I sincerely believe that cruelty-free beauty is the only way forward. Enlightened makeup mavens and the beauty obsessed will tell you that beauty is not just on the surface. Beauty is also a reflection of the soul. How can an enlightened person feel truly beautiful when the basis of that beauty is suffering by another species? The same applies to makeup brushes and the fur trade as well.
The EU has placed a ban on animal testing. There are however multinational companies who still test on animals in other parts of the world and still sell these products in other places than the EU. The ban means that companies cannot sell NEW products in the EU that have any ingredients that have been tested on animals.
The ban, which came into for in 2013, means that companies cannot sell NEW products in the EU that have any ingredients that have been tested on animals.
It is relevant to note that the ban only affects new products, not products already on shelves, like those of L’Oreal which naturewatch.org say they do not support.
Interestingly, despite The Body Shops stance on animal testing, it hands over dividends to L’oreal each year which has allowed L’Oreal to invest heavily in China, the second biggest market on the planet, and who have no such ban on animal testing. Each year, 4000 new beauty products hit the shelves in China, which, according the naturewatch.org,
“translates to 300,000 animals suffering and dying in cruel tests on vanity products”
If you are interested in being animal-friendly, you can download a copy of The Compassionate Shopping Guide for just 3 pounds.
Ironically The Body Shop, owned by L’Oreal since 2006, are pushing for a WorldWide ban on animal testing:
“LET’S TAKE A STAND TO FINALLY BAN COSMETICS TESTING ON ANIMALS EVERYWHERE.”
A website, dedicated to animal-friendly products, Cruelty-Free Kitty, has published a list of cruelty-free brands. It is an extremely comprehensive list that I would encourage you to read it because you purchase any more beauty products, cosmetics or toiletries.
