Taking a Stand Against Animal Testing in Cosmetics
Hi folks – Thought it was time to re-run this article since many new readers aren’t aware of my stance and have asked for a list. This is as updated as I know of from researching online, so if it’s not completely accurate, I apologize, I do the best with the information I can get!
-Kelly
NOTE: This post is outdated and the information listed here may now be incorrect. Please do your own research about each company to find out their cruelty free status.
Many of you know this but for those who don’t, I’m an animal lover. A huge animal lover. In fact I probably like animals more than most people. 
From the smallest little mouse to the largest elephant, I love all creatures big & small.
Having said that this is an incredibly hard post for me to write. I have decided to take a stand against cosmetic companies that still test their products on animals. This goes for companies who are and are not owned by other larger conglomerates. I will not be purchasing any new products from these brands and won’t be reviewing them on my website either. This is not to say I am throwing away everything I already have, I just won’t be buying them going forward.
There are a couple reasons this is so hard for me the main one being because of where I work. I work for a large Biotechnology company that makes cancer and other drugs. They do test on animals. When I started working here years ago it wasn’t even a subject that crossed my mind. I was about to lose the job I had and this was a great opportunity. Now I think about it a lot and it most definitely bothers me. I cannot control the fact that I need to work and make money to live, but I can control what I buy and what I recommend to others.
The reason I am telling you this is because I want to be up front and honest from the start. I know some people know I work for a Biotech company and most Biotech/Pharmaceutical companies, if not all, test on animals, so I don’t want any snarky comments about what a hypocrite I am.
I am not a vegetarian, I do eat meat. I try to buy as organically and humanely as possible when buying meat and eggs. There have been many times when I thought of becoming vegetarian (partially thanks to the book Fast Food Nation) but it just doesn’t work. I really wish I had been brought up vegetarian so I didn’t even know what meat was like to begin with.
I also wear leather products. I do NOT wear fur, snakeskin, alligator skin or any skin that wasn’t also used for food. I am open to the idea of not buying leather anymore, but it’s REALLY hard with shoes for me because I can’t wear most plastic (or pleather) type shoes, they just kill my feet.
Another reason this is hard is because as I started really looking into this idea, I discovered that a lot of brands that have been my favorites for many years are on PETA’s “Do Test On Animals” list. Neutrogena for instance has long been my favorite facial sunscreen and before that Oil Of Olay, but I won’t be buying these anymore. Also RoC my favorite anti-wrinkle cream is on the bad list (SOB)!
A few of my favorite nail polish brands are on this list including Sally Hansen (see update below) and Essie (owned by L’Oreal now who does test). As hard as it is for me to say goodbye to these brands it’s something I feel strongly about so I am going to do it.
Luckily there are a TON of companies who have wised up and stopped this horrible practice. There are a lot more that are cruelty-free than not, so this is great news. I have to say I am really jealous of how civilized Europe is about this subject. Starting in 2013 they are banning all animal testing for cosmetics. I wish the USA would take notice of this and realize it’s not all about the $$$ and politics. It’s about being decent human beings and respecting the entire world around us.
Before I get to this next part please note that this information is to the best of my knowledge and from a lot of research online. I am not guaranteeing any of this 100%, and companies do change practices as well, so it might not all be totally accurate.
UPDATE (at 8:05 am): Sally Hansen is cruelty-free as is The Body Shop, however they are owned by Coty, Inc. and L’Oreal, respectively who are not cruelty-free.
Here is a partial list of brands that do test on animals at least as of PETA’s latest update (which was about a month ago) or are owned by ones that do. Remember some of these brands might not test on animals for their products, but the company that owns them still does.
- Cover Girl (owned by Procter & Gamble)
- L’Oreal (owns Essie, Maybelline, Shu Uemura, The Body Shop & Lancome)
- Neutrogena (owned by Johnson & Johnson)
- Max Factor (owned by Procter & Gamble)
- Oil Of Olay (Owned by Procter & Gamble)
- OPI (owned by Coty, Inc.: also includes Nicole by OPI and Sephora by OPI)
- Shiseido Cosmetics
- RoC (owned by Johnson & Johnson)
- Rimmel (owned by Coty, Inc.)
- Sally Hansen (owned by Coty, Inc.)
Here is a partial list of companies that do not test on animals. I picked mostly ones that I have featured on this site, but there are (happily) TONS more!
- Bath and Body Works
- Benefit Cosmetics
- Bloom Cosmetics
- Bobbi Brown
- butter LONDON
- China Glaze
- Clinique
- Color Club
- DuWop Cosmetics
- Eco Tools
- e.l.f. Cosmetics
- Estee Lauder
- Gosh Cosmetics
- Hard Candy
- Hourglass Cosmetics
- Illamasqua
- Josie Maran Cosmetics
- L.A. Girl Cosmetics
- Laura Mercier
- Lime Crime
- LORAC
- LUSH Cosmetics
- Mary Kay Cosmetics
- M.A.C. Cosmetics
- ManGlaze
- Milani Cosmetics
- Nubar Cosmetics
- NYX Cosmetics
- Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
- Orly International
- Physicians Formula
- Revlon
- RGB
- Seche
- Smashbox Cosmetics
- SpaRitual
- Stila Cosmetics
- Tarte Cosmetics
- Too Faced Cosmetics
- Urban Decay
- Wet n Wild
- Zoya
One good place to find out more information about other brands is at Caring Consumer, which is a PETA website here. They try to update their list every month, so it’s pretty current. You can download the Companies That Do Test and Companies That Don’t Test lists in either Word or PDF format here.
For those of you that have iPhones, there is an app called “BNB” which stands for Be Nice to Bunnies, which you can download for $1.99 and look up brands to see if they test. I haven’t used this one and have heard a few comments that it wasn’t as up-to-date as the Caring Consumer website.
I hope you guys find this information helpful and I know quite a few of you feel the same way as I do about this issue. I’m most certainly NOT a political person (in fact politics bore me to tears) but this is a subject I am passionate about.
Please let me know your thoughts about this. I know is a really touchy subject so let’s all be adults and discuss in a positive, helpful manner. I will delete any purely snarky or negative comments immediately.
-VV
Welcome! My name is Kelly and Vampy Varnish is a animal friendly beauty blog.
