Cruelty-free cosmetics
People is becoming increasingly aware of cruelty against animals in the cosmetic industry, so they prefer to use brands who do not test their products on animals.
Since 11th March 2013, any company who wants to sell cosmetic products in the UE must prove that those haven’t been tested on animals. The ban on animal testing (76/768/CEE) prohibits testing on animals finished cosmetic products or their ingredients. However, there still are international brands who do it.
Cruelty free cosmetics
This list has been created based on information supplied by PETA’s website, and in some cases by the company itself. PETA’s “Don’t Test” list only includes companies who have signed or sent a statement of assurance.
In some cases, brands state on their website that their products haven’t been tested on animals. However, this is not always true, as their ingredientes might have been.
- The Body Shop. Despite being part of L’Oreal since 2006, who does test on animals, The Body Shop stays true to its origins.
- Lush
- Aveda. It belongs to Estée Lauder, who tests on animals other brands.
- Morocanoil
- Too Faced
- H&M. They don’t use fur for their clothes nor they approve animal testing.
- Kora Organics. Created by Victoria’s Secret’s angel Miranda Kerr.
- Nuxe. They say they don’t test their products nor their ingredientes on animals. However, the brand sells in China, where all cosmetic products must be tested on animales before being put on the market (except if they sell online). PETA does not have information about the brand.
These are only some of the brands who does not test on animals. If you have doubts about any particular brand, you can check PETA’s list.
Cruelty Free International was the first global organization fighting animal testing. The Body Shop was a pioneer in the industry implementing this policy. Together they created a campaign to get more than 4 million signatures to request the European Comission the end of animal testing on cosmetic products.
Cosmetics that test on animals
Sadly, there are still more brands who test on animals that those who don’t. The biggest companies and best known brands are in this list. These are only a few:
- Johnson & Johnson (Acuvue, Carefree, Clean & Clear, Johnson’s, Listerine, Neutrogena are some of its brands)
- Unilever (Dove and Axe among others)
- Procter & Gamble (including Dolce & Gabbana, Escada, H&S, Herbal Essences, Hugo Boss, Max Factor, Olay, Pantene, Sebastian and Wella)
- Beiersdorf (Nivea, Eucerin, La Prairie)
- Shisheido
- Clarins
- Christian Dior
- Givenchy
- Chanel
- L’Occitane
- Avon
- Revlon
- Estée Laure (including Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Donna Karan, La Mer, MAC and more)
- Benefit Cosmetics
- L’Oreal (Biotherm, Cacharel, Garnier, Kiehl’s, Lancôme, Maybelline, Vichy and more)
- Elizabeth Arden
How is this possible if Europe has banned animal testing?
The Cosmetics Directive 76/768/CEE says that animal testing must be replace by alternative methods when possible. However, Questions & Answers Memo is not clear about what happens when this replacement is not possible.
On the other hand, cosmetics that were already on the market before 11th March 2013, and whose security was already proven, they can stay on the market, since data obtained from animal testing before the directive is still valid.
But the most interesting question is whether customers can be sure, after the ban, that cosmetics bought in Europe (and their ingredientes) haven’t been tested on animals. The European Commision says that new tests are not allowed in the cosmetic industry. However, most of the ingredients used by this industry are also used in other industries like the pharmaceutical industry, or the food industry. Within those legal frames, ingredientes can be tested.
If you want to make sure that the products you are using are cruelty free, check the Internet for more information. Use PETA’s list or blogs like Cruelty-Free Kitty to know more about cruelty-free cosmetics.
