In this new age of advanced corporate social responsibility, you would think that most major companies would be on board with ethical practices and concern for environmental impact, however this is not the case. Many companies that produce cosmetics and skincare products still practice animal testing: “any scientific experiment or test in which a live animal is forced to undergo something that is likely to cause them pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm,” according to Cruelty Free International. Animals that are forced to take part in these experiments are often exposed to radiation, force fed, injected with harmful substances, and put into frightening situations. The types of animals used for these tests include mice, rabbits, birds, and fish, and they are bred in a lab specifically for this purpose. According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA, some common beauty brands that still test on animals are Avon, Benefit, Clinique, Maybelline, OPI, Victoria’s Secret, Makeup Forever, and Estée Lauder.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, cruelty-free products are typically associated with not being tested on animals, but this definition varies company to company because there is no standard regulation for what defines a corporation as “cruelty-free.” So, when you are purchasing a product labeled as “cruelty-free,” that can mean one of a few things, according the MSPCA: neither the ingredients nor the product has been tested on animals, ingredients have been animal-tested but the final product has not, the company used another company’s animal-testing results or had someone conduct them, testing occurred in a foreign country, or the products and ingredients used to be tested on animals but this has not occurred for five, ten, or twenty years. Because identifying cruelty-free products can be very confusing, PETA provides an extensive list of companies that they have deemed certified cruelty-free. Some of these alternatives to companies that test on animals include Tarte, Too Faced, NYX Cosmetics, Jordana Cosmetics, and BareMinerals. So, next time you reach for your favorite brand in Sephora, check for a cruelty-free symbol on the label so you can feel confident that you’re making a worthwhile purchase.