I commend you for this post. I just wish that every human being on earth will be able to live more harmoniously with the rest of human nature, and that includes not testing on animals.
I, too, try to be as eco-friendly as possible but cannot go vegetarian nor refrain from buying leather (simply because everything else is of lower quality) with the same reason as yours.
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Great post – and whatever people say you’ve just got to stay true to yourself and do what you feel is right for you.
I have stopped buying from the companies I know of use animal testing. It’s not 100% foolproof, but for the last year or so I have not been buying any L’Oreal, Maybelline or Rimmel. Been into mineral makeup from indie companies that don’t test on animal usually. I have also been buying varnishes from brands that are animal friendly. It’s amazing to find out that actually in the end I am not missing much really, actually I have found some fab stuff out there !
I think though that medicine is a totally different thing. Medicine wouldn’t be as advanced as it is nowadays if it wasn’t for animal testing, sadly, but there is no other way, unless humans actually agree to try products first. There wouldn’t be any of them. There are sometimes problems with drugs that are quite advanced in clinical trials, so imagine what it would be like in the first stages of the drugs. No one would apply for the testing at that stage I expect, and companies probably wouldn’t offer it anyway for fear of being sued.
It’s all well and good saying drugs shouldn’t be tested on animals. I wish I could say that. Maybe I’d be quite happy to say that now. But if I were to get cancer, I am sorry to be selfish, but I would probably prefer to be able to spend a few more days/months/years with my family than dying because I am against animal testing.
I think it’s all a question of what works for you and what your priorities are. I think animal testing is in vain when it’s about superficial things like makeup. Especially when there are obviously ways of making very good cosmetics without testing on animals (makes one think what kind of rubbish they put in the makeup in the first place if the safety of the ingredients has to be tested on animals first – I mean – those tests are for the short term, what happens with long-term use though?), but if it means saving lives I am afraid I cannot deny the fact that animal testing is useful. I know it’s sad for the animals and all that, I just wish there was a way of making sure that they were never in pain and died peacefully. Maybe with the advances on stem cells and all that one day they won’t need animal testing anymore, but for technology to advance there is a sacrifice to be made.
It’s a very interesting post. I am definitely looking forward to other comments to see what other bloggers and readers think
Wonderful post.Congratulations
I’m an animal lover and a vegetarian. I understand many of the things you said, and couldn’t agree more.
Such a shame Essie tests on animals…
I’m happy about your decision.
But wasn’t The Body Shop bought by L’Oreal, which is on animal-unfriendly list?
I’m vegetarian, but I do wear leather shoes, because nothing but skate shoes fit me.
Hi tink,
I didn’t know that, I will check into it and update this if necessary. Thx!
L’Oreal did buy The Body Shop in 2006. they also own Lancome, Kiehls, Maybelline, and many many others.
http://www.loreal.com/_en/_ww/brands-l-oreal.aspx
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Hi karen,
Thanks, I have changed them around on my list.
Thanks for the info! As a fellow animal lover, I plan to change the brands I buy.
Hi VV,
I give you a lot of credit for writing this blog entry and going forward using cruelty-free cosmetics and products. I am sure it was not easy. I will not be snarky and mean to you – I am a vegetarian myself, more specifically, a pescetarian. I do eat fish and seafood, eggs, milk, butter, etc… but no other meat. I became a pescetarian 5 years ago, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I get made into a hypocrite all the time as to why I eat fish and no other meat, why I won’t eat meat from an animal but will use products that come from the animal (milk and things made from milk). I know it’s probably interesting to them, but frankly, it’s none of their business. I have a background in food and nutrition, so that is part of the reason why I made the decision I did. The other part, obvioiusly, is because of my love of animals.
I do use goods from companies on both lists – that probably won’t ever change – but I try to make a conscious decision on the products I use.
Thank you for your honesty in this entry, and I will obviously continue to follow you for your wonderful reviews!
You have definitely touched on an interesting topic. Working where you do, I’m sure you realize that testing on something, in this case animals, is probably a necessary act in order to research and develop products to save or prolong life (i.e. cancer drugs). As much as we sometimes hate to admit it, there is a chain of life with humans generally categorized at the top…although some days I don’t think some deserve that position! Certainly saving a life is a more valid reason to test on animals than say testing on animals for cosmetics. I’m with you on being an animal lover and I commend you for taking the time to learn who does and does not test on them and purchasing/reviewing based on that with your beliefs. You have every right to do that and I applaud your decision, as I’m sure it wasn’t easy. I just started a book called The China Study and it is really opening my eyes to our nation’s health problems and I am adopting much of their advice into my diet with excellent results. Keep up the great work you do here and thank you for taking action on something you believe in.
Christina, Thanks for mentioning “The China Study” it sounds interesting and I am going to have to get a copy to read.
Wonderful Post!! I am not a vegetarian nor am I consously buying products that don’t test on animals, but your list has got me thinking about the products I already own, and aside from a few items from the L’oreal Company the majority of my cosmetics are from companies that don’t test. That’s nice to hear/see. But I have to say that animal testing for medicine is a totally different thing. Now PETA will tell you otherwise, but honestly I believe that are too far left of the argument. The need for animal testing is necessary because you just can’t take guesses with new drugs. I can’t imagine anyone in PETA who has a sick child would volunteer their baby for drug tests? No Of course not. That is why we need to use those animals for testing. Can we be more humane in the process yes. But I see it as a necessary evil.
There are actually fairly strict guidelines regarding how animals can be used for research – the number of animals used in a study is limited to a number that will be statistically significant (meaning, if the data is no better with 100 rats than 20, you will use 20), their pain has to be limited during survival studies and various other rules. Honestly, the biggest issues with animal as far as medical research goes (in my view) are countries that have worse guidelines or people who disobey the guidelines/lie about their intended research (if they are caught in the US, they will lose the privilege of testing on animals). Even with all of this, a lot of the process sucks… but I wouldn’t really say it could be significantly (at present time) more humane when the guidelines are properly followed.
Sorry, I just get ramble-y about these things, I’m a graduate student in biomedical sciences and we had to go through a ridiculous amount of animal training – and I don’t even work in a lab where I would ever have to look at any part from any animal.
