OK bear with me because this is an issue that I am passionate about.
I think animal testing as unfortunate as it is , is just one of those things we have to come to terms with. I am a COMPLETE animal lover but after doing a lot of research into animal testing in the cosmetic industry by eyes have been well and truly opened. I was dead set against animal tested for years but on closer inspection you can't really avoid it. It's all a marketing ploy.
Yes, we can avoid it! As consumers we can choose to buy make up from companies that do not animal test.
A top make up artist once said to me, why are you so against animal testing in make up , when you don't twice about over the counter medicines that are also tested on animals . I just stood there in shock for a few seconds as it never dawned on me but it's so true . Food for thought anyway . . .
It's not the same. I disagree with ALL animal testing and try to buy medicines from companies that don't test. However, I am aware that this is very difficult to do and if I was told I had to take life saving drugs, I can't say I wouldn't take them.
But it is totally unnecessary to test on animals for cosmetic purposes, that is the difference. You don't NEED make up to survive, it is a luxury. You don't NEED animals to suffer just because you want to wear lipstick - there is a difference and there is enough of a choice out there for us to make an informed decision, if we do a bit of research.
Your point about using ingredients that other people have tested I do take on board. But it's kind of a moot point, when most of the ingredients in question will have been tested many moons ago before this was a known issue and fixed cut off dates will now be in place.
When researching companies I am looking for the following in their policy: No testing of ingredients or finished products on animals by themselves or by an appointed company and/or a fixed cut off date for animal testing. This is what they need to obtain PETA/Leaping Bunny status also. Also, I'm not comfortable buying products brands that are owned by a comnpany that animal tests (such as Body Shop - don't animal test but are owned by L'Oreal who do.)
So yes, a lot of cosmetic ingredients will have been tested on animals at some point in the past for safety but that doesn't mean that all companies are as bad as each other and the testing probably happened a long time ago. There are good companies like Lush and Urban Decay who are against unecessary animal testing. Urban Decay changing their minds about selling in China was a massive win and just shows that some companies do listen to their consumers and are not just out for the money. Although I'm not naive enough to think money had nothing to do with it - they would have lost a lot of business if they had gone ahead I do believe.
Then there are companies like Avon and Estee Lauder (MAC unfortunately) and L'Oreal who are only thinking about the money. Companies like Aveda and MAC disappoint me so much, being cruelty free was a selling point and a lot of cruelty free artists relied on their products (me included). I built up a lot of my pro kit with MAC and now I'm finding that I have a tonne of make up I really don't want to use on customers as I don't want to support those brands anymore.
The point I'm trying to make, probably not that well, is that we can choose to spend our money with companies that try to make a difference and that all companies are not equal.
OK getting off soapbox now and I'm sorry for hijacking the thread.
