Animal Testing 101
Switching to Cruelty-Free — the What, Why, When and How
Story time
Switching to cruelty-free is how I began so I thought it fitting to start off with this. When in high school, one fine day, I ended up on Peta’s page talking about animal testing and I was in shock. I remember clearly- coming out of my room after having seen some very graphic images and just trying to calm myself. The horrors and atrocities of animal testing! I felt like I was living under a rock all this time. Things that I used back then — everyday things like shampoo, face wash, moisturisers — they were produced by companies that support (even now) animal testing. What! It seemed unbelievable. I was very upset by the complete lack of awareness I’d had until then. And then I thought it to be my mission to tell everyone that I knew. I even went on to open up a club in school called People Against Cruelty towards Animals, with the main aim to spread awareness about animal testing.
I’ve written about this in the past and started reviewing cruelty-free products that I was fond of. Now finally I’m writing about this as a part of a bigger picture of achieving a more sustainable and ethical lifestyle.
What is a cosmetic product?
In the European Union (EU), a ‘cosmetic product’ is defined as:
“Any substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the external parts of the human body (epidermis, hair system, nails, lips and external genital organs) or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance, protecting them, keeping them in good condition or correcting body odors”
So this includes everyday items like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, face wash, deodorant, perfumes, nail paint, make up, and the likes.
History
Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals, and the answer is: “Because the animals are like us.”
Ask the experimenters why it is morally okay to experiment on animals, and the answer is: “Because the animals are not like us.”
Animal experimentation rests on a logical contradiction.
— Charles R. Magel, an American philosopher and animal rights activist
Testing various medical procedures on animals, to see how they react and then correlating to how humans would, goes a long way back. The development of globalized industrial manufacture and explosion of cosmetic popularity across North America and Europe paved the way to animal testing for cosmetics and household products. The use of animals for cosmetics testing was instituted in the 1940s. These tests include skin and eye irritation tests where chemicals are repeatedly rubbed on animals’ skin or dripped in their eyes; without any pain relief. They are caged, chemicals forced down their throats and ultimately killed in the name of beauty. The facts and figures are gut-wrenching. Rabbits are the most widely used animals for testing and now they’ve become synonymous with cruelty-free labels on products and campaigns for that very reason.
Where we are now?
Humane Society International has been at the forefront (along with other notable organisations; Peta, Cruelty Free International) in aiming for a global ban on animal testing. HSI launched the #BeCrueltyFree campaign in 2012 and is actively calling for support from beauty industry giants and governments around the world.
The countries in green have an animal testing ban and/or ban on the sale of newly animal-tested products. Pop here for more details.
The number of countries that are taking action to put bans in place is on the rise and so is the number of alternate animal testing methods being internationally recognised and approved.
- 40 countries have full or partial bans on cosmetics animal testing, including all EU countries, Australia, India, Israel, New Zealand, Norway and South Korea.
- Animal testing is not legally required for cosmetics sold in the United States.
- Currently, the Chinese government requires tests on animals for all imported cosmetics and any special use cosmetics, regardless of where they were manufactured. Check out the next section for some new positive developments in legislation.
Animal testing in China
Animal testing in China is a highly discussed topic and so bags its own section. There are two areas of progress to celebrate!
As mentioned, the Chinese government requires that products be tested, irrespective of where they were manufactured. Now, finally, “after years of lobbying, the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) announced that the Chinese government has approved nine non-animal based methods, with the new legislation coming into play in 2020. These new regulations will become the preferred testing method for the registration and pre-market approval of products.”
At the end of 2019, it was announced that the Chinese government is inching closer to banning animal testing for ‘non-special’ products whether imported or produced in the country. ‘Non-special’ products include moisturisers, make-up, shampoos, whereas ‘special’ products refer to sunscreen, hair dye and the likes.
Because of COVID-19, these new changes have been slightly pushed back but needless to say, this is a massive deal in achieving cruelty-free ethical laws globally! (Do give a read to the two linked articles in this section).
Companies that do not/do test on animals
Majority of the products found in department and drug stores are owned by L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, Unilever, that are capitalist giants with cruel and unethical policies. These few companies control almost everything we buy.
There is a regularly updated list from an amazing blog, Cruelty-Free Kitty, that I used to frequent when I was looking for alternatives or products to avoid.
The way I approached it was to glance at the list of companies that still test on animals. This gave me a really good idea on what companies to completely avoid. The image above is pretty shocking, isn’t it? And to think that these are the majority of products in stores…
Next steps — explore!
Now that the beans have been spilled and we’ve realised that the products we’ve grown up using and watching ads of, have been part of a cruel cruel scheme, where does that leave us? To explore, of course! The time could not have been better to switch to cruelty-free because of the amazing options out there. You’ve just got to start.
The leaping bunny logo, as part of the Leaping Bunny Program, at the back of products is the most common way for companies to prove that they are against animal testing. This certification is time consuming and costly; not all companies will be able to boast those stamps, so best to check their website.
Naming a few of some amazing brands from my list — Lush, The Body Shop, Balance Me, Neal’s Yard, Glossier, REN, Estrid, Evolve Beauty, Neighbourhood Botanicals.
Wrapping up
Switching to cruelty-free requires effort. You’ll have to go out your way to find out about ethical companies. But what good thing doesn’t require effort? Organic, natural, ethical products are better for your skin, the animals and the environment. And because beauty should always be kind.
Thank you so much for reading! I really hope this helps you out on your journey. 🌱
New blog every Monday! ✨
