It’s virtually impossible to separate a woman from her beauty products. Even women who eschew make-up, hair dye and fancy lotions still use deodorant, moisturizer, and aqueous cream, and, more often than not, face wash. Rare is the woman who has never used lip gloss or dabbed some perfume behind her ears. But beauty comes at a price and I’m not talking about the damage to your purse.
It’s no secret that most make-up brands have a history bloodied by animal testing. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has spent decades campaigning to stop a practice that is genuinely no longer necessary. The organization has brought the plight of countless animals to the public’s attention and has made many brands re-evaluate their approach to ensuring the safety of their products. Unfortunately, many brands continue to tacitly endorse animal testing while drafting creative marketing messages that make consumers think they are making an ethical choice.
Products vs. ingredients: how brands veil the truth
According to uncaged.co.uk, brands often make true but misleading statements on their product packaging. The statement: “None of our products are tested on animals” may be technically accurate, but unless it is accompanied by a further qualification: “None of our ingredients are tested on animals”, the brand concerned can’t legitimately claim full animal anti-cruelty status.
Once again uncaged.co.uk has some important advice for those who want to buy ethically: always look at the parent company. Some brands don’t test their products on animals and don’t use ingredients that have been tested on animals either, but they are owned by a company that tests other brands in their range on animals.
A very good example of this is The Body Shop. The Body Shop built its reputation on its animal-friendly credo. If you knew one thing about The Body Shop it was that it was 100 percent free of animal testing. Well, not anymore. In 2006, the company was bought by L’Oreal, which does test on animals. So while The Body Shop maintains its cruelty-free image, it’s no longer credible.
Editor’s Note: We at My Beauty Bunny believe that although a cruelty-free brand owned by a non-cruelty-free corporation is not ideal, it DOES allow the cruelty-free products to reach a wider audience (often Target, Wal-Mart and drugstore channels). This is the line of thought followed by PETA, and we agree with it. However, that doesn’t mean YOU have to agree with it. We encourage you to do your own research and make your own informed opinions.
The bunny seal of approval
There are, however, a rising number of brands and companies that fully endorse animal-friendly principles, even down to avoiding ingredients that contain any animal products, such as beeswax, lanolin and elastin.
Dermalogica also has its share of celebrity fans, including Mischa Barton, Victoria Beckham, and Jessica Biel. Stella McCartney is an animal rights’ hero. Not only does she not use any animal products in her fashion lines, but she’s also launched a line of cruelty-free skincare products.
You can find out more about companies that do and don’t test on animals on PETA’s website.
You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to be against animal testing. And you don’t have to give up looking your glamorous best either. With a little conscientious shopping, you can do your bit to end animal cruelty and still feel body beautiful.
Guest post by Jade Scully – a copywriter, blogger and online marketing enthusiast who has published her work on a series of online publications and websites including Leeulekker who provide a range of fashion and accessories resources for southern Africans.
MAC is not 100% vegan. A few products are, but not all. http://www.crueltyfreeface.com has a list of which MAC products are vegan.
Thanks for catching that Elle!
I realize this is an older post – but it would be helpful to update the fact that MAC and Bumble & Bumble are NOW animal testing. In fact, out of all of the Estee Lauder companies (http://www.elcompanies.com/pages/our-brands.aspx) ONLY Aveda and Sean John are cruelty free 🙁
Mizz is absolutely right. Most large companies absolutely DO test on animals and they are great at double talk on the subject. I’ve come to the conclusion that I will no longer purchase any more beauty products from big name corporations who just don’t know and just don’t care. I’m totally into smaller, more conscious lines of beauty products and am happy that there are so many of them cropping up. I am especially loving vegan beauty products. I love the coconut soap from Wilderness Naturals and the balm cleanser from Hush Dotti. Good stuff!
We should all tell everyone we know to go animal testing free. And to go chemical free. Chemical free is better for everyone! And to adopt animals from the pound. Everyone and every animal deserves to have a happy and healthy life! Tell everyone you know to go chemical free, animal cruelty free and to adopt pets from the pound. Let’s save the world and the inhabitants on it one step at a time! 🙂
Cynthia Rowley lip gloss does not test on animals.
So does manic panic, they don’t test in animals either.
Stella McCartney does a lot for animals, but the statement that she uses no animal products in her fashion lines is incorrect. She doesn’t use leather or fur, but she does work with wool and silk.
bumble and bumble owned by estee lauder DO test on animals (PETAs list today)
In regards to dr haushka. Although they do not test on animals they still use animal ingrediants in their products. Like lanolin and beeswax honey and others. So even though PETA promotes this company as cruelty free. Is it really ? We need to check the ingrediants being used. Not only if the products are being tested on animals ……. And that’s too bad because I loved dr haushka products.
How can Jane Iredale be approved by Leaping Bunny, PETA, etc. when she uses goat hair in her makeup brushes?
We should all tell everyone we know to go animal testing free. And to go chemical free. Chemical free is better for everyone! And to adopt animals from the pound.
Hi! I noticed that you listed bumble and bumble hair products under companies that Peta says are cruelty free, but on the Peta website it says they do test on animals. I am wondering if this is an error on your site? Thank you!
Hi Caryn – this article is 6 years old and was not up to date. Thank you for spotting the inaccuracy – I have removed the reference to Bumble & Bumble (and Dr Hauschka). For an up to date cruelty free list, please check here: https://mybeautybunny.com/cruelty-free-brands/