Thank you for this post and the list! I think I am going to print it out, lol. Also add to it, Almay and Burt’s Bees!
Hi Sonya,
There are a ton of companies that I didn’t add, mainly because I haven’t reviewed them and am not likely to soon. I think the PETA list for ones that didn’t test was 28 pages long, yay!
Oh I understand. I just had to double check Almay, since I do use some of their makeup. Burt’s Bees, while not exactly makeup, does have facial products. I still appreciate your effort and for letting us know where you stand on the issue. Are you considering keeping a list on the tab on your home page of the cruelty-free companies? Just asking, not that I can’t bookmark this particular page.
Awesome post! Good on for taking a stand for what you believe in. I’ve been more aware of animal rights and animal testing for a few years now, as part of trying to live “greener” in every aspect of my life. I pretty much exclusively use Lush for my hair and body cosmetics, which means I don’t have to think twice about what I use from them, because I know they’ve thought long and hard about it for me!
I must admit, when I started getting into polish however, I hadn’t even considered the animal testing, how I couldn’t have, I don’t know. While I’m sad to see Essie on the “bad” list, I find their polish overpriced anyway, so a good reason not to buy them won’t hurt too much!
Wow, I never realized that companies were still testing on animals for cosmetics. I had thought that ended long ago. I’m not entirely sure how this works. You can’t put lipstick on a mouse….so there is the confusion on my part. Do they feed it to them? or put them in with the chemicals? I would have thought that with the animal cruelty movements in the last few decades that these companies would learn a lesson. Could they not get volunteers from people to test, unemployed, homeless, terminally ill and etc.?
I work in a chemical plant so there goes the environment to pay my check, however, even at one of the world’s largest chemical factories we have many OSHA and EPA guidelines, I would have thought that testing would fall into something like that. Alas that is what I get for thinking. (By the way, don’t use artificial sweetener, crazy stuff goes into that junk.)
I am also on the fence about the animal testing thing. For me I have no problem sacrificing a few mice in order to save a parent or loved one from cancer or etc. However, this cosmetic testing I have always thought was uncommonly weird and unnecessary (?).
I haven’t bought from these companies for a while, however, now I will have to stop purchasing Essie. Which isn’t that bad since they are generally common colors and lots of pinks which I have a ton of. But there are so many other household items that I would never think of that I will stop supporting. Dial hand soap and crest toothpaste?
Hi Cindi,
I don’t think they make mice wear lipstick, haha, but they test the chemicals that go into these products on animals.
Essie is on my list because L’Oreal recently purchased them. Even though some companies say they don’t test (Essie, The Body Shop) they are owned by larger companies that do, so my money would be going towards L’Oreal, which I don’t want.
Is Splenda safe? I have always wondered this…
Great post! After you mentioned in one of yesterday’s posts you would be writing about this, I looked on the PETA/Caring Consumer site and I didnt find any list that was as inclusive as yours. Although a lot of the big PG companies are on the ‘testing’ list, its nice to know that some of my favorite brands are on the ‘no testing’ list. I think I may just print your list and use that!
Also, I beleive I saw on the Caring Consumer sight that Avon does not test. I would love to be sure, they have AMAZING lip gloss and I love their eye creams.
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I don’t think it’s hypocritical of you at all. Animal testing in medicine is completely different. Cosmetics are not necessary for making life better (most days;) ) while advancements in medicine saves lives, and improves quality of life for millions. it is two completely different things.
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What Karen said reflects my feelings exactly. In my undergraduate days, I worked in a lab doing animal research on brain receptors. I had to sacrifice animals, and it was the hardest thing I had to do in my career as a student. For my honours’ thesis, I refused to sacrifice the rats I had raised from 3 days old, but did give them receptor blockers. I asked that they be kept for studies on aging. They were. Since that time, I have not conducted animal research myself. I do think it is necessary for science and medicine to do such studies for good reason, and there are rigourous ethics standards in place for approving such research. However, I do think that animal testing for cosmetics is not necessary, and I hope that the US and Canada follow Europe’s lead on this.
Thanks for an awesome post!
Just wanted to add a “what they said.” Though I am vigorously opposed to animal testing for cosmetic reasons I am just a vigorously pro-animal testing for medical reasons. They are not one and the same, and anyone accusing you of being hypocritical for your stance is simply not thinking through their arguement. I love fuzzy bunnies more then I love makeup, but I also love my children more then I love fuzzy bunnies. I also agree with an above commenter that stated that PETA isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, but I respect that we are not here to debate the fact. I will also gladly point out *I* am a hypocrite because I’m all for using crushed beetles for red dye
Best of luck.
Like the other two people, I agree with what Karen says and it reflects my view completely… cosmetics and medicine are completely different things.
Cosmetics were created to make us LOOK better. As far as I know cosmetics, can’t save your life. Medicine, on the other hand, can save lives, and it is usually necessary to test it on animals… I don’t know about anyone else, but I wouldn’t want to take a medication that hasn’t been through extensive testing. Without testing medicine on animals, we wouldn’t have the safe, effective drugs that we have today.
I love animals and hate seeing them being mistreated for stupid reasons — so that we can wear eyeshadow and other makeup and so that we can wear fur. But when it comes to medicine, it’s a tricky subject because while I love animals and hate to think that they are suffering, I also realize that there isn’t any way around testing drugs on animals.
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Wow, what an awesome post! This is exactly the same thought process I’ve been going through lately— I’m not vegetarian, although I try to be as much as possible and I wear leather products (trying to cut down). I also work in a scientific industry, so I know how conflicting it sometimes feels. I found out about PETA’s caring consumer site recently, and I’ve been trying to adhere to it. Haven’t bought Essie in months (tough!) and Neutrogena as well. I didn’t know that Sally Hansen did test too, so thanks so much for that information! (On their website it says they don’t, but I guess their parent company who gets the profit does?)
Anyway, awesome post! You have a lot of readership, so this will really get the message out there!
bravo. and thanks for the tip on bnb!
