If you use any of the brands on the following list, you may want to read this.

A number of popular brands – including MAC, Benefit, Clinique, Maybelline, Victoria’s Secret, Estee Lauder,  Bobbi Brown, Dior, Sephora, Revlon, and NARS – all test on animals. Animal testing is used to know if makeup products are safe on humans. The tests that they run on these animals include skin and eye irritation tests, poison tests, and shock tests, where they rub chemicals on the shaved skin. The most common animals used are rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, mice, and occasionally cats and dogs. Because products can often need additional revisions to be safe for human use, these chemicals can have a strong negative effect; according to PETA, about 100 million animals are killed in laboratories each year. In response, some countries have banned animal testing, including Australia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey. 

So, why won’t the US stop animal testing? It’s pretty outdated to keep using animal testing. According to PETA companies continue to test on animals so they can defend themselves when these companies are sued by people who use the product and are injured. Yes it makes no sense that these companies are able to sell the product in the first place but unfortunately, the law is on their side. Back in the 30’sThe United States Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act was signed, declaring that makeup products and cosmetics are required to be tested in some way for human safety. Companies started to then use animal testing in the US. The FDA says “The FD&C Act does not specifically require the use of animals in testing cosmetics for safety, nor does the Act subject cosmetics to FDA premarket approval. However, the agency has consistently advised cosmetic manufacturers to employ whatever testing is appropriate and effective for substantiating the safety of their products.” So, these companies choose to continue to do animal testing, when less problematic alternatives are available. These companies could start doing in vitro testing, which is when you take samples of blood or tissue from the human body and run a test on it. We could also be using computer models. Technology has become so advanced that there’s no need for animal testing. We already use computer models to help with diseases, so we could use this for testing too. 

The good news is, animal testing is starting to decline in the beauty industry but it’s still extremely common. So, what are some brands that don’t use animal testing? Personally, my favorites are, e.l.f (also vegan!), Milani, Alleyoop, Charlotte Tilbury, Colourpop, and Covergirl. How can you tell if a product is cruelty-free? Take a look at the packaging, look for a certified cruelty bunny logo on the packaging, this is usually found on the back. (photos will go in around here) In conclusion, I believe that animal testing should be banned in all parts of the world as it is unethical, wasteful, bad science, and animal testing protects no one. Stop buying from these brands to stop supporting these unethical acts.