Cruelty-free cosmetics is a category containing all cosmetics that have not been tested on animals. The FDA has not approved a legal definition that binds this term to a certain set of criteria, making it difficult to define. However, in addition to the final product, most advocates for cruelty-free beauty agree that none of the ingredients used in the production of the cosmetic can be tested on animals in order for it to be truly cruelty-free, despite the fact that many companies who brand themselves as such still use raw materials that have been tested on animals. Therefore, it is most useful to define the term according to group consensus within the community rather than using government-promoted definitions.
The types of tests performed on animals include acute toxicity testing, eye and skin irritation testing, skin sensitivity testing, carcinogenity testing and reproductivity and developmental toxicity testing. Numerous studies have shown that the effectiveness of these tests is limited, and valid alternatives exist for many of these tests.
Due to these inconsistencies and lack of brand accountability, cruelty-free beauty activists have utilized internet platforms like blogs and Youtube to create lists of companies that they "approve" as cruelty-free and advise consumers to purchase from. Notable bloggers include Cruelty-Free Kitty and LogicalHarmony, whose approved brand lists are widely circulated and accepted in the cruelty-free beauty community as good guidelines to stick to when attempting to buy cruelty-free products. To activists like these, only buying from cruelty-free companies is effective because it boycotts the practice of testing on animals and proves that there is a specific market for cruelty-free consumers, incentivizing brands to "go" cruelty-free and follow their guidelines.
Video Cruelty-free cosmetics
Labels
Under the impulse of the public shocked by the conditions of experimentation on animals and the suffering that engenders, a collective consciousness around the world has gradually immersed and many actors of this movement have emerged in the industry to avoid use animal testing and look for new alternatives. Since 2004, animal testing for finished products is banned in the European Union. Since 2009, the ingredients of cosmetics are no longer the subject of animal experiments. In 2013 and 2016, the EU banned the import of cosmetic products tested on animals in its territory.
o Leaping Bunny:
Created in 1996, the Leaping Bunny label or Human Cosmetic Standard (HCS) is one of the European pioneers in cruelty free cosmetics. This logo, valid in Europe and North America, certifies:
-the brand in its totality is cruelty free
-the absence of animal testing of the ingredients
-the absence of animal testing of finished products
-the absence of animal testing in foreign markets
On the other hand, it does not certify the absence of material of animal origin such as honey.
Each cosmetic is subject to strict control by independent inspection bodies chosen by the Coalition for Consumer Information in Cosmetics (CCIC), which is an NGO founded by 8 international animal protection groups such as: American Anti-Vivisection Society, Animal Alliance of Canada, Doris Day Animal League, etc.
o Choose Cruelty Free,
This logo applies to several areas: cosmetics, medicines and hygiene products and home. He certifies that:
- all brands in the group are cruelty free
-the brand in its entirety only offers cruelty free products
-the absence of animal testing of finished products
-the absence of animal testing of the ingredients
-the absence of animal testing in foreign markets
The label does not certify the absence of material of animal origin. Nevertheless, it certifies that the mark does not have the right to sell its cosmetics in countries where the law authorizes the tests on the animals.
o PETA
A non-profit association created in the United States, it has set up two cruelty free labels. The first named "cruelty free" and the second called "cruelty free and vegan". A single criterion separates these two labels: that of the presence or absence of matter of animal origin in the composition of cosmetics.
o One Voice
French non-profit association, the association One Voice is a law association of 1908 under Alsacian-Mosellan law, founded in 1995 militant for the "absolute right of animals to respect". He certifies:
-the absence of animal testing of finished products
-the absence of animal testing of the ingredients
-the presence of organic natural ingredients (orange logo)
-the absence of material of animal origin except honey, pollen and beeswax
o IHTN Rabbit
This German label is for the moment the most discreet of the "cruelty free" labels. However, the International Association of Manufacturers against animal testing in cosmetics (IHTN) ensures a lot of monitoring work and transparency in the manufacture of cosmetics. He certifies:
-the absence of animal testing of finished products
-the absence of animal testing of the ingredients
-the raw materials of animal origin (egg, milk, honey) come from organic farming. This label prohibits materials of dead animal origin or obtained by ill-treatment. Finally, it also certifies the mark in its entirety.
