Animals have long been used to test products for safety, first documented with the ancient Greeks.
These practices still continue to some degree today by using animals as test subjects for chemicals in products like cosmetics. The rabbit and mouse are the most common test subjects. For cosmetic chemicals, there are two major tests used: the skin and eye drop test. Isolated chemicals are rubbed on the freshly shaved skin or squirted into eyes in order to see any negative effects.
Until recently, I never thought about how any of the products I use came to be. How do I know they’re safe for me to use? After doing some research into the testing methods and the impact on animals, I decided to go cruelty-free for the rest of my purchases (primarily makeup).
It doesn’t make sense to me to use animal tested products when I know there are better alternatives.There’s an abundance of tests to replace ones where animals are used. More than 40 new tests have been introduced to replace animal testing. Even if there were no new tests, there are literally thousands of chemicals which have already been used and proven safe.
Companies use animal testing usually to create safety data for new chemicals. Even as our understanding and development of these new tests grow, there aren’t replacements yet for each animal test. We likely have the knowledge and capability to create these tests, but they aren’t a primary focus because animal testing is the norm. It isn’t a priority for companies to invest and create new animal-free tests because there are currently no laws in the United States prohibiting animal testing. So, if it’s not broken, it’s not going to get fixed. Animal tests are by no means flawless either. Since different species can be used, they can respond differently to a variety of chemicals.
For cosmetics, the European Union has banned any animal testing since 2009. The United States, China, and Taiwan are a few of the countries which haven’t yet issued any official legislation (although in the U.S. there is legislation around the country for an animal testing ban). There are companies which still choose to do business with these countries requiring animal testing (like China).
So why should you go cruelty-free? Because there’s no need to test on animals for cosmetic purposes. As we move further into the future, there will be even more non- animal based testing developed. Animal testing should be banned because it is now unnecessary, but companies continue to use it since they are not required to change.
How can you go cruelty-free?
If you’re anything like me and have a really hard time resisting a good Sephora sale (I see you, free samples) then it’s important to do your own research into what companies use animal testing. There are a variety of sources (Humane Society, PETA) including blogs where people have actually reached out to the company themselves to get answers regarding their stance on animal testing.
Look for the Leaping Bunny mark on the packaging. This indicates compliance with the Leaping Bunny program. In order to be certified and approved, there can be no animal testing in any step of product creation.
It may seem trivial, but as a consumer, you make choices every day and they impact the lives (both human and nonhuman) of those who make the products. Why not make an easy conscious effort to make a positive change in our world?
