February 2020
For at least 6000 years, cosmetics have been helping us to achieve a beautiful, healthy appearance, to express our personalities, and to create art. The concept of using cosmetics can be seen in almost every society on earth.
So, why should we shop COSMETICS considerately?
The downside to this pleasure: Before today’s cosmetics are approved for sale, they are required to be tested on animals. And, the testing methods are usually cruel.
There are many more aspects to this, but we don’t want this to be a spoiler!
Click on the button below to learn more about the Challenges of Animals in Cosmetics Industry.
Table of Contents
WHAT IS MEANT BY ‘TESTED ON ANIMALS’?
WHAT IS MEANT BY ‘CRUELTY FREE’?
How Can You Tell If A Cosmetic Product Is ‘Certified Cruelty Free’?
Cruelty-Free & Vegan
No Logo, No Certificate
Overviews & Lists of Brands
Where to Buy Cruelty-Free Brands
CHALLENGE: ANIMAL TESTING
Animal Experiments
Laboratories: Contrary to Animals’ Needs
European Regulations
Overseas Animal Testing
Replacing Animal Testing In Research
To avoid cosmetics that have been tested on animals, make sure to buy brands and products that are certified cruelty-free.
WHAT IS MEANT BY ‘TESTED ON ANIMALS’?
The cosmetics ingredients are tested with the help of animal experiments for their compatibility and reactions of the body.
Cosmetics that are tested on animals means that methods have been used that require dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, or rodents to have substances (e.g. the ingredients to be used in the cosmetics) poked into their eyes, forced down their throats, or rubbed into open wounds.
WHAT IS MEANT BY ‘CRUELTY-FREE’
Cruelty-free cosmetics have not been tested on animals.
How can you tell if a cosmetic product is ‘CERTIFIED CRUELTY-FREE’?
Cruelty-free cosmetics are labelled with at least one of the logos shown below.
Any other symbol or logo with a bunny is unofficial and has not been accredited by a reputable cruelty-free organization.
Click on a logo to learn more about the appropriate certification body.
CRUELTY-FREE & VEGAN
However, although a product is certified as cruelty-free, it not necessarily also needs to be vegan.
This means that the cosmetics are not tested on animals, but contain ingredients of animal origin, such as honey and lanolin.
Only products that display “vegan” on the packaging are both, cruelty-free and free from ingredients of animal origin.
If the Vegan Flower, the logo of the Vegan Society, is displayed on the packaging, the product is also vegan certified.
NO LOGO, NO CERTIFICATE
No logo? You might be surprised to know that some companies that have been listed by PETA as cruelty-free are not displaying the logo on their packaging! Also companies that theoretically would match the requirements of one of the other certification bodies might not be certified.
This is because companies have to pay an extra fee in order to be able to display the cruelty-free symbol on their products.
Overviews & Lists of brands
A wide range of cruelty-free cosmetics brands and manufacturers is already available. Many of these products are produced by ‘niche’ beauty companies that solely produce and sell cruelty-free cosmetics.
Bloggers, like Ethical Elephant, who specialize in cruelty-free cosmetics provide lists of cruelty-free cosmetics brands.
Lists of the names of manufacturers and brands that carry certified cruelty-free cosmetics can also be found on the websites of certification associations or consumer organizations.
Check to see if your favourite cosmetic brand is listed in one of the following cruelty-free data bases:
WHERE TO BUY CRUELTY-FREE COSMETICS
Most certified cruelty-free cosmetic brands sell their products via their web shops, while you can also find some of them at specialty stores, drugstores, supermarkets, or through online retailers.
However, it always depends upon which country you’re in. Just browse the web to see which supply source
for your favourite certified cruelty-free cosmetics is most convenient for you.
Many shops, as well as online retailers that sell certified natural cosmetics, also offer cruelty-free cosmetics.
Many of the certified natural cosmetics brands are also Cruelty-Free certified.
Challenge: Animal Testing
Cosmetics that are tested on animals means that methods have been used that require dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, or rodents to have substances (e.g. the ingredients to be used in the cosmetics) poked into their eyes, forced down their throats, or rubbed into open wounds. Animal testing thus forces test animals to undergo procedures that will most likely cause them pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm.
SOME ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS INCLUDE:
food and water deprivation
infliction of wounds, burns, and other injuries in order to study healing
infliction of pain to study its physiology and treatment
injecting or force-feeding animals with potentially harmful substances
exposing animals to radiation
surgically removing animals’ organs or tissues to deliberately cause damage
forcing animals to inhale toxic gases
subjecting animals to frightening situations (electric shock, forced swimming, etc.) to create anxiety and depression
exposure to drugs, chemicals, or infectious disease at levels that cause illness, pain and distress, or death
LABORATORIES: CONTRARY TO ANIMALS' NEEDS
To maintain a sterile environment and unbiased test results, test animals are typically kept indoors in tiny cages, separated from fellow animals, even though the majority of test animals are social creatures, like dogs, bunnies, guinea pigs, mice, monkeys, etc.
Usually, the animals have no ability to meet even their most basic inherent needs, such as physical contact or stimulation in general. Bunnies, for example, want to be able to hide, and they need to dig and run (they can reach speeds of up to 100km/h).
EUROPEAN REGULATIONS
In 2013, the EU banned cosmetics that have been tested on animals.
Instead, manufacturers have to employ other methods, such as using human cells and tissue, advanced computer-modelling techniques, or studies with human volunteers.
However, due to loopholes in the law as well as several manufacturers’ testing policies, many companies quietly continue to test their cosmetics overseas. This is compounded by local laws abroad (outside the EU) that, in some cases, require that creams, lotions, or make-up be tested on animals.
OVERSEAS ANIMAL TESTING
"Companies, including L'Oreal, Revlon, and Olay, have policies on their websites which state that they do not test on animals anywhere in the world. With one proviso: 'Except when required by law'. (...) Any cosmetics giant that sells their goods in China must submit them to be tested in Chinese laboratories, where more than 300,000 animals are used each year and welfare laws are notoriously slack". (Annabel Fenwick Elliott – writer and editor)
REPLACING ANIMAL TESTING IN RESEARCH
Watch the video and learn why replacing animal models with human-relevant non-animal research techniques will benefit medical progress.
LEARN MORE
Sustainable Beauty →
Here you find additional information about Animal Charity → & Movies & Documentaries →
Check our sources: Bibliography →
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