Maps Cruelty-free cosmetics
Legislation against testing animals
Advancement of cosmetic cruelty free fight around the world
Thanks to the development of the media, information and images showing the treatment of animals in laboratories have been disclosed around the world. The methods used to perform the tests have shocked the public and a collective desire to stop the treatment of animals, for the benefit of alternative experiments, such as in vitro tests, in silico that requires no animal presence are now relevant.
Faced with this plague, the authorities of several nations have reviewed their legislation to limit the use of animal testing in the cosmetics sector.
List of countries which set up a legislation against cosmetics tested on animals
European Union
The European Union is one of the first parties in the world to ban animal testing of cosmetic products. On September 11, 2004, a law that banned testing finished cosmetics on European soil was applied, then on March 11, 2009 a new law banned animal testing of components and blends intended for the cosmetic industry.
Finally, the ban on animal testing came into effect on March 11, 2013, regardless of the availability of alternative methods.
Norway
One of the first countries to follow the movement was Norway, which incorporated the law banning animal testing at the same time as the European Union.
Israel
One month before the application of REACH, Israel also committed on January 1, 2013, to ban the import, marketing and sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals.
Brazil
In Brazil, on January 23, 2014, São Paulo is the first state in the country to ban testing of cosmetics and perfumes on animals. The authorities will now distribute sanctions to laboratories that will not comply with this new law, a fine of one million real (Brazilian currency), see a final closure of the facility if it continues practices.
At the national level, the bill was proposed on September 29, 2015 and is a validation course. This project includes a ban on animal testing for finished products and a three-year deadline for raw materials to be completely banned.
India
India has become the first country in South Asia India, since 2014 the country has banned the testing of cosmetics on animals and the ban on using any animal for testing cosmetics. Companies will now have to receive approval from the Central Drug Standards Control Organization of the country to prove that their tests comply with the new regulations.
New Zealand
In New Zealand since May 10, 2015, the New Zealand Parliament passed the law banning the use of animals for research or testing related to cosmetics. The New Zealand government has legislated with the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill, a bill for an animal welfare amendment passed by majority that officially recognizes animals as "sentient beings".
Turkey
In Turkey since January 15, 2016, the country banned animal testing for cosmetics.
Australia
Finally in July 2017, Australia passed a law ruling on the status of animals and banned cosmetic testing on animals. It is important to note that recognition of animals as sentient beings is not yet recognized around the world.
List of countries whose the testing animals legislation is in progress
The United States
In the United States, the 'Humane Cosmetics Act' was introduced by Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) in 2017. The 'Humane Cosmetics Act' aims to ensure that no animal is injured or harmed in the process of creation or manufacture of cosmetics. A similar project was tabled in 2014 by MP Jim Moran , but did not advance.The 'Animal Welfare Institute' publishes a list of companies that currently endorse the Humane Cosmetics Act.
South Korea
The country announced his wish to apply the legislation ban on animal testing for cosmetics. The law will enter into force in 2018.
Other countries
Other developed countries, such as Canada and Taiwan, have expressed interest in stopping animal testing in the cosmetics sector and are awaiting validation of the REACH Act in their territory.
Only Japan currently has no plans to ban cosmetic tests on animals. Japan believes that its animal testing is still a reliable source.
A derogation whose pass over the European legislation
REACH is a regulation from European Union aiming to better protecting human health and the environment from the risks related to chemicals substances, while promoting the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry. Also supports alternative methods for assessing the hazards of substances to reduce the number of animal tests.