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I have a couple Essie, Sally Hansen, and Rimmel polishes. Maybe 7? I didn’t realize they test on animals. Most of those were given to me, but now I feel guilty. I love animules! =\
Luckily, I don’t buy cosmetic/beauty products from those other brands… Good! That being said, I know I probably have a slew of P&G products without realizing it. I’m not saying I’m vegitarian, but I feel like it’s different when I’m wearing something for vanity purposes. Animal testing is not sexy. I won’t buy leather shoes either… I regularly wear Macbeths and have a couple pleather pairs of pumps.
No a surprise – seeing as Proctor and Gamble makes almost EVERYTHING from cosmetics, to dog food, to laundry soap.
As much as I am for animal rights, I do have issues with the concept of cruelty free cosmetics. Government regulations stipulate that cosmetic products must go through rounds of animal testing before they can be approved for human use. Any company claiming not to test on animals is just using a loophole. They may not be testing but simply buying formulas tested by other companies. These companies then not only get the cache of being non-testers, they also save money as clinical testing is prohibitively expensive. Thats why you’ll notice most of the names on the testers list are big business and their subsidiaries. A small start up such as Butter London can’t afford to develop their own formula and have it tested, they buy one from a company that has done the testing already. This is also why most cosmetic breakthroughs come from large companies, ones that test. A new wrinkle cream cannot be marketed without testing.
All that being said, I do wish there were procedures that could supplant animal testing. Unfortunately there aren’t yet so we’re stuck with it for a while.
And just to stir things up a little, while I am vegetarian I still wear leather shoes. Yes I’m uncomfortable about it but I think its preferable to the huge amount of pollutants generated in making vinyl/PVC/etc/ones.
“They may not be testing but simply buying formulas tested by other companies. These companies then not only get the cache of being non-testers, they also save money as clinical testing is prohibitively expensive.”
What Chelsea says above is something a lot of people forget. It’s easy to read the lists and see the cruelty-free logo on the back of your product. “Oh, a sweet bunny! It must mean my product is safe “- that that simple. While the final product is not tested, more often than not, all the ingredients are. They’re not bought tested so technically, a brand can get away with saying OUR PRODUCT is not tested. The same goes with Our brand is cruelty-free, which means we don’t have an evil supergenious scientist putting glitter in bunny’s eyes, but we sure do buy from the company that does.
I commend you for taking this stand and writing this post, but trust me, it is not this black and white.
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Hi Lisa,
Yep I agree with you. I am sure we could probably link practically every single thing in our houses to some type of cruelty either to animals or people or the earth itself. Just trying to promote a general awareness.
I thank Chelsea and Lisa for articulating what I know and believe about animal testing.
I agree with the comment that although the product is not tested, but the raw materials may have been. but most of this testing is older when this type of testing was acceptable.
“Government regulations stipulate that cosmetic products must go through rounds of animal testing before they can be approved for human use.”
I am not sure what government you are referring to this is not true – not all governments require animal testing. for that matter, i only know of one country.
I hate the idea of animal testing, but sometimes it is necessary. It’s definitely a “shades of gray” issue in my book. I have friends and family members who wouldn’t be around today if not for the medical testing done on animals. But there are things I don’t believe in animal testing for. I don’t need a new wrinkle cream badly enough to be ok with animal testing for that purpose. I don’t think cosmetics testing is appropriate. I’ve read studies in my psychology books that are appalling in terms of their animal testing. They’ve learned a lot about things like why people overeat based on animal testing and surgical procedures. While I think that information is useful and interesting, that didn’t make me feel like it was justified. I also have issues with weight and overeating, but I don’t like the idea that scientists “rewired” the intestines of small animals to see if they could figure out what triggers overeating. (Besides, they could have just asked me and I’ve have told them – I love food. It’s yummy.)
Fyrinnae, Meow, Morgana, Evil Shades, and Beauty from the Earth don’t test on animals either. That’s actually one of the cool things about a lot of the indie companies.
I’ve always loved MAC’s stance on things: “tested on models, not on animals.”
I commend you for doing what you feel is right
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I must ask that if you are going to discuss animal cruelty that someone make it known that PETA is not the nice, animal-saving organization that everyone seems to think it is. They have a long history of degradation of women and they mercilessly exploit marginalized groups of people for their “shock value” advertising; there are many more organizations out there that take better care of animals while maintaining respect toward people from all walks of life.
HI Mo,
I am not pro or anti-PETA actually. I do know they can be very extreme with a lot of things and I am not part of their group or anything. I just think they have the most accurate up-to-date information about this particular subject. Thanks though, I do understand what you’re saying.
I just wanted to say good for you! I’m vegan and it makes me happy to see posts like this. Anything you can do to help animals is a step in the right direction and I applaud you for taking a stand.
So are Essie polishes made before they were purchased by L’Oreal cruelty free?
HI Kirsten,
Good question. I have no idea, but would assume so because they state they are cruelty-free. They still say they are but the thing is, some of the money that people spend on Essie goes to L’Oreal now, so basically if you bought anything new, you would also be supporting L’Oreal. At least that’s what I assume after reading a lot about this online.
K, just needed to know if I could keep using my old Essie favorites. It’s sad that they’ll be my last. But what a giant list of acceptable brands to comfort me : )
Thank you so much for posting this! While testing for medical reasons is a more gray area for me, an animal should not suffer so that my nails are sparkly and pretty. Really. They’re just nails : )
Thanks!
You don’t have to make excuses…there will always be people who will have a problem with some aspect of this: working in pharmaceutical industry, eating meat, wearing leather… Be true to yourself.
I admire your decision and hope that animal testing will soon be banned all over the world (in any kind).
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Hi VV,
I applaud you for your decision. It’s not easy.
I think, generally, we all have to draw a line what is and what isn’t okay in terms of animal testing and brands that do test on them. For me, as much as I would like to go completely animal testing free for cosmetic brands, it isn’t an option for me.
I have a condition called hyper-sensitive skin, eyes and nose. It’s rarer than sensitive skin; for those with PDDs like me (I have high-functioning Autism), it’s part of hyper-sensory. Basically, I’m more sensitive to certain products and much more sensitive to scents than a normal or sensitive skin individual. If I find a product that works, I stick with it. I don’t have the skin to test a million products without my skin breaking out in hives/rashes, my eyes watering, my nose stuffing up (or running) and/or developing a migraine. If I find a cruelty-free product that works, I’m ecstatic.
