Normally, when we're perfecting our eyeliner or blending our contour, we don't think about whether or not the makeup product that we are using is cruelty free. First off, "cruelty free" and "not tested on animals" may not be exactly what you think. According to this article by the MSCPA, neither saying is backed by government or law. They can mean almost anything that the manufacturer wants it to mean.
"Cruelty-Free" can mean a number of different things. It can mean that neither the product, nor it's ingredients, were tested on animals. (Although according to the MSPCA, this is highly unlikely). It can mean that the final product was not tested on animals, but the ingredients were. It can even mean that the product was tested on animals in foreign countries.
According to the Humane Society, animal testing is "procedures performed on living animals for purposes of research into basic biology and diseases, assessing the effectiveness of new medicinal products, and testing the human health and/or environmental safety of consumer and industry products such as cosmetics, household cleaners, food additives, pharmaceuticals and industrial/agro-chemicals".
So what this means in more literal terms can include forced chemical exposure, exposure to drugs, genetic manipulation, physical restraint for periods of time, food or water deprivation, infliction of wounds or other injuries to examine healing and more. Some of the most common animals used for animal testing include mice, rabbits and monkeys. To help support the fight against animal testing please visit this website.
What you can look for on your products is the PETA Bunny. PETA has companies complete a short questionnaire and sign a statement verifying that they do not test on animals, pay for animal testing, or commission animal testing on ingredients, formulas or final products. But, the highest standard in "Cruelty-Free" products is the Leaping Bunny. The Leaping Bunny has companies apply through their website and then they go through inspections. Companies that show this logo also are required to take part in "on-site audits" that assess the validity of their claims, according to One Green Planet.
It is astonishing the amount of popular companies that test on animals. It's almost impossible to avoid. Here is just a few of the popular makeup companies that still test on animals: Avon, Almay, Bobbi Brown, Benefit, Cover Girl, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Loreal, La Mer, Lancome, M.A.C, Mary Kay, Maybelline, Neutrogena, Revlon, Sephora, Stila and many more.
But here are a few companies that do not test on animals: Burt's Bees, Jane, Physician's Formula, Wet 'n Wild, Milani, ELF, Pacifica (also vegan!), Pur Minerals and Kiss My Face. Some of the more high end brands that do not test on animals include Anastasia Beverly Hills, Nars, Hourglass, Tarte, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Kat Von D, Josie Maran, Becca, Bite and Cover FX.
