Her work also takes note of the impact of the beauty industry on the planet’s climate,

 Her work also takes note of the impact of the beauty industry on the planet’s climate,

 which already finds itself challenged by such chemicals as perfluorinated alkylated substances, or PFAS (say it: pea-fass), which do not degrade easily in the environment—an attribute that has led to their nickname: “forever chemicals.”

Some of those forever chemicals, which have contaminated nearly half of the nation’s water supplies, are also found in beauty products. It’s another part of a toxic circle: in addition to higher levels of forever chemicals in the drinking water of communities of color, beauty products marketed to people of color often contain the substances.

“They add PFAS because it has water-resistant properties,” Zota said of cosmetics manufacturers. “So it can be found in products that are long-lasting like mascara, foundation and some kinds of lipsticks. So it’s an exposure. But then you think about it: When you wash the products off your face, it goes right into the water.”