In terms of medicine, all medicine I know of (whether if it’s for something as “mild” as allergies or as life-threatening as cancer) has to go through a round of animal testing. I’d rather a few hundred mice and rabbits die (they breed like crazy, so there’s not going to be any shortage of them any time soon) than take a medicine that may or may not be life threatening to me.
I’m a big animal lover, but I have to draw lines. I won’t wear fur, but I do wear leather, especially in shoes and belts, and silk. It wears better than pleather/PVC and is more comfortable. Silk doesn’t irritate the most sensitive skin (and feels good), I’d spend the few extra dollars for something that wears better or won’t irritate even skin as sensitive as mine.
As someone who suffers chronic pain, severe rhinitis (where I wake up choking), migraines (since I was 10) and a few other painful conditions (including rashes that itch, are very sore, and discolor my skin for months – they flare as a result of illness and stress). These problems have made me more sympathetic to the suffering of others.
‘Bunnies breed like crazy….not going to be a shortage of them…’ is reprehensible. I had three bunnies\. Each was litter trained (only went into their crates to go to the bathroom). My female bunny slept on my bed and would bare her teeth at anyone who came near me – regardless of where I was in the house. I felt her heart pounding when we had to go to the vet for checkups – her fear was palpable. She would grab onto me when he had to take her for the exam and she’d shed terribly (as they do whe scared). She snuggled next to me on the couch and made the bunny-version of purring when I was petting her. All animals have value – and should not be tortured. FYI – Rabbits are not rodents (for which I also have empathy).
Hi Melissa,
Totally agree, you could basically say all animals (and certainly including humans) breed like crazy as well, but every life, regardless or size of type has value.
Great post! I, too, am a fellow animal lover – heck, I’ll swerve into a curb to avoid hitting a squirrel, lol!
FYI, I know you’ve posted some Chanel Le Vernis’, and wanted to add that they do not test on animals. Good thing too, as I love their products!
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I just wanted to say thank you for making this post and taking this position to raise awareness and be more humane! I LOVE animals, and makeup, and its not often that i see a beauty blogger who goes the extra mile to cover cruelty free products/companies. I also wanted to give my support for you in transitioning from companies that do test. I made this decision myself a couple years ago, and was pretty frustrated at having to search for new options but since then have found more products that i like even more now (i think toothpaste and hair products were the hardest; i found that Tom’s of Maine were the only ADA approved toothpaste to not test on animals, and David Babaii for Wildaid shampoo and conditioner). if you have any trouble in that department, i recommend exploring some health food stores (like Whole Foods), they generally have a large selection of toiletries that are free from animal testing. I also empathize with your feelings about becoming vegetarian – i found that would be difficult to do, so instead i just cut down on the amount of meat i was consuming, and replaced that with fruits and veggies, which is supposed to be healthier anyways. but anyways, great post and good luck!
P.S. a company called Alba makes great sunscreens up to spf 45, they also have scented ones like green tea and aloe vanilla =)
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ll keep this short and do the ranting on my own blog.
I don’t like that we still test on animals, but until we figure it out I think the drug testing part is… well not ok… but not AS BAD as testing for vanity.
When I first discovered which huge brands tested I looked at my make up bag with disgust. At least Revlon (big brand) doesn’t test. One out of 5 of the huge brands…?
Gees.
Until I can afford to buy make up to replace my bag of horrors, I’m bare faced. : /
Skulda´s last post…Note
Thanks for bringing attention to this issue. I make a conscious choice to buy cruelty-free cosmetics. It’s not always possible, but bringing attention to it is going to bring about more change.
Hi Kelly: It takes allot of guts to take a stand on suppliers that test on animals. I pledge to buy products that do not test on animals. I hope this web blog and this p[articular post is copied so every nail polish blogger joins in. I also joined PETA and Caring Consumers newsletters.
With that said, what do you do with all the unused nail polish bottles that test on animals? I have heard that “Orly” will swap a nail polish bottle of any kind for an Orly polish. Do you know of any other nail polish companies that will do the same.You don’t want to just let them dry out, which vapors of the polish bottles are flammable. This is a stunner for those companies that test on animals.
Nameste.
Mc Huggs
Mc Huggs:)´s last post…Project Runway Season Six- Episode Eight
im glad you are taking a stand. I personally agree with you on most of your reasoning. If anyone has a problem with how you feel about animals and how they are treated then eff em… last I checked animals have feelings just like we do. They cry out in pain and react to loss just as we humans. You have my complete respect for standing up for them when they cant stand up for themselves.
Please let us know when you find new sunscreens and anit-wrinkle creams that you like and work. I also use Neutrogena and Roc and I can’t believe that they are still testing on animals. Makes me sick. We really need to do something about Loreal. They keep buying smaller companies and they still test on animals.
I’m happy you are bringing some awareness to animal testing for beauty products. As for wonderful hair products that are cruelty free you could try A/G Hair. L’Oreal has always been vague about their testing. As a hairstylist I pefer to use cruelty free and last year L’Oreal came to a salon I was working at to teach a colour class and to see if we wanted to pick up the line. Anyways, I made sure to ask if they are currently testing or if they have tested in the past and the L’Oreal rep promised me that they no longer test on animals but they did test in the past. Sadly, I still see L’Oreal on the testing lists. I don’t know if it makes a difference that I’m speaking about L’Oreal Professional but either way it’s frustrating because they have an incredible product and colour line and it would be even better without testing. Okay, I’m done my rant, and I will continue to read, love and support your blog!
This is really good to know. I am a vegetarian and buy cruelty free cosmetics. I did not realize until today that ESSIE is now owned by L’oreal! As a result, I will no longer be purchasing any Essie products!
Thanks for bringing that new one to my attention! Its a shame that a company like Essie is now affiliated with a big wig that still does animal testing!
Thank you so much for making this post! Animals are something I really care for and animal testing makes me really sad, especially when my favorite beauty gurus and bloggers use products tested on animals. It’s wonderful that you are taking a stand on this important subject. Thank you so much!