The REACH regulation applies to all chemical substances : those used in industrial processes, but also those in our daily life such as cleaning products, paints, electrical appliances and cosmetics.
With the REACH regulation, companies must be transparent and must identify and manage the risks related to the substances they manufacture and market in the EU. They should also show to ECHA how the substance can be safely uses and communicate risk management measures to users.
Companies must register their substances, so ECHA receives the registrations and assesses their compliance, and then EU Member States evaluate certain substances to address the initial concerns about human health or the environment. Then they determine whether the risks of the substances can be managed.
A dangerous substance can be banned by the authorities if the risks it presents cannot be controlled. Authorities may also decide to restrict use or subject it to prior authorization.
If the risks cannot be managed, the authorities can limit the utilization of the substances in several manners. The target is to reduce indeed replace most dangerous substances.
Therefore, REACH lists all the chemical substances used by the industries and all the information concerning them. When a company decides to use a non-REACH listed substance or an ingredient in which the information is insufficient, the company must demonstrate that these substances are safe. Tests must then be performed by the company itself a it is responsible for ensuring the safety of the substances they use. These may be alternative tests for animal testing or anomal testing where there is no alternative under the law.
Chemical ingredients used at more than one ton per year in Europe are compulsorily tested. Indeed, the European Commission can estimate that it is necessary to evaluate the risks for certain substances. Thus, even for purely cosmetic ingredients, animal testing can always be done to ensure the safety of workers exposed to it in the manufacturing process. The REACH Regulation thus goes beyond the Cosmetics Regulation because the European Commission considers that in-vitro (non-animal) methods are not sufficiently reliable and underestimate the danger of certain substances.
REACH can pass over the law that prohibits animal testing of ingredients and finished cosmetic products from 2013.
Export to China
Mandatory to testing animals before enter into the Chinese market
China has become one of the largest market in the world, so it represents an opportunity for companies to expand their market and sales but to access, companies testing their products on animals before entering with a few exceptions.
Indeed, we can see a progression of the Chinese legislation, on the one hand thanks to the mobilization of the associations of animal defenses at the same time local and international, vegan communities and consumers refusing the tests by boycotting the brands, but also on the other hand, thanks to the European law banning testing which has a "snowball effect", especially India, which is the first Asian country to ban testing on the animals in July 2013. Chinese legislation has therefore evolved by allowing certain brands to gain access to the Chinese market.
Chinese legislation separate cosmetics in 2 categories :
- Non special use cosmetics : these are all the products that won't deeply change the aspect of your body or have a therapeutic aspect such as makeup, body and face skincare, perfume, toothpaste, nail care.
- Special use cosmetics : these cosmetics change your aspect on the long term, we can find slimming product, re-sculpting cream (breast, body, wrinkle...), depilatory products, hair products (coloring hair, permanent hair, Brazilian smooth...) solar protection and deodorants.
Non tested products :
- Non special use products manufactured and sold in China
- Non special use products manufactured but not sold in China
- All products sold on the internet on Chinese or not website
Tested products :
- Special use products manufactured and sold in China
- All products imported and sold in stores in China
Animal testing is therefore mandatory for only a few products, but this change only affects companies that manufacture their products in the country. Companies that have foreign manufacture still need to test on animals but no requirement is imposed on cosmetics purchased on foreign e-commerce sites and delivered in China.
How about Hong Kong ?
Some cruelty free cosmetic brands such as Urban Decay, Hourglass or Lush are implanted in Hong Kong and this has led a lot of confusion because Hong Kong is a part of China whose requires mandatory animal testing on all cosmetics product that are manufactured outside of the country. But Hong Kong does not have the same testing animal law as China and a cosmetic brand can be pretended to be "cruelty free" while being on Hong Kong soil even though Hong Kong is often considered as China. Although, this does not mean that the test on animals are totally banned from the territory.
List of cruelty free cosmetic brands
Notes
Source of article : Wikipedia
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