Horse Girl Makeup Is Big for Fall

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About two hours away from Salt Lake City, out in the sprawling desert, bands of wild mares and stallions roam free. Some are descendants of Pony Express escapees, while others have simply never known a life in captivity. I have spent some time around horses in my life—I rode them at summer camp as a teen—but I have never seen horses quite as strikingly beautiful as the ones that gallop across the dry, barren landscape of Utah. They’re also in ever-present danger.

I had the honor of accompanying the American Wild Horse Campaign and luxury beauty brand Chantecaille out to view these wild horses earlier this summer. The trip was to celebrate the brand’s new fall collection inspired by these animals, and to raise awareness of the cruelty they face. The four eye shadows and two lipsticks in the Wild Mustangs collection are part of the beauty brand’s ongoing commitment to environmental philanthropy. For Chantecaille, conservation and cosmetics always go hand in hand.

American wild horses have been federally protected since 1971—so how could they possibly be in danger? I spent a few days asking the same question to the AWHC team. The gist is this: Wild horses live on federal land in Utah, and in a few other western states, too. This land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which also lends it to cattle ranchers for cheap, taxpayer-subsidized grazing. To protect the livestock, natural predators are taken out—so the horse population grows larger than the BLM would prefer.

Wild horses can’t legally be killed, so the population is managed through what’s called a roundup. Wild horses—foals, pregnant mares, and the old—are chased by helicopters to the brink of death, and some members of the herd are captured and placed in federal holding facilities for the rest of their lives. Many horses die in this gruesome process, not to mention the cost to taxpayers to keep wild horses caged instead of out where they belong. The thought alone made me feel sick, but the images and videos captured by the AWHC are truly heartbreaking.

The entire system is utterly broken, but the AWHC is solutions-oriented. A massive fertility control program that uses a volunteer-based darting team is under way. The nonprofit also enacts land trusts and grazing buyouts, and lobbies federal and state governments to protect wild horses and burros. Chantecaille’s generous donation will support the campaign’s efforts to keep these animals safe and free.

Every time I wear my new Chantecaille eye shadow—specifically the silvery mauve Pinto shade—I get compliments on how beautiful it is, which in turn opens up a dialogue about the fall collection and the cause. And the packaging? Chantecaille is known for not only luxurious formulas but also artful palettes and bottles, and the Wild Mustangs collection is no different. The two matte and two shimmer shadows each feature a striking image of one of the wild horses, while the lipstick cap is embossed with a linear drawing of a stallion. Consider it the perfect holiday gift that keeps on giving for the horse girl in your life.

Palomino Matte Eye Shade - Wild Mustang Collection

A soft matte beige.

Bay Matte Eye Shade - Wild Mustang Collection

A rich chocolate brown.

Wild Begonia Lip Veil - Wild Mustang Collection

A your lips-but-better rose.

Laurel Lip Veil - Wild Mustang Collection

A creamy pinky nude.

Pinto Luminescent Eye Shade - Wild Mustang Collection

Pinto is a silvery mauve that looks gorgeous washed over lids.

Roan Luminescent Eye Shade - Wild Mustang Collection

The prettiest sparkling cinnamon.

Anyone can go view the majestic wild horses as I did, since they live on public land belonging to all of us. Outside of purchasing Chantecaille’s fall collection, you can also support the cause by donating to the American Wild Horse Campaign or contacting your government representatives directly.

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