-Olivia
Hey Kelly,
Thanks for the post. I saw a similar post at Lacquerized few months back, only then I know that brands like Neutrogena do animal testing. I was shocked. Like you, I won’t stop using what I have but I will definately not buy products from any company that do animal testing. And I do not believe that they need to use animals to test if the products is safe for human use. Just go natural and find whatever works for you, there is so many anti-animal testing companies out there. I am still buying from The Body Shop.
Count me in. I posted about this on my tiddly blog. As a result of my research I won’t buy Rimmel or L’Oreal. It’s always worth emailing the companies to make your view known and I’m going to do that too. Shame about Essie but principles are principles so I’ll be emailing them.
Jen´s last post…Cutex Huckleberry Sweet Pea
Thank you for this post! I am going to use the PETA databases to chose my brands from now on! Love your blog. Namaste
It’s my understanding that every sunscreen available on the U.S. market has been tested on animals. Sunscreen is categorized as a drug and therefore must be approved by the FDA to qualify for SPF labeling. Would somebody please explain to me how sunscreen can be cruelty-free?
(This comment was prompted by “Neutrogena for instance has long been my favorite facial sunscreen and before that Oil Of Olay, but I won’t be buying these anymore.”)
Hi, in response to needing FDA approval for SPF products…they do not require animal testing for SPF products. i believe she said she wont buy either since they are both on the do test list.
GREAT POST! I appreciate you shared your point of view, it is something I would like to change about myself too. I need to find out if Dove tests on animals…
jbrobeck´s last post…ChG GR8 & a Holo Roundup!
HI! Just a question if I remember correctly Clinique doesn’t test on animals but the ingredients they get from other companies are still tested on animals right? That also applies to some other companies…And I’ve heard Revlon has exactly been super open about their stance…Well I’ve heard conflicting reports…am I right? Just wondering because I have been trying to figure this out forever.
Hi Laura,
I really don’t know. I have heard that pretty much all companies get their ingredients from places that have tested on animals, but I don’t know if that’s true. It’s really hard to find information online that I totally trust for it’s accuracy.
Hi kelly,
This was such an interesting post you wrote! This is a subject I’m really into, I’m so glad you did this and let us know the list of companies that are testing on animals. Even though I love Essie nailpolishes and my lashblast covergirl mascara, I will NOT buy these products anymore until they get rid of that cruel habit towards animals.
Marilou´s last post…Loafers
I commend you for being able to continue working :\ I recently graduated with my degree in plant science; I work in genetics and genetic engineering. I worked in several labs for undergraduate research and internships; and I honestly could not reconcile myself with the fact that we release all these genetically engineered plants without a) truly knowing what we’ve changed and the effects of those changes and b) that the USDA doesn’t label foods with genetically engineered plant components (I assume because that’s pretty much any product that isn’t organic). I think the business model of research is reprehensible (even at universities..) and I’d rather work in retail or somewhere that isn’t so disingenuous (hello. I want to sell you some clothes. the end).
Hi sobriquet,
Well I don’t work with animals or anything, in fact no one on campus really even knows where the animals labs are, they keep it kind of hidden. I’m an Executive Assistant so I don’t really have anything to do with that area. I have no choice but to work, I have a mortgage and bills and no other job can pay me and give me the benefits this place does.
I love that you talk about animal testing; more bloggers should do like you. I totally agree with everything you said; I’m so glad so many amazing companies don’t test on animals.
I should be more careful with the products I buy. If we all stop buying stuff from the companies that do test, maybe they will get our point. Thanks for the inspiring post!
I think your post is very important and I strongly agree with You. Testing on animals is cruel and unnecessary. I assume there is certain amount of ingredients, that are used in cosmetics and most of them, if not all, have already been tested. There is no need to test them over and over again. There is no need to feed rabbits with oven cleaner, when we already know it’s not gonna be good either for them or for humans
I think the similar situation is when it comes to medicine. The medicine market sells new drugs every year but in fact they are often similar to each other (I mean the popular mild drugs for cold etcI’m not sure about cancer stuff etc), just change 1-2 ingredients- but each of them has to be tested (even though results are quite obvious). And the real problem is when labs don’t share the knowledge. The same sad things going on at universities- the experiment could be easily shown on video but they prefer to kill a rat or a frog to show the muscles tensions 
Anyways I decided not to buy products from testing companies a few years ago- I had some exceptions, but I haven’t touched anything that belongs to loreal. I’m also a veggie and have a rat Moby- saved from the lab. Take care
Migdall´s last post…Wild Mink
Thank you for this! This is a subject that I’ve been passionate about for a couple of years now – it’s not too hard to transition to cruelty-free products. I am most definitely in the same boat as you (nonvegetarian, wear leather products but avoid fur, etc.).
I don’t see how anyone would think you’re a hypocrite… the animals tested in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries play an instrumental role in saving human lives. Animals being tested in the cosmetics are subjected to unnecessary tests for… beauty, and the like. It’s a huge difference.
I’ve been making sure to not purchase beauty products that test on animals for awhile, so I knew about Essie and Sally Hansen. But you know what? Big effing lost with those two! I’m way more upset about losing Neutrogena than those polishes.
Though I should say if it were my favorite polishes, like Zoya or China Glaze, found testing on animals I would stop buying them in a heartbeat too. Its just great we have a huge choice of brands to choose from that, from what we can tell, do not test on animals.
That being said, I’m not against testing on animals for medical research. Medical science should always be striving on ways to create products with out having to resort to testing on animals, but until we don’t need to, I find it a necessary evil.
Testing on animals for beauty products however is just disgusting. Its the height of vanity and selfishness.
Does Creative Nail Design tests on animals?
Thanks, Denise
Thanks for posting this. I too am against animal testing and so is my mom. We have been for…..25 yrs and I have not bought anything from Gillette, Proctor & gamble and most of the companies you listed however I only recently found out about Loreal, Neutrogena and Maybelline and had bought a few of their products about 10 yrs ago. I didnt know about Olay till last summer and stopped using their stuff that I’d recently started using and now I see Roc which I thought was ok isnt. I am not sure what anti-wrinkle creams to use now
. I also recently am trying to be vegetarian as eating chicken/beef has started to bother me….me thinking of eating an animal has just gotten to me. However due to a thyroid problem I think I have I am watching the soy intake so I’m kinda stuck till my insurance kicks in at my new job so I can have that thoroughly. I don’t buy and havent bought leather products in years either.
