Testing cosmetics on animals is unethical and highly invasive, with tests that involve rubbing or dripping chemicals into an animal’s eyes or ears or onto their skin; force-feeding animals for weeks, even months; and the infamous lethal dose test (LD50).
At the end of these tests, animals are killed and dissected – all in the name of cosmetics, which the Food and Drug Administration define as ‘articles intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance’. Examples include perfume, moisturiser, nail polish, make-up and hair products. Any ingredients used in a cosmetic also fall under this definition.
Public pressure to end cosmetics testing on animals increased in recent decades, which led to the European Union (EU) banning it in 2004. In 2009 the EU also outlawed the testing of cosmetic ingredients, and in 2013 it went a step further by banning the sale of all new cosmetics tested on animals elsewhere.
This paved the way for similar laws around the world, including Canada, Chile, India, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Mexico, New Zealand, Brazil, Australia, and others.
This timeline might seem straightforward, but sadly it isn’t.
As reported in 2021, the government changed its policy on testing cosmetics on animals, effectively allowing the cruel practice to resume despite a 25-year ban: ‘The government said it was aligning itself with a decision made last year by the appeals board of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) which said that some ingredients used only in cosmetics needed to be tested on animals to ensure they were safe.’
One ingredient that may now be tested on animals is homosalate, a common sunscreen ingredient already used in make-up products like foundations and concealers.
We believe there are plenty of cosmetics products available, and thousands of ingredients have already been accepted as safe. It is simply not justifiable to inflict suffering for the purposes of further testing or product development.
While cosmetics testing on animals is indefensible, it’s not the only way that animals are harmed in the pursuit of beauty. Ingredients like lanolin (a waxy substance from sheep’s wool), beeswax and keratin make products unsuitable for vegans yet may still be labelled as cruelty-free.
Many companies, like Lush, now label their products both ‘vegan’ and ‘cruelty free’ so it’s always best to look for both.
Take action for animals in laboratories
All the products in our Animal Aid shop are 100% cruelty-free and vegan, so you can shop with total peace of mind!