This Malappuram govt institute had a ‘lipstick corner’, they removed it & are inspiring others

Malappuram: What began as a routine remark during a morning assembly has turned into an unusual campus-wide campaign at the Government Institute of Teacher Education, Malappuram, with students and staff deciding to keep the campus lipstick-free.

The institute officially declared itself ‘lipstick-free’ on August 15, with students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff agreeing not to use lipstick on the campus.

The institute, one of the largest teacher training institutions in the State in terms of student strength, has 388 students, including 370 women.

The campaign began soon after Principal P J Rojan joined the institute in July. During his first days on campus, he noticed a designated ‘lipstick corner’ with a mirror where students would gather to apply lipstick. He also noticed lipstick stains left around the area.

Rojan initially raised the issue from the perspective of campus discipline and cleanliness. During an assembly, he spoke about concerns surrounding the use of low-quality cosmetic products and their possible health effects.

His remarks received an enthusiastic response from students. Soon after the assembly, one of the teachers, Vaheeja, walked to the lipstick corner and removed a large poster encouraging students to use the spot to apply lipstick. She tore down the poster, marking the beginning of the campaign.

“I had been involved in a campaign against the use of low-quality lipstick at my previous school. When I noticed the lipstick corner here, the thought came back to me,” Rojan said.

The idea received support from the teaching staff as well. One woman teacher who regularly used lipstick told colleagues that she was willing to stop using it if the institute launched a campaign among students.

The institute subsequently conducted awareness sessions and discussions during daily assemblies. Students were also introduced to reports and other information concerning the possible health risks associated with certain cosmetic products.

After students extended strong support to the campaign, the institute organised a poster-making competition as part of the initiative and gave students 15 days to discuss and understand the issue.

“Once the students were convinced and supported the campaign, we decided to declare the campus lipstick-free,” Rojan said. He also spoke to students about the concerns associated with low-quality cosmetic products. “Organic lipsticks are available, but they are too expensive for students to afford,” he said.

For many students, the campaign also became an opportunity to rethink their own use of cosmetics.

“Many people use lipstick without paying attention to the brand or quality. Cheap products are easily available in shops and online, and people often do not think about their possible impact,” said Parvathy, a student. She said some people considered lipstick a source of confidence, but argued that makeup should not determine a person's confidence.

Swaliha, another student, said the campaign had helped students become more aware of concerns surrounding low-quality cosmetic products.

“We cannot ignore the reports available in the public domain about the possible health issues associated with low-quality cosmetics,” she said.

Fathima Safa, who was a regular lipstick user, said she stopped using it after the campaign.

“I initially felt uncomfortable after discontinuing use of lipstick. But now I feel more confident because I am part of a social campaign,” she said.

The initiative has also received support from several parents, according to the institute. Rojan said many parents welcomed the campaign, particularly in view of concerns they had seen in news reports about cosmetic products and the sale of low-quality products.

The campaign has now attracted the attention of other Government teacher training institutes in Kerala. Officials and representatives from some of the institutions have reportedly contacted the Malappuram institute to learn more about its initiative and explore adopting a similar model.

Earlier this year, the state Child Welfare Committee (CWC) had launched a campaign in schools across the state against the harmful usage of cosmetic products by students. This initiative was followed by Health Department reports warning that toxic heavy metals found in common beauty products can lead to bowel cancer in children.