Anyway thanks for your post
Don’t forget RBL! =)
and by this I mean, they’re cruelty free. In fact, they’re 5 free.
Oh no we’ve lost Essie
Thank you for this informative post!
Phyrra listed some great indie companies I can also recommend. Another great cruelty-free company is the amazing Sugarpill.
Good for you, Kelly! I do, unfortunately use products by brands that test on animals, but I love that you don’t. It’s very commendable. I’m sure your Sammy is super proud of you!
I respect your stance.
It is not an issue near and dear to my heart, but I can see why it would be important to some people. I do believe that there are enough humans in this world suffering that I need to divert my resources and mental energy towards them, but it’s great that there are those who do NOT think the way I do. That is why the human race is so diverse and beautiful. Someone needs to look out for the creatures on this planet with no voice.
I was wondering if you would still do swatch comparisons with the old OPI polishes you do have? Just for reference, to save people money if they have OPI dupes of newer colors. Just a thought. Thanks for bringing this matter to light!
Hi Lauren,
I will certainly answer people’s comparison questions about an OPI color (if I have it), but I rarely do comparison posts anyway.
Hey Kelly! I certainly respect and applaud your efforts to use cosmetics that are not tested on animals. I am against animal testing myself.
However, I also refuse to support companies that support PETA. I certainly don’t want to start drama on your blog, but anyone that isn’t aware of PETA’s practices can do a little googling and find out why those that love animals (and care about the abuses of animal testing ) mind want to think carefully about supporting PETA or any companies that support them. I’m not sure that animals cruelty in the name of so-called activism is any better than animal cruelty in the name of lipstick. They are a MESSED up bunch.
Smashbox, for example, is a company I absolutely refuse to patronize.
I have yet to find a comprehensive list of cruelty-free companies that do not support or donate to PETA.
If I could find them, I would go out of my way to purchase their products.
April´s last post…New Website- Kirk Auto Detail
Hi April,
No worries you were totally respectful and I can totally see your point. If you are against animal testing and PETA though, what brands are left? I am curious about that actually…
That’s what I’m curious about too.. I really just want to avoid brands that support PETA in terms of monetary donations. There isn’t much info out there.
April´s last post…New Website- Kirk Auto Detail
Hi April,
Frustrating that it’s so hard to find out the truth about all this, sigh.
You’ve totally inspired me, VV! Before I even hit the part where you list all the companies who do produce cruelty-free products, I knew I had to make the change. And now that I see so many quality brands on that list, I’m happy to make the commitment. Thanks for keeping us consumers informed
Alex´s last post…White Jeans
Great job on this post! I shared it with all my facebook friends. I will no longer buy or use any of those brands that do test on animals!
Good on you! I think it’s fantastic that you have made this stance against animal testing. I too am a huge animal lover, to the point where like you I like animals more than most people! I’ve been making the change from cruelty free beauty products for a couple years now, & have found a lot of good if not better alternatives. Up until now I had still been buying from companies which are cruelty free but owned by companies that test (The Body Shop, OPI, Essie etc.) but I have decided that these have to go now as well. It makes me so angry that companies such as L’oreal continue to test when a) there is obviously a large & growing backlash against it from the consumer & b) it is unnecessary in this day & age when there are many alternatives to testing on animals, it just might *shock horror* cost a little bit more. These dinosaur companies that refuse to change their practices in line with consumer expectations will eventually start to feel it in their bottom line, & maybe then that will finally make them get their butts into gear & make some changes.
Thank you for the list you provided. I will still love your website even though you don’t review those brands.
Thank you for the great post. In this day and age animal testing is completely unnecessary, and I hope one day soon it wont even exist. I will definitely keep those brands in mind next time I go shopping
Thanks for the post! One of the reasons I like your blog is because you don’t review products that are tested on animals. Keep up the good work!
This is a great post, Kelly, and I love how you are very public about your stance. With as many readers as you have, you have such an opportunity to voice your opinion and spread the word, and I know that by speaking out, you will convince many others to do the same.
I would just like to add one more point, though. Half of this blog is spent explaining yourself and your decisions — not just explaining why you are against animal testing, but explanation for why you can’t contribute in other areas of your life.
I know it is inevitable that some smarty pants will come along and badger you, call you a hypocrite, whatever… but honestly, I don’t feel like you owe anyone any explanation. You certainly are not obligated to justify your decisions in life to your readers or to anyone else, for that matter.
I commend you for taking this stance, and do not judge you for anything else you do in life. Just because one doesn’t do EVERYTHING possible, doesn’t mean they CAN’T do ANYTHING to help. Even making one or two small steps or changes in life makes a huge difference and I hope that you, and others, realize that.
I love your blog because you are one of the few who I believe to be honest in her reviews and sincere in her convictions. Thank you for providing us with quality content on a regular basis!
I’m just wondering does anyone know if CND is cruelty free? I’ve had a look on the internet but can’t find a definitive yes or no.
Hi Veronica,
I am not sure about them either, but maybe someone else might know?
Yes hopefully someone does. Just as an aside, I want to thank you for introducing me via your blog to BB Couture…I’ve just placed my first order with Overall Beauty & can’t wait to receive it! It was so hard to decide which ones to get & there are so many more I want, they have such amazing colours…my wallet is going to suffer for sure!
Kudos to you Kelly for a brave post. I applaud your dedication! I just saved your list so I can reference it in the future when purchasing new brands. Thank you!!
Thank you so much for this post; especially for the lists. I’ve never actively sought out any type of list like this (maybe an ignorance is bliss kind of thing?). I’ve been so looking forward to the Pirates of the Caribbean line from OPI but now I can’t in good faith buy it. I too believe that some animal testing is needed in the medical field, but I in no way condone it for cosmetics. I don’t need a particular nail polish color that badly! I printed up the lists so I can keep it in my purse as a reminder.
I received a free Shiseido eye creme sample from Sephora, (which was amazing) and I was really upset to find out that they weren’t cruelty free
It’s unfortunate that Essie and OPI were bought out, since their nail varnishes are the most plentiful and easiest (non drugstore) varnishes to find + the local beauty supply has a pathetic amount amount of China glaze >|
Peta offers some handy dandy wallet cards that list cruelty free companies/companies that test, and one with animal ingredients!
