Why Cruelty Free Products are Better for You

cruelty free better 4 you

Did you know that cruelty free products (such as makeup, cosmetics and personal care products) are actually better for YOU – as well as for animals?

Watch the video, or read the transcript below – whichever you prefer!

It’s pretty obvious why cruelty free is better for the animals.

It’s not so obvious why it’s better for us too though.

stop - choose cruelty freeBut – before I show you why – let’s hang on a minute!

I can hear you saying “But Clare, if products aren’t tested on animals, are they safe for us to use?”

It’s a good question, and the good news is that there are excellent alternative tests that are readily available.

Let’s look briefly at what can be done instead of animal testing, and then we’ll see why the cruelty free options are so much better for everyone’s health!

Cruelty Free Options

 

“In-vitro tests” use tissues and cells from humans, which are calculated with sophisticated computer models. Chemical methods (known as “in silico” and “in chemico tests”) are also used.

Take a product that needs to be tested for eye irritation in humans.

An in vitro test can be conducted in just one day, and it’s completely cruelty free.

cruelty free Rabbit not testedBut the same test done on rabbits takes two to three weeks. The rabbits suffer and eventually die. The cost for each test is approximately the same.

It’s the same with tests that predict allergic reactions.  One such test can be conducted in one day but the corresponding mouse test takes at least six times that.

Instead of measuring how long it takes a chemical to burn away the cornea of a rabbit’s eye, manufacturers can now drop that chemical onto cornea-like 3-D tissue structures produced from human cells.

rabbits await tests - not cruelty free
Rabbits in stocks, Bangkok University, Thailand. Credit: BUAV

This photo shows cute bunnies – luckily, they’re at the start of their treatment, you don’t see what they look like afterwards. They’re in cute pink boxes, but that’s to make sure they don’t move while undiluted substances are dripped or smeared into their eyes.

But a study found that this Draize test “grossly over predicted the effects that could be seen in the human eye,” and another concluded that the test “does not reflect the eye irritation hazard for man.”(See Note 1).

In other words, these tests are not as reliable as we need them to be.

One international study examined the results of rat and mouse “lethal dose” tests for 50 different chemicals. (you can imagine what those tests involve). The study found that these tests were able to predict toxicity in humans with, at best, only 65 percent accuracy. (See Note 2).

65% accuracy?

Is that all?

These results are shocking!

What about drug tests, for medication? Well, that’s called the “repeated dose” test. In this test, animals are force-fed, forced to inhale or have a substance rubbed into their shaved skin every day for 28 or 90 days before being killed.

It’s gruesome – but do you know the worst part?

This test is only 40 – 60% predictive. It’s only accurate 40 – 60% of the time! So those animals suffer and are killed, for something we can’t really rely on.

I mean, would you want your car to be safe 40-60 % of the time? Would you want your doctor diagnosing your illness if he only scored 40% in his medical exam?

Cruelty Free Tests are More Reliable

 

Compare this to the cruelty free test known as the CAESAR. It’s credited with correctly predicting reactions 90 % of the time.

We can even test on humans – a four-hour patch test – these patch tests have provided chemical skin-irritation data that are “inherently superior” to that given by a rabbit. (See Note 3).

These cruelty free tests are available and in use today. They are faster and more accurate at predicting human reactions to a product than animal tests ever were.

And many of them cost about the same.

And that’s why cruelty free products are better for you as well for animals.

Why Cruelty Free Is Better

 

Cruelty free tests are better for your health – they are more reliable, more accurate.

And of course they’re better for animals, because they are tortured for something that isn’t even reliable!

If these alternative tests weren’t more reliable and more accurate, then there MIGHT perhaps be a case for animal testing in order to protect humans.

But when better alternatives exist, there is no need to subject animals to cruelty.

Did You Know?

