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Unfortunately, a lot of major brands are still testing on animals despite claiming that they exercise cruelty-free practices. That’s why it’s important to always check the fine print when reading brand policies, as many of these products will claim to be cruelty-free but then include a clause that reads “except when required by law” this usually means that they are not.
Skincare and beauty products have a long line of history of abuse against animals. Although regulations on animal testing for cosmetics are becoming stricter in the last decade, many well-known brands are still finding a workaround for these regulations.
Brands such as Clean & Clear, Tresemme, and Loreal have been vocal in their fight against animal cruelty but still allow testing their products in China, where the law does not prohibit animal testing.
Animal testing comes in many forms, but it usually consists of companies testing their products for toxicity, allergic reactions, and UV reactivity, among other things. Since they are not always safe, they end up killing or torturing the tested animal, such as rabbits, mice or even dogs.
Statistics show that while 95% of people believe that animal testing of cosmetics should be banned and 54% of people agreed that they would stop supporting brands that continue the practice. However, there were still over 1 billion animal tests done in the past five years alone.
Consumers like us can help stop this practice by ensuring that we don’t support companies that fail to find the importance of cruelty-free practices. We should choose brands that do not support animal testing. While this is a relatively new trend in the market, we are gaining momentum. There are a good number of amazing brands now that do not support animal testing.
To ensure that the brand you’re supporting does not test on animals, you should first look for a certified cruelty-free logo on the packaging. You can also check online for a list of cruelty-free brands or download an app such as the Cruelty Cutter that allows you to scan barcodes and informs you of the status of said product.
If we continue with this shift, it will undoubtedly pressure bigger and established companies to leave their cruel practices behind. In the meantime, here are the major companies that still test on animals and cruelty-free alternatives you can enjoy.