ANIMAL TESTING FOR COSMETICS
Animal testing for cosmetics is one of the easiest things to avoid if substances were chosen that are already classified and approved as safe.
From skincare products to all kinds of makeup, to perfumes and aftershaves, to shampoo, lotion, and shower gel (also for pet/companion animals), to nail polish and shaving cream…and the list goes on. Animal testing (and animal-derived ingredients) in cosmetics still make a huge market. It is unbelievable that this is still happening as the majority of people at least understand how cruel it is, but aren’t aware that they are still funding it.
Why do companies still test on animals for cosmetics?
Not only is it (currently) prohibited by European law, but it is an outdated system ethically, but especially scientifically. In fact, concerning medical progress, animal experimentation is a fatally misleading way to conduct research because it does not provide results that can be reliably transferred to human animals.
In fact, cosmetic products containing raw materials tested on animals may no longer be imported into the EU. However, the bans only apply to ingredients that are used exclusively in cosmetics, and these are about 10% of the substances. The majority is tested on animals according to the requirements of the Chemicals Act, which is also used in the manufacture of chemical products or materials.
Consumers sometimes ask about the use of claims such as “Cruelty-Free” or “Not Tested on Animals” on cosmetic labeling. Some cosmetic companies promote their products with claims of this kind in their labeling or advertising. The unrestricted use of these phrases by cosmetic companies is possible because there are no legal definitions for these terms. Some companies may apply such claims solely to their finished cosmetic products.
So you can already see the loopholes that this entails, which is often exploited by companies to make even more profit from their products but violates any responsibility and rights towards non-human and human beings.
Always be cautious, double-check twice and ask specific piercing questions, to put companies on the spot!
If you don’t know much about animal testing, I highly recommend you to check out my blog post “The Cruelty and Absurdity of Animal Testing & Experiments” on my website. It is also available in ➸ German.
🔬 @aerztegegentierversuche | 🔬 @peta | 📋 Food & Drug Association (FDA)