 

  • An estimated 26 million animals are used every year in the United States alone for scientific and commercial testing.
  • Europe (which accounts for nearly half of the global cosmetics market) is already Cruelty Free for Cosmetics. That means cruelty free companies have a great advantage there, because multiple polls show that people care deeply about this issue.

The Problem

 

But – and it’s a big but – many people say they’re against animal cruelty in testing – and then go and buy products from companies which test on animals!

Do YOU know if every single product that you buy, is cruelty free? All the cleaners throughout your home, all your personal care products, every bit of your makeup?

It’s difficult.  So, be very, very sure when you buy. Or make your own, then you know for sure.

How To Tell

 

Do your research and find out – before you go shopping – if your favourite brand is cruelty free.

How do you know?  Google your brand. For example, type “is ‘l’Oreal cruelty free”

Oh, and read carefully – for example, some brands say they don’t test on animals – but they do test in countries where it’s allowed (they just don’t promote that little bit).

If a company sells their product in China for example, they are required by Chinese law to test on animals (there are some signs that this will change).

Or, for example, Burt’s Bees products are not tested on animals, but the brand is owned by Clorox which is not cruelty free.

logo leaping bunny for cruelty freeAlso look on the product packaging – see if the product has the Leaping Bunny logo, it’s the most stringent of the cruelty free logos. GoCrueltyFree.org.

And if your favourite brand isn’t cruelty free, find another brand – because there’s truly no excuse for animal testing today.

Here’s a useful list of products that do NOT test on animals at Cruelty Free Kitty

If you live in a country which still allows animal testing, like some parts of the US, tell your government officials that you want companies to use cruelty-free testing.

Support Cruelty Free

 

The way you spend your money communicates

  • your beliefs,
  • your values,
  • and your interests.

So support ethical companies.

Don’t spend your hard-earned money to boost the profits of uncaring corporations.

If you’ve done your research, you can buy with confidence.

cruelty free natural productsAnd you’ll know that you’re keeping to the green living motto of “Do No Harm”.

Let me know what you think in the Comments below.

And please spread the word on cruelty free products and why they’re so much better – sharing buttons below and right – thank you!

 

References:

Note 1) R. Roggeband et al., “Eye Irritation Responses in Rabbit and Man After Single Applications of Equal Volumes of Undiluted Model Liquid Detergent Products,” Food and Chemical Toxicology, 38 (2000): 727-34.

Note 2) B. Ekwall, “Overview of the Final MEIC Results: II. The In Vitro-In Vivo Evaluation, Including the Selection of a Practical Battery of Cell Tests for Prediction of Acute Lethal Blood Concentrations in Humans,” Toxicology In Vitro, 13 (1999): 665-73.

Note 3) M.K. Robinson et al., “Validity and Ethics of the Human 4-h Patch Test as an Alternative Method to Assess Acute Skin Irritation Potential,” Contact Dermatitis, 45 (2001): 1-12.


Tags

animal testing, better than animal testing, cruelty free, cruelty free cosmetics, cruelty free Europe, cruelty free make up, cruelty free makeup, cruelty free personal care products, cruelty free products, green, green living, more reliable than animal testing


  • Clare, you did your homework, this is so well researched and written. Yes, I do know that today all the products in my home are cruelty free because I’ve turned to natural products. I use baking soda and vinegar to wash my hair and clean around the house. For moisturizing I use one of three products, a piece of an aloe plant, coconut oil, or rosehip oil. I stopped wearing makeup more than a decade ago.

    Testing on animals is sick. Why we think we have the right to torture animals for our safety is beyond me.

    • Thanks Lois, yes, it took a while to research, but it was worth it.
      Coconut oil is a great moisturiser! (And it doubles for eye makeup remover too). I also make my own natural products – but I did an “audit” of my home after writing the article, and found some nail varnish that probably isn’t cruelty free. I haven’t found any cruelty free ones here where I live, I’ll keep trying. I agree, we have absolutely no right to make animals suffer just for our comfort.
      Thanks for your comment!

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