Beauty bloggers call for an end to cosmetic animal testing

Leading beauty bloggers have clubbed together to create a video aimed at raising awareness among consumers about animal testing for cosmetic products. They call for people to choose ‘cruelty-free’ brands.

The campaign, called Be Cruelty-Free, is led by Humane Society International (HSI). Cosmetic animal testing is often thought to be no longer practiced, the video says, but in fact, many companies still do it.

The bloggers, among them Jen Mathews, Lex Croucher, Tashina Combs and Courtney Nawara, say there are many other firms that are certified as being ‘cruelty-free’ – and labelled with the leaping bunny mark.

Claire Mansfield, HSI’s Be Cruelty-Free campaigns director, said, “Social media plays a huge role in communicating ideas around the world, and in the blogosphere our video stars are some of the most influential voices on the subject of beauty without cruelty.

“We are thrilled to launch our new video and harness the power of the blog to help us end the suffering of animals in the global cosmetics industry.”

Animal testing on cosmetics was banned in Europe one year ago this week. However, as Michelle Thew from Cruelty Free International explained in Blue & Green Tomorrow’s Guide to Sustainable Spending, the ban does not mean that all products are cruelty-free.

EU-based companies can still sell products outside of Europe, with tested ingredients if the experiments were done elsewhere. This means that European customers can in fact be funding a company that is not cruelty-free, because it keeps its testing activities outside of the EU.

Further reading:

Livers grown from stem cells can significantly reduce animal testing

Cruelty free cosmetics: animal testing ‘largely hidden from the public gaze’

Sainsburys say no to animal testing

The Guide to Sustainable Spending 2013