Cruelty-Free Beauty Products
What makes a product cruelty-free?
The development of new beauty products is a long process with a lot of regulation. Before a company can market a product to the public, they have to make sure it is safe for people to use. But how do they determine that? The answer is commonly animal testing. If an animal reacts poorly to a product, be it through a rash or death, the testers have their answer: The product isn’t safe.
However, many people feel that animal testing is cruel. Animals are kept in cages, tested upon and possibly killed by these products. Plus, these days there are alternatives to determine safety; Dr. Nancy Beck told the New York Times that, "Science has evolved, and we have the technology now that maybe we didn't have 30 or 40 years ago to do safety assessments without using animals."
It's no wonder, then, that there's been a push for beauty companies to abolish animal testing in their product development. Cruelty-free beauty products are becoming more common, and the numerous businesses developing these cruelty-free beauty products deserve your business.
Where can I find cruelty-free beauty products?
As more companies jump on the cruelty-free beauty products bandwagon, beauty products not tested on animals are easier to find. However, you still have to be careful. The FDA doesn't currently regulate claims like "organic," "natural" or "cruelty-free," so companies can use these labels without actually embracing the practices. For example, some beauty companies claim their products are cruelty-free as long as just the final product isn't tested on animals, even if individual ingredients are. Others may outsource testing so they're not technically getting their hands dirty. So, while many companies in the beauty industry are legitimately embracing new technologies and abandoning animal testing, it's still important to do your research. Sites out there like MyBeautyBunny.com, LeapingBunny.org and the PETA website all have lists and search functions of companies they have certified to be actually cruelty-free.
Whether it is makeup products tested on animals or any other beauty product, if you don’t want to purchase it and support the company that uses animal testing, there are many easy ways not to. With just a little research, you can find cruelty-free beauty products everywhere from your local drugstore to high-end department stores.
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