Beauty without Cruelty

At the moment we are putting on our foundation and spraying pleasant perfume, millions of animals including mice, rats, rabbits, cats, dogs and other animals are locked inside the laboratory cages for experiments, mourning in pain and longing to be free, just to make sure your beauty products are effective and safe.

Figure 1: Millions of animals are suffering from brutal experiments across the globe every year.

Source: PETA

For a long time, the idea of using animals for cosmetics testing was initiated in the 1940s when people were seriously injured by being exposed to unsafe beauty products (NAVS n.d). In addition, due to the fact that companies are still expected to ensure the safety of the ingredients in their products before launching into the market, animals are subjected to cruel and painful tests across the beauty industry.

According to PETA, 100 millions animals are killed in the lab every year. Typically, animal tests for cosmetics include chemicals are applied or injected under the skin of rabbits, guinea pigs and mice for irritation testing. Animals can experience redness, rash, inflammation, etc. yet no pain relief or medical aids are provided after painful experiment, most animals are eventually killed. You can follow list of animal tests here to learn more and be aware of the happening situation. Paradoxically, if a product harms animals, it can still go to the market, therefore, if the results show that product is safe on animals, there is no guarantee that it will be safe on humans.

Figure 2: Mice are often used for testing allergic reaction on skin.

Source: PETA

For the past few years, we have witnessed a number of endeavors in putting a stop to the sufferings and death of animals within the cosmetics industry in particular. According to the Humane Society, more than 38 countries, including the USA, EU, India,... have announced to prohibit the sale of any cosmetics or cosmetics ingredients that involve testing on animals. There is a famous global movement that is happening now - “Cruelty Free International", that is dedicated to fighting against the use of animals in cosmetics testing and promoting ethics among consumers.

So, are there any alternatives? YES! Companies can still produce new and safe products by manufacturing in a cruelty-free way. Beauty and cosmetics brands can opt for thousands of ingredients with recording on existing safety data and require no further testing. Moreover, advanced non-animal research methods are available and have been shown time and again to be more accurate and relevant to people than crude animal experiments.

Figure 3: Official certified cruelty-free bunny logos.

Source: Ethical Elephant

At the end of the day, what can we - consumers do to make a difference? Join the Cruelty Free movement! From now on, looking for a certified cruelty-free logo on your beauty product’s packaging and tell everyone about your concern, our concern. Remember, we’re also the decision-maker in the game and no animals should be tortured to make us feel safe and beautiful.