As People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) Instagram bio says, “Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment.” Imagine being trapped in a cold, dark place ever since you can remember, and the only human faces you see are cold and unkind and bring hands that spray or rub or inject something in you that gives you rashes, pain, tumors, or even blind you. You are always scared and the only world that you know is the laboratory where big-time cosmetic companies perform tests on you. Would you like to live a life like that? The truth is that while some lucky bunnies or other furry animals receive endless love by their owners or in the wilderness, others are doomed right from the start.
Some people have no knowledge of the ugly truth behind those pretty “Maybe she’s born with it,” “Get the London look” or “Easy, breezy, beautiful” ads. Not everybody knows of the cruel reality of animal testing. Nevertheless there are organizations like PETA and Cruelty Free Kitty that, through investigations and social media accounts, spread the word about this issue. With the purpose of making the public aware and inspiring significant changes in this materialistic world, organizations like these publish lists of brands that do and do not test on our furry animals. Thanks to them, I have shifted to the brands that do not test on animals, even if it means abandoning my favorite brand of all time, Maybelline, with their Baby Lips and Fit Me collection.
As collegiettes, we have the power to make a difference and make changes in our own small ways, starting with the cosmetics we buy and use. If we decide to take a stand and adjust our makeup habits and products, lives could be saved. Not only do PETA and Cruelty Free Kitty make lists of the brands that don’t test on animals, but they also let you search on their site for a brand, instantly, so you know what you are buying and if animals were harmed in its production. Some brands are harder to find, but there are others that you can find in typical drugstores. You won’t have to empty your bank account or sell your eye to ensure the safety of animals and little critters because some of these products are really budget-friendly like Milani, Nyx and Ecotools. Also, if you ignore and decide to buy products that test on animals, you are encouraging the further tests on more and more animals.
Below there is a list of brands you can find on your nearby drugstore, like Walgreens and Walmart, that don’t indulge in animal-testing which include Wet ‘n’ Wild, Jane, Mua Makeup Academy, among others.