Are Cruelty-Free Cosmetics The Future Of Beauty?
Even if you don’t consider yourself a make-up guru or skincare fanatic, cosmetics will be part of your life. Perfume, deodorant and hairspray fall into this category. The most popular cosmetics brands in the UK and US are sadly tested on animals before you purchase them. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the products they use on their bodies and their impact on the environment and animal welfare. However, so many people are still using products that have been tested on animals knowingly and unknowingly. It begs the question, what is cruelty-free beauty, and why is it so important?
Essentially, cruelty-free cosmetics are products that do not involve animal testing. To claim a cruelty-free status, the cosmetic brand’s entire supply chain and the finished product must not undergo animal testing o prove efficacy and safety for humans. It’s not a legally protected or defined title, so frustratingly, brands can claim they’re cruelty-free in adverts and packaging without proving it. The lack of animal cruelty in the testing process doesn’t make the products less efficient or safe. There have been incredible advancements in this field, and there are alternatives such as cell-based tests like Epiderm(PETA), computer modelling and simulations and human volunteers. In vitro tests can provide us with valuable information about the potential toxicity of cosmetic ingredients. At the same time, computer simulations can predict how they will interact with the skin. Naturally, human volunteer studies would provide the most accurate representation of how cosmetic products will affect people in the real world. In addition, many medical breakthroughs exist, such as smoking causing cancer, aspirin relieving pain, and information on diseases like Alzheimer’s and Diabetes.
Swapping out animal testing for these alternative methods improves the quality of cosmetic and medical progress. Yet, this cruel practice remains a go-to method for many brands and countries. Cosmetic animal testing is technically against the law in the UK and EU. Still, some loopholes allow European countries to demand animal testing for cosmetic ingredients. They argue that it is to ensure the safety of those handling the ingredients, even though they have acknowledged that animal testing is not accurate or reliable enough to judge how they would interact with human skin. Cruelty-Free International estimates that at least 192.1 million animals were used for scientific purposes in 2015. China, Japan and the United States are the top three worst offenders, with Canada, Australia, South Korea and the UK closely behind. Many brands and parent companies sell their products globally, including in countries where animal testing is legal. You can shop the same brands here in the UK under the guise that they are cruelty-free due to our legislation banning animal testing. However, these brands have to pay those governments to conduct the testing. Your purchase of their products many millions of miles away is funding this. Make-up brands like NARS. (Owned by Shiseido) for example, they prided themselves for years on being a higher-end cruelty-free make-up brand (something that is unfortunately not that common). In 2017, they announced their decision to sell in China, which stripped them of their cruelty-free label but filled their bank account with an eye-watering profit.
Much like other brands who sell in markets where they are legally obliged to have their products tested on animals, they cited their commitment to researching alternatives to animal testing - through these already exist. The brands should have spent their time and money working with the organisations advising and putting pressure on these governments to look at the data and reconsider their stance. Instead, they justify their commitment to cruelty by pretending that extending their products to a global market is a form of activism with a much-needed sacrifice. Still, we’re talking about foundation and lipstick. I side-eye anyone who thinks that’s worth the torturing of millions of dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and monkeys.
These large numbers may make it seem like cruelty-free cosmetics are a small niche with few options, but that is far from the truth. There are a surprising number of brands in stores like Space NK, Boots, Superdrug, Sephora and more that have made the ethical choice to leave testing on animals out of their product development process. Download my guide to discover the many brands.
Additionally, find a list of brands that sadly still test on animals here.
Whilst I hope that these brands and more pull their fingers out and take their science and ethics seriously, I also put it to you as the reader of this blog to recognise your responsibility as a consumer for the choices you make when you hand over your hard-earned money. The brands ignore the cruelty because they believe their customers want animal testing to take place to use their products. By switching to cruelty-free cosmetics and demanding change from the other brands, you are making a difference in the lives of animals, protecting the planet and promoting more sustainable practices. You may even discover some new favourites in the process…
When it comes to cosmetics, there’s nothing more beautiful than a clear conscience!
Resources:
Please find some other resources for more info on cruelty-free cosmetics and animal testing:
Cruelty-Free International is an organisation dedicated to ending animal testing worldwide.
Ethical Elephant is a resource explaining what cruelty-free means and a directory of brands that are both CF and not.
Leaping Bunny is an organisation, program and accreditation brands can apply for to prove their cruelty-free status in their branding and marketing.
China’s Animal Testing Update:
In 2021, China changed its strict animal testing laws, allowing some cosmetics to become exempt from their testing requirements. General cosmetics like make-up, perfumes, nail polish, and skin and hair care can bypass animal testing. If the products are not made for infants/children, and they don’t contain a *new* cosmetic ingredient. Additionally, they must either be sold online or only in Hong Kong. Should the products be sold in mainland China, they must be made in China (where they may still be subjected to post-market testing); otherwise, the brand must obtain certificates and documents with safety assessments and more.
“Special” cosmetics are different and will still be tested on animals if sold in China. These include sunscreens, perms, hair dye and *new* cosmetic ingredients.
This update does not make brands like NARS automatically cruelty-free, as they will need to prove and provide much information to bypass animal testing on their products first. Whilst it is a step in the right direction, especially with China being one of the worst offenders of animal testing - it is important to note that animal testing has not been banned or made illegal and still happens daily. The brands that entered markets and countries with knowledge of animal testing laws should not be hailed as moral and ethical heroes, as they put profit over everything when many brands refused to entertain the idea.
However, I want cruelty-free cosmetics to be the norm, which means better accessibility if NARS and others provide the receipts and can get their cruelty-free status back, I will be glad to see it.
