Cosmetic Animal Testing

"Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals, and the answer is: 'Because the animals are like us.' Ask the experimenters why it is morally OK to experiment on animals, and the answer is: 'Because the animals are not like us.' Animal experimentation rests on a logical contradiction." - Professor Charles R. Magel

I’m not a major animal activist, I don’t live on a strictly vegan diet and maybe I don’t stand outside shops and buildings with huge protest posters but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. Animal testing is an issue I have felt strongly about for a long time and it shocked me to discover how many well-known brands still participate in animal testing to this day. Animal testing is a problem that we have been faced with for years.

I’m sure half of you have a cute little rabbit, mouse, gerbil, cat or dog at home?

I’m sure you love your pets and would be devastated to see them being hurt in any way. But animals are being hurt. Most of you go out and buy your make-up, your foundation, your mascara, your lip-gloss, your shampoo, toothpaste or even your hairspray. I know I do. But I never thought about what might have happened to get this product on the market. I mean it's only mascara right? I mean what are a few rabbit’s eyes for the sake of the safety of human eyes, right?

115 million animals are experimented on and killed in laboratories in the U.S. alone every year. Animals have been tested on for almost 2000 years. Some of the experimentation includes pumping chemicals into rats' stomachs, hacking muscle tissue from dogs' thighs, and putting baby monkeys in isolation chambers far from their mothers. Although there are many different types of animal testing I am going to focus on cosmetic animal testing.

One of the most common cosmetic animal experiment is The Draize Test. The Draize test is basically when white albino rabbits are used to test cosmetics for irritations. This particular test came about when a major crisis happened in 1920 when ladies flocked to salons to get a dye called Lash Cure applied to their eyelashes, which made their lashes darker. However, this led to irritation, blindness and even death. This horrible incident led to this main cosmetic animal test. The rabbits are held my metal bands and then a few drops of the cosmetic are put in their eyes. They are then regularly checked for irritation.

The Draize SKIN test is a similar concept. The hair of mice, rats or rabbits is shaved in an area and then a cosmetic product is rubbed directly into their skin. For spray products an inhalation test is performed. The animal is put in a box and forced to breath in the substance through a mask. The animal is monitored for breathing difficulties.

Some people think animal testing is necessary to better the lives of humans and animals alike. They say this while easier, faster and cheaper ways to avoid animal testing but still test products are being put in place. For instance, instead of measuring how long it took a chemical to burn away the cornea of a rabbit’s eye, manufacturers could now drop that chemical onto donated human corneas. This test and many others are much more accurate at predicting the effect of a product on humans.

Below I compiled a list of some of the well know brands that test and don’t test on animals. However there are many more. If you think that it is not right for an animal to be tortured in order for our appearance or if you don’t want to give your money to a manufacturer who is using it to kill defenseless animals maybe you should just start spending your money on non-animal tested products.

For more information on animal testing and a detailed list of companies that do and don't test go to Peta.org And remember you can make a difference.

Companies that do use animal testing:

Max factor, Calvin Klein Products, L’Oreal, Ralph Lauren (Cosmetics Not Cloths), Lancôme, Olay, Pantene, Prada, Hugo Boss, Cover Girl Cosmetics, Vogue Hair Care, Herbal Essences, Clarion, Neutrogena, Johnson&Johnson

Companies that don’t use animal testing:

Abercrombie & Fitch, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, The Body Shop, Chanel, Dior Perfumes, Clinique, Hard Candy, Estee Lauder, Avon, The Body Shop, CiCi Cosmetics, M.A.C Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Wella, Tropaz, Victoria's Secret, Ted Baker, Revlon