Tips On Shopping For Cruelty-Free Cosmetics

Going cruelty-free may come off as a big life change, but it’s easier than you think. Shopping for cruelty-free brands means shopping for brands that do not harm or kill animals for their products. Surprisingly animal testing is not required when creating products but many companies do it when trying out new ingredients and according to the Human Society International, “500,000 animals suffer and die each year for cosmetics testing.” Being socially conscious and actively avoiding brands who aren’t cruelty-free is a great way to show support against animal testing. It’s sad to think that thousands of animals are being hurt just for big companies experimentations.

I put together a few tips that could help inspire others to be more aware of what they’re purchasing and to purchase more ideal products.

1. Know where to shop

Finding cruelty-free brands are thankfully becoming more easier and common to find. Cruelty-free products can be found at your local Target, Walgreens, CVS, and other high end-stores like Sephora and Ulta. You can also find plenty of cruelty-free products on Amazon.

2. Do your research

If you are unsure of what is/isn’t tested on animals you can always use websites such as the Cruelty-Free Kitty, Ethical Elephant, or the Leaping Bunny. These sites provide a variety of companies that do or don’t test. It’s helpful to find out if the lipstick you’re using or the shampoo you used the other night is harming animals for it’s research. It’s important to do your own personal research on cruelty-free products before purchasing.

3. Email the company

Sometimes if you can’t find any information or proper certification on a brand’s status of where they stand on this topic, you can call or email the company.

4. Know your ingredients

Be wary of any new ingredients you might not recognize. New ingredients don’t have a safety proven record and the law requires them to be tested before they can be sold. These tests often involve animals. It is best to buy from companies that use familiar and research-backed ingredients. Going green and all natural with your cosmetics is the best and safest, however you should still do your research on organic/vegan brands.

5. Avoid products from China

Avoid any skincare or makeup product that was made in China. It is a huge warning it was most likely tested on animals because China was/is required by law to test on animals before selling a product. However, China has modified their requirements as of recently but “special use” cosmetics (such as hair dye or sunscreens) still require animal testing. Companies like Avon, Mary Kay, Revlon, and Estee Lauder are known to pay China to test their products on animals in order to sell them in China.

Here is a list, designed by me, of companies that don’t test on animals and also what logos to look for on your prodcucts: