Buy Cruelty Free Beauty 🐰

I recently had an assignment at school on animal cruelty, and it opened my eyes to the horrors of this practice and the ways our choices as consumers impact it. 

Animal testing is typically conducted on bunnies, mice, rats, guinea pigs, cats, and dogs. Chemicals are applied to their eyes or injected into bare patches of skin to determine their safety for humans. Oftentimes, the animals are suffocated and killed after the tests are completed.

This is beyond unacceptable. 

According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, cruelty free means that "neither the ingredients nor the products have been tested on animals after a certification date and will not be tested on animals in the future." Basically, this means that a cruelty free product has not tested their ingredients or finished product on animals, and they did not have a third party do so for them.

It's also important to note that the term "cruelty free" isn't regulated, meaning that companies can say they are cruelty free when they actually aren't. Even if a brand seems like they care, it's important to verify that they are truly free from all forms of animal testing.

The best resource for this is the Leaping Bunny program by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics. They’ve developed an international standard for cruelty free products and carefully discern which brands meet those qualifications. Cruelty free brands will often put the Leaping Bunny logo on their products to notify consumers that their product is doing well for our animal friends. Look for these two certified logos when you're shopping:

"But how do we know if chemicals are safe for humans?" you might ask. Advancing science and technology have opened doors for new testing methods that do not involve animals. For example, scientists can grow cell cultures that mimic human organs, use data based computer technology, or test on actual human tissue donated after surgery or death. 

Clearly, there are alternative methods -- we need to hold brands accountable and do our part to end animal cruelty.

There are a number of beauty brands that are already cruelty free. Some favorites that I use are Pacifica, NYX, Glossier, and The Ordinary. Check out the extensive list on Cruelty Free Kitty. The first thing you can do to support this cause is to buy your cosmetics from these brands! 

A second thing you can do is avoid brands that aren't cruelty free. Notable brands include Maybelline, Clinique, Benefit, and Bath and Body Works. As consumers, we have the power to hold companies accountable and use our dollars to support only those who are making good choices.

I discovered Cruelty Free Kitty as a fantastic search tool to determine if the products you currently use are cruelty free. They also offer an abundance of alternatives. Take an hour to go through your current beauty regimen and see how your products stack up. I did this about a month ago and now I know which products I will repurchase and which ones I will replace.

A third way you can fight for the end of animal testing is spreading the word or sharing on social media. Let people know how their choices impact other creatures. You could share an informational article, the Cruelty Free Kitty search tool, or even this post on your favorite social media platforms.

It's time to make animal testing a thing of the past. Animals are living, breathing, and feeling creatures just like us, and they should not have to endure torture. They have the right to live lives full of love and free of cruelty!

Let's make this a reality.