What beauty brands test on animals – Some organizations like Peta, Leaping Bunny or Te Protejo have official lists of brands that are cruelty-free
The ‘Ralph’ rabbit campaign led by Humane Society International made visible the animal cruelty in the cosmetics industry and made many consumers reflect on whether or not the brands they use to test with this and other mammals, such as mice or monkeys, among others.
According to data from the British Union Against Vivisection, more than 115 million animals are used in cosmetic tests annually.
These are used as ‘guinea pigs’ so that people can apply the products without risk; however, many end up dying from the chemicals.
what beauty brands test on animals
Despite this problem, more and more republics are banning visceral testing. Currently, there are more than 40, and Colombia became the first in Latin America in 2020 to prevent this type of test.
Thanks to Law 2047 of August 10, 2020, promoted by the representative to the Chamber, Juan Carlos Losada, it was prohibited to carry out cosmetic tests on animals on local land. However, there are still four years to go before implementation is complete.
How to know if a brand is free of animal testing?
Companies are also increasingly aware of this problem worldwide and desist from animal cruelty by using other methods to test their products. There are several organizations, such as Peta, Leaping Bunny or the NGO Te Protejo, where people can see official lists of companies that do not test on animals.
Usually, companies certified by these organizations or others, such as Meanness Free International or Choose Unkindness Free, use a seal that says “cruelty-free” on their packaging. This is a logo in which the image of a rabbit appears. However, you have to learn to differentiate between those who are endorsed and those who are not. (see graph)
Why are there brands that do not have an official seal but claim to be free to test?
Some certified cruelty-free brands do not print the seal on their packaging. According to Queupumil, the most common cause is that cosmetic companies plan label printing several months in advance, so it is common not to see a logo printed on a brand that recently obtained certification.
On the other hand, in the circumstance of brands expert by Peta and Select Cruelty-Free, closure is optional. Lastly, in the case of Te Protejo and Unkindness Free International, all their certified makes must join the seal on their packaging.
Similarly, for numerous local businesses, having one of the official closures has a monetary cost and associated work. Therefore, it may be that some brand has not yet considered having the certification. In calculation, others say that proving the entire supply chain is cruelty-free is a complicated process involving checking from third-party suppliers to laboratories.
What brands are certified cruelty-free?
In the Colombian list of the international organization Peta, there currently some brands that can found in the country, such as Biggar, Butter London, BYS Cosmetics, Laura Sánchez Makeup, Matricaria, Moira Cosmetics, Natura, O Boticário, Paula by Pautips, Pure Chemistry, Republic Nail, Seytú Cosmética, The Cream Lab, or Vivri, among others.
“We invite you to make a conscious purchase so that more and more consumers, through their actions, generate a positive impact on society and the planet because you can enjoy the beauty and high-quality products without mistreating the animals”, said Juan Camilo Padilla, manager of Sustainability at Natura. This company has not tested on animals since 2006.
The non-profit organization Te protein, the only one in Latin America dedicated to certifying brands, also has another list. Up to 50 companies appear in it that people can find today in stores such as Éxito, Falabella or Jumbo, in specialized stores such as Blush Bar, Romantic or Fedco or that have online sales.
what beauty brands test on animals
Here you can find some like Anastasia Beverly Hills, Becca, Burt’s Bees, Cake Beauty, Catrice, Covergirl, Dove, ELF, Essence, Herbal Essence, Miis Cosmetics, Omniture, Orlane, Sedal, Smashbox Too Faced or Yuya, among others. (see graph)
In addition, Biggar, BYS Cosmetics, Natura, Laura Sánchez, O Boticário, Paula By Pautips, and Pure Chemistry appear on these two lists.
The only Colombian company certified so far by Te Protejo is the Paisa company Miis Cosmetics. “We have our brands. We are dedicated to the trade of cosmetics, and our focus is to sell to wholesalers and distributors,” said Laura Moreno, the company’s marketing coordinator.
What do other brands not test on animals?
In the local field, you can also find other brands, such as Deplanta or Dermanat, that do not test but do not currently have a certificate. “We do not handle animal tests in any phase of product development, that is, neither in the approval of the ingredients nor in the tions or the or product.
However, we do not have an official “Cruelty-Free” certification, said Estefanía Arango Dávila, manager of Dermanat Laboratories, who assured that consumers are increasingly aware and demanding.
Deplanta, a company that sells beauty and personal care or makeup products born three years ago, assured that they do not test on animals.
“The products not tested on animals; we tested them on ourselves and friends or relatives. Our ingredients framed in the Inci regulations as vegetable products for cosmetic use.
There is an increasing awareness of self-love, of taking upkeep of ourselves from the inside out and protecting the planet”, they said.
Also, one of the companies that came out of the comments on social networks that questioned brands that cruel to animals was Avon, which, following the controversy of the ‘Ralph’ rabbit video, assured that it had not tested on animals for more than 30 years old.
What other tests can brands do?
To evaluate the reactions caused by the chemical substances with which they manufacture their products, there different alternatives in laboratories such as cell cultures, healthy human tissues that volunteers donate, computer models that already exist today of the heart, kidneys or skin, among others; or studies with volunteers that allow more precise results to obtained.
For example, Natura told LR that since 1998 it had developed more than 67 alternative methodologies to assess the safety of its products in partnership with Brazilian and international universities and research institutions.
Among them, is highlighting the use of silicon tools (software capable of predicting how dangerous an ingredient can be based on its molecular structure) and equivalent 3D models of skin and cornea, which allow investigation of irritation and allergies without performing tests on animals.
what beauty brands test on animals
“In recent years, skin models have become increasingly complex, closer to human skin in its natural state, allowing evaluation of the safety and efficacy of active ingredients and formulations, as well as exploration of new mechanisms. Biologicals related to skin and scalp health,” said Padilla.
Likewise, in association with the University of Sao Paulo, Natura brings three-dimensional tissue printing (bioprinting). This technology enables the production of skin models with more significant structural complexity, further increasing the company’s ability to test the safety and efficacy of its natural ingredients.
