With so many brands available to choose your products from, it can be hard to decide where to buy from. One factor that might influence your decision is whether the products are cruelty-free or not and if it isn’t already, maybe it should be next time.
Animal testing takes place on a variety of animals such as dogs, cats, monkeys, and mice. The testing can take many forms but ultimately it harms the animals and their quality of life – without them being able to do anything about it. The finished products do not have to be directly tested on the animal to be considered part of animal testing. Brands that also test individual ingredients, work with suppliers who test on animals, and products that are sold in places like China, where animal testing is required by the law, are not considered to be cruelty-free.
The Leaping Bunny is a symbol that can be found on products such as makeup, hair products, personal care products, and even household products. This symbol signifies that the product has not been tested on animals and is therefore cruelty-free.
Next time you go to buy a product, take a few extra seconds to check that it is cruelty-free. There are many products to choose from that are cruelty-free such as Too Faced, Burt’s Bees, The Ordinary, and Method. You can search if a brand is cruelty-free here. If the brand you are searching for doesn’t come up on the website, then a simple google search will lead you to an answer. PETA also has an app you can download onto your phone so you can quickly check a product next time you are in Target or Sephora.
Buying cruelty-free might not make a big difference to us but ultimately it will make a difference as we are doing our bit to help protect and save innocent animals. If animal testing was more widely talked about and we really knew what happens to animals just so we can get to try out a new mascara, then people would be more conscious about what brands they support and buy from. It is our responsibility as customers to do our research and make sure that the brands we buy from, align with our own personal views.