Household Wonders

8 Reasons You Should Switch to Cruelty-Free Cosmetics

cruelty-free cosmetics

The world is slowly awakening to the suffering of animals and our planet. This is reflected in both the rise of the vegan and climate change movements over the past few years. The cosmetics industry plays a controversial role in both animal welfare and pollution. It’s time to change.

So, why use cruelty-free cosmetics? Animal testing is extremely cruel, unreliable, and unnecessary. Animals feel fear, pain, and suffer just like we do. There are thousands of great affordable cruelty-free brands to choose from. Each time you buy cruelty-free, you vote for a better world.

Looking beautiful, smelling great, and keeping fresh doesn’t have to harm animals or the planet. This guide will help you to understand why you should switch to cruelty-free cosmetics.

8 Reasons You Should Switch to Cruelty-Free Cosmetics

There is almost an endless list of reasons to switch to cruelty-free cosmetics. Here are just 8 reasons you should consider switching to cruelty-free cosmetics.

1. Animal Testing Is Cruel

Animals used for testing are confined in small cages and subjected to inhumane testing methods. Most of us are aware that rats and mice are the animals most commonly used for testing.

But did you know that fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, pigs, birds, cats, dogs, mini-pigs, and monkeys are also tested?

What’s most shocking is that the list includes animals like cats and dogs. Not that these animals’ lives are any more important than the others, but most of us care and love our cats and dogs at home.

We’re all aware that our pets are capable of feeling pain, suffering, fear, and loneliness. This is true of all animals. You can then understand just how awful being a lab animal must be.

Cats are frequently tested for neurological studies. In fact, over 19,000 cats are used for testing in the USA each year alone.

Beagles are the most used dogs for animal testing. This is because they trust humans the most. Dogs are most often used in toxicology studies.

Various poisons being tested by the pharmaceutical, industrial chemical, pesticide, and household product industries are pumped into a dog’s body slowly poisoning them.

All the animals listed above are put through inhumane and incredibly cruel testing methods. No animal deserves this type of life.

2. Animal Testing Is Unreliable and Unnecessary

Many people believe that animal testing is necessary to protect humans. However, the vast majority of animal testing is both unreliable and unnecessary.

Over 90% of drugs that are tested on animals fail in human trials. This is despite positive results when tested on animals. Of all drugs tested, cancer drugs have the lowest success rate (just 5% are approved).

Recent studies have shown that test on animals is highly ineffective. This is due to human and animal bodies being different and thus reacting to drugs in different ways. Just 43% of tests on animals are considered useful for helping produce human medicines.

Of those drugs, most are for rare illnesses or diseases. Tests completed on animals for our most common health issues, including heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and cancer, are widely ineffective.

More than 115 million animals are tested on and killed each year around the world. Approximately 58 new medicines are created as a result, many of which are for rare diseases. Just 6% of the 4,300 international companies involved in drug development have registered a new drug with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1950.

The drugs that are approved by the FDA are not universally effective. This is due to individual reactions among people being varied and unpredictable. The top ten best-selling drugs in the USA help between just 1 in 4 people to 1 in 25 of the people that take them.

Animals are very different from humans. It is for this reason that animal testing is so ineffective.

3. There Are Alternatives to Animal Testing

Companies often reassure their customers that animal testing is only used to protect their safety and health. But there are reliable alternatives to ingredient testing that do not require animals.

These alternatives include:

  • Vitro Testing – advanced tests using human cells and tissues
  • Silico Models – advanced computer-modeling techniques
  • Studies with human volunteers

These tests are much more effective. They’re not held back by species differences. They also take a lot less time and money to perform.

There are now companies all over the world using advanced technology to test ingredients without the use of animals.

Some governments, like China, still demand that products imported and sold within their country are tested on animals. However, recent progress may end this.

4. Laboratory Animals Are Animals Too

As humans, we tend to think we’re separate from the animal kingdom. While we may be more intelligent than other animals, this does not give us the right to oppress, exploit, and subject animals to pain and misery.

Lab animals currently have no legal protection against animal abuse and cruelty. This includes the cats and dogs used by these companies.

We all know that animals can feel pain, fear, suffering, and loneliness. To subjugate animals to the horrors of animal testing is completely inhumane.

5. We Already Have Over 7,000 Safe Cosmetic Ingredients

To formulate new products, cosmetic companies already have 7,000 certified safe ingredients to choose from.

There is no credible reason whatsoever to test on animals for new ingredients. More importantly, there is no just reason for consumers to buy products tested on animals either (except those with insufficient access to these products).

There are now thousands of cruelty-free cosmetic brands to choose from. Some are priced at no more or less than those tested on animals. Next time you need some cosmetics, look for the leaping bunny logo and avoid any products tested on animals.

Access to cruelty-free products has never been easier with the help of the internet. For most people, you can get cruelty-free products delivered to your door at a reasonable price with the click of a button.

6. Each Time You Buy a Cruelty-Free Product You’re Voting for a Cruelty-Free World

If you ever needed evidence for how powerful consumer demand can be in making positive changes, just look at the current vegan industry.

Through consumer demand, vegans have forced companies all across the world to question their harmful effects on both animals and the environment.

The cosmetic industry is no different. Each time you take money away from a company involved in animal cruelty and send it to a cruelty-free company, you’re voting for a better world.

Companies are slaves to consumer demand. If enough people demand something, they will provide it to keep making sales. We can stop animal testing simply by refusing to buy products that are tested on them.

Animals don’t have a voice or the ability to protest against their oppression. We have to do it for them. One of the best ways to do that is to hit companies where it hurts. Sales and profits.

7. Cruelty-Free Brands Are Awesome

We already have so many fantastic cruelty-free and vegan brands to choose from. The cruelty-free cosmetic industry is flourishing and is proof that we do not need animal tested products to be beautiful.

From perfume companies like Dolma Vegan Fragrances to makeup brands like Elf (link to Amazon storefront) to big international cosmetic brands such as The Body Shop (link to Amazon storefront). You’re spoilt for choice.

Not only is this a chance to support cruelty-free business, but it’s also a chance to support independent businesses. What’s more, many of these companies have strict sustainability commitments to help mitigate their impact on the planet.

We shouldn’t forget the truth that wild animals are also affected by the pollution caused by the cosmetics industry. Buying cruelty-free and eco-friendly is, therefore, the best way to reduce harm to ALL animals.

8. Cruelty-Free Is Affordable

A common misconception is that cruelty-free and eco-friendly products are expensive. The truth is, big cosmetic brands are much more expensive on average. A lot of the money you pay is for the recognized brand and not the quality of the product.

Cruelty-free brands, especially young independent brands, are relatively cheaper than popular brands. This means you won’t only be saving animals, but you will be saving money too!

Final Thoughts

Cruelty-free cosmetics are a simple switch to make and an easy way to stop supporting animal cruelty. If you’re unsure if the brand you use currently tests on animals, you can use this guide.

You can find a full list of cruelty-free cosmetic brands here. There has never been a better time to switch to cruelty-free brands, and the animals will thank you too!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission.

RECENT POSTS

RECENT PRODUCT REVIEWS

Scroll to Top