“Cruelty free beauty is the necessity of today. With amazing advancement in technology I’m sure companies can keep our furry friends safe. Their are loads of makeup companies which test on animals or have animal derived ingredients, these brands are popular in India because of lack of availability of other brands and awareness in India but I think now it’s time that we all move towards cruelty free beauty.”
– Shreya Jain (SJlovesjewelery), Plixxo Super Blogger
THE MATTER: About 115 million animals, including albino rabbits, rats, mice, and guinea pigs are used in tests for cosmetics and skincare products. The harmful tests on animals aren’t just cruel but also irrelevant and unreliable. While many countries have put a ban on the process, in the case of cosmetics, it is still allowed. In India, animal-testing was made optional in 1996, while Europe has recently voted for a complete ban.
THE TESTS: Eye irritation and lethal dose tests are the most common tests done on animals.
THE PROCESS: The pigments are forcefully dipped into their eyes, sprayed onto their faces and even forced down their throats.
THE RESULTS: The tests can cause bleeding, blindness, inflamed irises, massive deterioration and even death.
THE ALTERNATE ROUTE: In the 1920s, scientists developed the ‘Irritation Assay System’ which allows the testing of chemicals and cosmetics through a test-tube process without being harsh to any living being. Other than that, a company always has options to only use ingredients that are naturally harmless.
BUY RIGHT, BE RIGHT: In this day, only awareness can help you save the innocent and the voiceless. Buy beauty products approved by cruelty-free organisations like PETA and Leaping Bunny.
DECODE THE LABEL: Before you buy a product, take 10 seconds to read the label. A label stating “Not Tested on Animal” or “This Finished Product Was Not Tested on Animals” means the product itself was not tested on animals but individual ingredients may have been tested on animals by a company or a third party. Check their logos prior to your purchase, as labels can certainly be deceptive because there are no laws regarding cruelty-free labelling of a product. Leaping Bunny allows its logo to be used in any colour including black and white, and PETA uses separate ones for ‘cruelty-free’ and ‘cruelty-free plus vegan’, so don’t get confused by that.
Leaping Bunny also has an app and a comprehensive online guide of approved brands. The Beagle Freedom Project has a Cruelty Cutter app which allows you to scan a product’s barcode and check if it’s cruelty-free.
Here are a few brands you can trust:
1. Daily Microfoliant (13gm), Dermalogica, Rs 975; nykaa.com
2. Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution (50ml), The Body Shop, Rs 1,595; thebodyshop.in
3. Pro Conceal HD – Nude (8gm), L.A. Girl, Rs 595; nykaa.com
4. NYX Professional Makeup Soft Matte Lip Cream – Transylvania (8ml), NYX Cosmetics, Rs 600; nykaa.com
5. 002 Moss Velvet Kajal (3gm), SoulTree, Rs 350; soultree.in
6. Real Techniques Core Collection 2.0, Real Techniques, Rs 2,299; nykaa.com
7. Flaky Hair Oil, Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic, Rs 375; shop.aromamagic.com
