately 60 grams and consists of several distinct material components. The outer case comprises either acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polypropylene plastic, representing roughly 40% of total weight at 24 grams. Individual metal godets or pans that hold the eyeshadow formulations account for approximately 15 grams or 25% of the product weight. A small glass mirror integrated into the compact adds another 8 grams, constituting about 13% of total mass. The eyeshadow pigments themselves, containing talc, mica, iron oxides, and synthetic colorants, make up the remaining 13 grams or approximately 22% of the product weight.

Manufacturing Geography

Primary manufacturing for eyeshadow palettes occurs in China, where established cosmetic production facilities benefit from integrated supply chains and specialized expertise. Chinese manufacturing regions operate with an average grid intensity of 555 gCO2/kWh, reflecting the country’s coal-heavy electricity generation mix. This location choice stems from proximity to raw material suppliers, particularly mica mining operations, along with established plastic injection molding capabilities and metal fabrication infrastructure that supports the complex multi-component assembly required for palette construction.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	555 gCO2/kWh	52	Baseline
France	57 gCO2/kWh	44	-15%
South Korea	436 gCO2/kWh	50	-4%
United States	386 gCO2/kWh	49	-6%
India	708 gCO2/kWh	56	+8%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Submit verified electricity consumption data and renewable energy certificates for manufacturing facilities involved in plastic injection molding, metal stamping, and final assembly operations.

2. Provide detailed material sourcing documentation including transportation distances for mica, talc, synthetic pigments, and packaging components from extraction or production sites to manufacturing facilities.

3. Supply specific packaging material specifications including recycled content percentages for plastic cases, metal alloy compositions for godets, and glass mirror manufacturing data.

4. Document end-of-life management programs including take-back initiatives, refillable packaging options, or verified recycling partnerships that demonstrate improved waste diversion rates.

5. Present third-party verified life cycle assessment data covering the complete product system from raw material extraction through manufacturing and distribution phases.

Methodology Notes

• The Climate Cost Index score represents cradle-to-gate emissions for a complete eyeshadow palette including all packaging components and formulated products ready for retail distribution.

• Scope 3 emissions dominate the carbon footprint due to extensive upstream material processing requirements and complex supply chains spanning multiple geographic regions for specialized ingredients.

• The functional unit assumes a standard multi-shade palette containing between four and twelve individual eyeshadow formulations in a hinged compact case with integrated mirror.

• End-of-life disposal impacts receive limited weighting given current low recycling rates for cosmetic packaging, though this may underestimate true environmental costs.

• Data gaps exist around specific pigment manufacturing processes and transportation routing variations that could significantly affect individual product emissions profiles.