Recognize animal-free cosmetics and skincare + helpful sources

After I told you last week that I’m going to switch to animal-free cosmetics and skincare products, you will learn today how to recognize animal-free products. I also share helpful sources with you that have helped me incredibly with my research. 🙂

This awaits you in this post

• Animal testing in the cosmetics industry
  • You can recognize animal-free cosmetics and skincare from this
  • The thing with the parent companies …
  • Helpful sources on animal testing/animal testing-free cosmetics and care
  • Conclusion

ANIMAL TESTING IN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY

Although animal testing for cosmetic and skincare products has been banned in the EU since 2013, there are still some loopholes. Some of these are used by corporations to continue carrying out experiments on animals.
Products and ingredients that have been tested on animals before the law is passed may continue to be sold.

The law also only targets ingredients that only appear in cosmetics and care products. Ingredients that can also be found in other products, such as cleaning agents, and thus fall under the Chemicals Act, may continue to be tested on animals. One can say that the majority of the ingredients in conventional cosmetics are of chemical origin. Therefore, this loophole in the law makes it easier for companies to continue testing animals.

In addition, companies that sell their products outside of Europe are allowed to carry out experiments on animals for the foreign markets (where permitted). China is the best- known country that even makes LEGISLATIVE animal testing for cosmetics and skincare products. On the mainland of China, beauty products may only be sold if they have been tested on animals beforehand. Absolutely terrifying, isn’t it ?!

Many large beauty companies want to maximize their profits and are therefore expanding to China. A negative example is a well-known brand L’OREAL.

YOU CAN RECOGNIZE ANIMAL-FREE COSMETICS AND SKINCARE FROM THIS

SIEGEL
Those who value cosmetics and skincare products that have not been tested on animals should pay attention to special seals. The most well-known are:

* Rabbit with a protective hand
* Leaping Bunny
* Vegan flower

The Leaping Bunny print is the only internationally valid seal.
The vegan flower, on the other hand, is the only label that simultaneously stands for vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics/care.

Lists

In addition, various organizations and private individuals maintain lists in which animal-free beauty products are clearly displayed. Some also with statements from the brands on the subject of animal experiments.

Research

You should also work for yourself! Nowadays it is easy to learn about special brands and their philosophy through the internet. You should pay attention to secure sources and established blogs.

Initiative

This point also challenges you. You can also simply contact the company directly if you cannot find any information on the Internet. However, you should take a critical look at the possible response from the group. Because which company likes to give open to animal experiments or to commission ?!

THE THING WITH THE PARENT COMPANIES …

Through my research on cosmetics/skincare free of animal testing, I have repeatedly come across the subject of parent and subsidiary companies in the beauty industry. You can find a great explanation of the aforementioned terms and their connection to the blog of notocruelty.com.

Can it be assumed that the daughter always tests on animals when the parent company does it ?! And do I indirectly support the parent company when I buy beauty products from my daughter (even if she does not carry out / commission animal experiments) ?!

For me personally, the biggest problem here is when I switch to animal-free cosmetics and skincare. I still don’t know 100% how I want to position myself on this topic. So do I now throw out all the products from my collection if the brand (subsidiary) does not knowingly carry out animal experiments, but the parent company is known to test on animals ?! Phew, this will be a tough number for me! For example, I love Urban Decay, especially the eyeshadow palettes. Urban Decay does not do any animal testing. However, the popular beauty brand is “only” a daughter of L’OREAL. And as I mentioned at the beginning, L’OREAL is represented on the Chinese beauty market and therefore also carries out or commissions animal experiments. Oh god, my heart is bleeding!

You can already tell that this topic is incredibly complex and still makes me ponder … I’m also not a fan of black and white thinking. Therefore, I do not want to rule out at the moment that I will also have cosmetic and skincare products in my collection in the future, even if the parent company carries out animal experiments. But only if I can agree with myself and the subsidiary is strongly against animal testing!

HELPFUL SOURCES ON ANIMAL TESTING /
ANIMAL TESTING- FREE COSMETICS AND CARE

The lists, blogs, YouTube channels mentioned below helped me a lot in my research on this complex topic.

CONCLUSION

I hope that I have not thrown around with too much information and that your head is pounding. 😀

Please also read my recently published article if you want to find out why I would like to switch to animal-free cosmetics.

In the next post on this topic, we’ll take a look at my bathroom. I’ll show you the unadorned truth and we’ll clear out my skincare together! 🙂

Do you pay attention to cosmetics free of animal testing?