I got them at a vegetarian fair, but I think you can also send away for them or download them
Non leather boots are tricky! The salt and snow just destroy them
thx for re-posting this. I agree w/ you. People need to be aware of animal testing on cosmetics especially the celeb spokeswomen that claim to be animal lovers (ellen/covergirl,just sayin).I love all animals and think they were put here for a reason and they have a right to the land and should have a voice.I am not perfect, I eat some chicken/turkey/dairy and wear leather shoes but I dont buy cosmetics that are tested on animals except I do buy OPI and I feel bad about it. I know that OPI doesn’t test on animals and peta states this but like you said it is now owned by coty and they test on animals. Why oh why does there have to be animal testing?!
I am a silent reader, but I must say, I love this post! I am all for cruelty free and enviromently friendly cosmetics! I noticed Aveda wasn’t on your list – we do not test on animals, are environmentally friendly, up to 95% natural and contribute to hundreds of charities- a lot of which help our furry friends.
You can also add BB Couture to the list. I recently emailed them to ask about their policies on animal testing and they do not do it. And their products are also vegan. (They used to use fish scales in some old products but phased that practice out.) So I feel comfortable buying their products.
Thank you so much for this post. I am also an animal lover/polish addict, and there’s no reason why those two things have to be mutually exclusive.
Nooooo OPI!
China Glaze and Orly from now on!
Hi all…
I would just like to point out that Proctor and Gamble and Johnson&Johnson are both companies that have pharmaceutical divisions as well. Do we know if they are labeled by PETA as “big bad” because they test their cosmetic lines on animals or because they test on animals at all? Perhaps none of their cosmetic ingredients are tested on animals and only the pharma divisions do animal testing?
Uh, obviously Peta doesn’t share your opinion about Opi… The Peta site gave away Opi products….http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2010/06/09/win-it-wednesday-opi-shrek-forever-after-brights-collection.aspx
maybe you are misinterpreting what they posted???
Hi Donna,
As mentioned in the article, I don’t support companies who are owned by companies who test. OPI is now owned by Coty, which means money goes towards Coty, so I do not support them anymore. Same goes with Essie and being owned by L’Oreal.
Hi Donna,
Also I want to point out that they posted that before OPI was bought out by Coty.
I’m quite sure that Benefit DO test on animals
Hi Andrea,
What makes you quite sure? When I Googled it, there were a lot of people that said they did test and people that said they didn’t. They are not on either list of PETA’s either. I am giving them the “Benefit” of the doubt until I know for sure
OPI is on Peta’s list of companies that don’t test on animals.
Their polishes are cruelty-free.
http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/search.aspx?Testing=0&Range=5&PageIndex=9
Hi polished up animal lover,
Indeed, but please read the whole article and you will see why I choose not to support them.
Coty doesn’t test on animals. Their own company states that they don’t. I would trust their information over the Peta, the special interest group that destroys laboratories and has been accused of terrorist acts. I don’t have a high opinion of peta and the bad reputation they give the vegan community.
http://lazybeautiful.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/rimmel-london-coty-inc-animal-testing-statement/
If you do believe Peta’s list though, you can see for yourself that OPI is cruelty-free, fortunately.
That’s why I love their polishes (and China Glaze ane BB Couture!). OPI is on the list of companies that don’t test on animal products.
http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/744.aspx?SearchUrl=/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/search.aspx%3FTesting%3D0%26Range%3D5%26PageIndex%3D9
Great post!!
Hi Ally,
I understand your point, but don’t believe Coty doesn’t test. Also please read what I wrote about OPI, I know they don’t test, but the money that goes to them now goes to the company that owns them and I believe they do test.
Hi. Im like you and wont buy anything that has been tested on animals or a brand that is owned by a company that tests on animals.
I have issues with the PETA list as they have brands that i told elsewhere are NOT safe brands – Smashbox and Revlon being two examples.
I go with uncaged.co.uk which aside from doing a huge proctor and gamble campaign have strong rules on who they promote and who they dont.
The bunny logo was started by BUAV and sadly is copied by many brands to make them look like they are cruelty free…it means nothing, unless it has BUAV and the specific leaping bunny logo. Anyone can stamp a bunny on their product.
The main contention is the companies that broadcast THEY do not test on animals, and yet hide the fact they allow outside companies to test their products and /or ingredients.
Smashbox is owned, like MAC, by Estee Lauder, who say THEY dont test on animals, but they allow their ingredients to be tested on animals by outside companies. Thus they can safely say they dont…but their products will contain ingredients recently tested on animals. I hate those double standards, which is why i will not buy from these types of companies..same with AVON, Benefit and Coty who are others flaunting that lie.
The others on your list though, i happy say are fine! Id also add Sleek, Collection 2000 and Famous by Sue Moxley, UK brands which are good.
Kristen Jones´s last post…Sleek Primer- secondary review not as good as id thought
Everybody, take a look at gossmakeupartist video on animal testing on YouTube.
I did a blog post on this a while ago! Glad you’re doing the same:D
Sanna´s last post…frankenpolish- Holy Holo
First of all, hugs to you for standing by what you believe. I, too, think animal testing for cosmetics is pretty stupid, but also agree that medical testing is necessary. At least those animals haven’t died in vain.
That being said, I truly believe we need to take this further, by being conscientious consumers. We shouldn’t draw the line at saying no to products tested on animals, but also include products that are created using slave labor, unfair labor practices, petrochemicals, genetically modified foods (at least until more research is done), or products that are not organic and full of pesticides. I would also include that we should be buying products that keep ourselves and our neighbors and countrymen employed, instead of buying cheap stuff from overseas. Corporations buy out smaller “mom and pop” businesses all the time, which results in companies like Essie indirectly supporting animal testing. We need to analyze our spending habits to see where the money really goes, and then determine if we are okay with that. I would much rather buy something from a small business than Wal-Mart, if I am financially able to. I realize that not everyone is, however.
So kudos to you, for taking the time out to actually educate not only yourself, but your blog followers as well as to what Big Business really does.
Eat local and buy local (if you can). Think about where your money goes.
I also emailed CND to ask them, and they told me they also do not test on animals.