The great news is that you can have stunning eyes while staying strong in your ethical beliefs. There is now no need for animals to suffer simply because you want a longer lash or a stunning eye shadow.
But, where do you start in ensuring that your eye cosmetics are cruelty-free?
How To Find Cruelty Free Beauty Products
When it comes to beauty, we all want to look our best. But did you know that many popular cosmetics and personal care products are tested on animals? Every year, millions of rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, and other animals are used in experiments for the beauty industry. These animals are routinely subjected to force-feeding, skin and eye irritation tests, and more – all in the name of “beauty.”
Fortunately, there are a growing number of companies that offer cruelty-free products. These companies have made a commitment not to test their products on animals at any stage of development. And that means there is a whole range of cruelty free eye creams, mascaras, eye shadows, and other products available to choose from.
Here are some tips on how to find cruelty-free beauty products:
1. Look for the Leaping Bunny Logo
In the US, The Leaping Bunny Program is the gold standard when it comes to checking out beauty products. Companies that display the Leaping Bunny logo on their products have signed a pledge not to test on animals at any stage of development. To be sure a product is genuinely cruelty-free, look for their logo on the packaging.
2. Check Company Websites and Social Media Pages
Many companies now make it easy to determine if their products are cruelty-free, and they list this information prominently on their website or social media pages. If you can’t find anything, try searching for “cruelty-free” or “not tested on animals.”
3. Contact the Company Directly
If you can’t find any information online, the best way to find out if a company is cruelty-free is to contact them directly. Most companies are happy to answer questions from potential customers.
4. Use a Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide
There are several helpful shopping guides available that list cruelty-free companies and their products. These guides can be a great starting point when you’re looking for new cruelty-free brands to try.
5. Choose Vegan Products
Veganism is more than just a diet – it’s a lifestyle choice that seeks to avoid all forms of animal exploitation. When it comes to beauty products, veganism means choosing products that don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients. Many cruelty-free companies also offer vegan options.
Non-Animal Alternative Testing Methods
Fortunately, several effective non-animal testing methods are available, and in many cases, these alternative methods are more reliable than animal tests. Did you know there are over 50 different tests that have been validated and approved to replace the use of animal testing?
Here are some of the latest techniques to ensure that no animal needs to suffer for beauty products –
Computer Models
Computer models can be used to predict the toxicity of chemicals and assess their safety. These models are often more accurate than animal tests, as they can take into account a wide variety of factors that would be impossible to replicate in an animal test.
Human Volunteers
In some cases, it may be possible to test a product on human volunteers instead of animals. This approach is often used for cosmetics, as it can accurately indicate how a product will react on human skin.
Phototoxicity Alternative Assay
This assay uses 3D human skin models to assess the potential for a chemical to cause phototoxicity (an allergic reaction when the skin is exposed to sunlight). This method is considered to be more accurate than animal tests, as it more accurately replicates human skin.
FAQs
Q. If the product says, ‘cruelty-free,’ does that mean it hasn’t been tested on animals?
A. Sadly not. The term ‘cruelty-free’ is not regulated, meaning it can describe very different approaches and commitments to animal welfare.
Q. If the manufacturer says, ‘We don’t test on animals,’ is that good enough?
This is a statement that needs much more information to be able to tell you the whole story. For example, does the manufacturer send the goods to another company for them to carry out testing, and how about the ingredients they used? Have they been tested on animals?
Q. What’s the difference between ‘cruelty-free’ and ‘vegan’?
A. Cruelty-free means that the product has not been tested on animals at any stage of development. Veganism is more than just a diet – it’s a lifestyle choice that seeks to avoid all forms of animal exploitation. When it comes to beauty products, veganism means choosing products that don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients. Many cruelty-free companies also offer vegan options.
Q. But surely all eye make-up and beauty products must be tested on animals first?
A. There is no requirement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for manufacturers to carry out animal testing on cosmetics. That’s because there is already enough data to mean that there is no need to repeat the experiments.
