Why Some Beauty Brands Are No Longer Cruelty Free

I've decided to do a post about animal testing in the beauty industry as it's a topic at the moment a lot of people are concerned about. Animal testing is something that upsets a lot of people, and for good reason too - it's totally barbaric and completely unnecessary. Some beauty brands are cruelty free and carry the leaping bunny symbol, whilst others unfortunately test their ingredients on animals. In this post I'm going to tell you the background behind it and which brands are cruelty free. I'm also going to name the brands that do test and the reasons for it. Not to mention the lies that some brands will tell their customers.

Why Test?
Animal testing is something that is so unnecessary, brands don't need to test their ingredients on animals as there are much better and much more accurate ways of testing products. Whilst you do get brands that refuse to test, therefore becoming cruelty free, you do get others that still test their ingredients on animals. You're probably wondering why they do this, one word - China.

Animal testing has been banned in many different countries, especially in the European Union (EU). However if a company wants to sell their products in China, Chinese Law requires that these products be tested on animals. Skin and eye irritation tests have to be carried out on animals in order for the products to be sold in China. The Chinese makeup market is worth a lot of money and unfortunately some brands have decided to put profit before ethics. These brands don't need the money that selling in China makes, because they are worth millions (possibly more) anyway. It's sheer greed.

Many brands once had an anti animal testing policies, yet these same companies have decided to turn their backs on it in order to sell in China.

Named And Shamed
So I'm going to tell you which brands do test on animals, because they want to sell in China. The list is taken from PETA who list the companies on their site. PETA have a database which if you type a brand in, it will tell you whether or not it is cruelty free.

Other brands which do test also include - Dior, Lancome, Benefit, Chanel, Bumble And Bumble, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, Shiseido and Max Factor. The list is actually a lot longer, unfortunately.

And The Good Guys Are..
Fortunately there are a number of brands who stay away from China and therefore don't test on animals. Also taken from PETA.

The list also includes NARS, bareMinerals, Buxom, ELF, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Hourglass, Illamasqua, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics and Kat Von D. There are many others too.

As you probably know most brands are owned by huge beauty houses such as L'Oreal and Estee Lauder. While the parent company may test on animals, the brands it owns may be cruelty free. Examples of this include L'Oreal, which owns NYX and Urban Decay. L'Oreal may test on animals but NYX and Urban Decay don't sell in China, therefore don't test.

There is an interesting story about Urban Decay which I think is fantastic. A few years ago Urban Decay announced it was going into the Chinese market. This would mean no longer being cruelty free. Fans and loyal customers were not happy about it and threatened to boycott the brand. It worked because Urban Decay changed it's mind and didn't sell in China after all.  Shiseido is a company that tests on animals, yet it does own 3 cruelty free brands - NARS, bareMinerals and Buxom.

Companies may also display these symbols on their products to let the customer know they are cruelty free. Some beauty products are even vegan too. 

The Backlash
Some celebs have even made a stand against different brands selling in China. A good example of this is Pamela Anderson. Pamela was a spokesperson for MAC's Viva Glam campaign back in 2004. Back then MAC was cruelty free and since 2012 it has decided to turn it's back on no animal testing and sell in China. She has been a longtime activist for PETA and she decided to write a letter to the president of Estee Lauder (the company who owns MAC) John Demsey.

The Pamela Anderson Foundation

August 27, 2015
John Demsey
Group President
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Dear John,
I hope you're well. We've known each other for a long time, and I've always admired you for embracing M.A.C. Cosmetics as a pioneer in cruelty-free makeup. That's why I was so proud to be a Viva Glam M.A.C. girl in 2004. But the buzz is much different now, and you know I can't bite my tongue. I'm writing today out of great disappointment that M·A·C has abandoned its celebrated policy against animal testing.

When I worked with M.A.C., I found it to be a very progressive and forward-thinking company. That's why I was very disturbed to learn from PETA that M.A.C., under your direction at Estée Lauder, is selling products in China, where the company funds painful tests on animals in order to meet the country's archaic regulations. This has tainted the brand and alienated many of the company's longtime allies. But I have faith in you. Won't you join brands like Urban Decay, Dermalogica, Nature's Gate, Pangea Organics, and Juice Beauty, which have pulled out of China until the country updates its testing policies, as Europe has, to eliminate animal testing?

Hundreds of thousands of rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, and other animals are killed in cruel tests for cosmetics in China every year. These tests aren't required in the U.S. and are illegal in the European Union, India, and Israel. Animals are confined to small barren cages and suffer immensely as they have substances dripped into their eyes, rubbed onto their raw shaved skin, or forced down their throats. The tests are conducted without any painkillers, and the animals are killed after the tests are over.

As an honorary director of PETA and a former M.A.C. spokesperson, I urge you to pull out of the Chinese market until the country's testing methods are modernized like those of much of the rest of the world. Corporate leaders can make this happen. Won't you restore M.A.C. to its former glory as a brand with principles? I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Pamela Anderson

Other celebs who have spoken up include Kesha, Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais and Colbie Caillat.

The Lies
Brands know how customers feel about animal testing and they have been known to instruct their staff to lie about it. A few years ago me and my friend were at the L'Oreal counter and she told the woman working there that L'Oreal tests on animals. The sales assistant got very funny about it and started to panic. She told us both 'we don't test on animals.' To which I replied - 'yes you do, because you sell in China.' She then asked how I knew that and I told her it says on the L'Oreal website.

It's not just in the UK brands have been lying, it happens in Australia too. It was reported a few years back that staff at Dior, Lancome and MAC told customers the products weren't tested on animals. Staff at Clarins said that animal testing was illegal around the world, which is a complete lie.

When looking on a beauty brand's website, you can read the bit about animal testing, the statement they put should tell you whether or not they test on animals.  Every brand that does test on animals says similar things. This is taken from L'Oreal.

The Group no longer tests on animals, anywhere in the world, and does not delegate this task to others. An exception could be made if regulatory authorities required it for safety or regulatory purposes.

What they mean by that is, because they sell in China, they have to do animal testing for legal reasons. So no matter what the companies try making out, brands that do sell in China are required to carry out animal testing.

And Finally, The Alternatives
I've heard people saying stupid things like - 'would you rather them test on a small child' or 'it's better to test on an animal than a human being.' Those statements seem to make out it's an either one or the other situation and ignore the fact that scientists have actually developed more accurate and better ways to test products. 

Scientists have developed more sophisticated product tests that are actually cheaper, faster and more accurate than the outdated animal testing methods. Artificial skin and eyes mimic the body's natural properties as well as human cell cultures and tissue studies.

So good old science proves to us makeup lovers that these outdated methods used by China are not necessary in 2017.

Choosing what brand you like to use it all down to personal choice. Whether or not you want to boycott a brand for animal testing is entirely up to you. Animal testing is something that belongs in history and has no place to today's world, especially when there are far better methods for testing products.