Cruelty Free Beauty: It's Cool to be Kind
- Tamsin Talks
- Mar 2, 2022
- 6 min read
The beauty industry has a large presence in today's society. Whether it be makeup or skincare, beauty products have integrated their way into the daily lives of millions of people across the globe. For many, cosmetics are a form of self-expression and a way of gaining confidence. However, have you ever considered how kind your beauty regime is?
Sadly, as a result of animal testing, the beauty industry is responsible for the torture and misery of millions of animals. Horrifyingly, the Humane Society International estimates that 500,000 animals suffer and die for the cosmetics industry every year. But, it doesn't have to be this way. Let's explore the world of cruelty-free beauty and learn how to make the switch to a kind beauty regime.
What Does Cruelty-Free Mean?
So, what exactly does cruelty-free mean? Well, according to Cruelty-Free Kitty, a cruelty-free beauty brand manufactures and develops products in a way does that not involve experimentation on animals. However, a brand that is truly cruelty-free does not test products or ingredients on animals at any point during the making of their cosmetics. Additionally, they ensure their suppliers and third-parties do not test on animals on their behalf.
It is important to acknowledge that not all cruelty-free brands are vegan. Therefore, a cruelty-free brand may use ingredients derived from animals.
How Do I know if a Brand is Cruelty-Free?
When it comes to buying cruelty-free cosmetics, official certifications are a great place to start. A certification is awarded by an organisation to a brand to certify that they have met certain cruelty-free standards. Often, a brand will display the certification on their product packaging to prove they are cruelty-free. Here are a couple to look out for:
Cruelty-Free International
The Leaping Bunny Programme is arguably the global gold standard for cruelty-free. Click here to learn more about the Leaping Bunny criteria.
PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies
Designed for compassionate shoppers, the Beauty Without Bunnies programme is a cruelty-free certification created by PETA.
This certification also recognises cruelty-free vegan brands! Click here to learn more about Beauty Without Bunnies criteria.
This is not an exhaustive list. So, there are other reputable cruelty-free certifications available. However, be vigilant! Due to the popularity of the cruelty-free movement, some brands claim to be cruelty-free when they are not. They may do this by displaying a fake cruelty-free bunny or claiming on their website to be cruelty-free without any certification.
If you are unsure as to whether a brand is cruelty-free or not, there are websites to help. Cruelty-Free Kitty, Ethical Elephant and PETA provide brand directories that list certified cruelty-free brands.
Why do Brands Test on Animals?
At this point, you may be thinking, why do brands test on animals in the first place? Good question.
In short, animal testing is used to assess the safety of ingredients. However, with the introduction of modern testing methods, animal testing is unnecessary and cruel. Experiments involving simple organisms, human volunteers and sophisticated robots are far more ethical and, in some instances, can even be cheaper!
However, a large reason why some brands still test on animals is because they want to sell their products in a country where animal testing is required by law. Namely, China. A brand that is sold in mainland China cannot be cruelty-free as the country requires by law that all cosmetic products be tested on animals. Unfortunately, mainland China is a profitable market that many brands in the beauty industry refuse to leave.
Thankfully, as consumers continue to become more conscious, brands that have tested on animals in the past are beginning to make the switch to cruelty-free. Although their change in behaviour is likely to be motivated by money rather than morals, it demonstrates that social change and consumer habits do have an impact on the behaviours of businesses. There is still a very long way to go, but this proves shopping cruelty-free does make a difference.
If you would like to become more aware of the horrors of animal testing, I recommend starting with Save Ralph. Featuring the likes of Ricky Gervais and Zac Efron, this powerful stop-motion animation is an educational short film by the Humane Society International in aid of their global campaign to ban animal testing for cosmetics. Although it is an incredibly difficult watch, 3 minutes and 53 seconds of discomfort are worth it if it stops animal testing for good.
How can I Switch to Cruelty-Free?
First, you're going to want to boycott all beauty brands that test on animals. This means making a conscious effort when shopping to check cosmetic product packaging for official certifications and using the cruelty-free brand directories previously mentioned.
Next, you'll need to look at the beauty products you already own. Go through your collection and identify all of your beauty products that belong to brands that test on animals. Once you've identified the cruel products, mark the items with a pen or sticker as a reminder that they are not cruelty-free. Please note: owning cruel beauty products does not make you a bad person. If you're committing to switching to a cruelty-free beauty regime, that's all that matters.
You may feel tempted to get rid of your products that have been tested on animals. Don't throw them away! This is wasteful and unnecessary. Instead, replace them with a cruelty-free alternative when they run out. If you'd rather not use the products, you could gift them to a friend or family member.
Once the cruel products have been used, it's time to replace them with cruelty-free alternatives. Contrary to popular belief, cruelty-free products are no more expensive than regular cosmetics and it doesn't mean they compromise on quality. In fact, you may be surprised to learn how many of your favourite brands are cruelty-free! To find cruelty-free alternatives, you can check the aforementioned cruelty-free brand directories. Also, there are lots of blogs that share cruelty-free alternatives for cruel products. Click here to read one by Be Kind Beauty.
My Cruelty-Free Favourites
Now we know more about cruelty-free beauty, let's take a look at some of my favourite products! All of the following brands are cruelty-free and are products that I use in my daily routine.
Too Faced is one of my absolute favourite cruelty-free brands. I use the Born This Way concealer in the shade 'Swan' and it is the best cruelty-free concealer I have ever used. The product is highly pigmented, offers amazing coverage and is super easy to blend.
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty, Too Faced is a cruelty-free brand. However, they are not truly cruelty-free as their parent company, Estée Lauder, does test on animals.
Shop the Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer 15ml from Selfridges here.
This product is my secret to glowing, dewy skin. Multitasking as a cleanser, mask and balm, the Charlotte Tilbury Multi-Miracle Glow works well on my combination skin. I usually use it as a mask as it smells divine, so, I want to keep it on for as long as possible!
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty, Charlotte Tilbury is a cruelty-free brand. However, they are not truly cruelty-free as their parent company, Puig, does test on animals.
Shop the Charlotte Tilbury Multi-Miracle Glow 100ml from Harvey Nichols here.
I can confirm: it's worth the hype. Spoken about relentlessly on Instagram, the REFY Brow Sculpt is everything I had hoped for. As someone with long eyebrow hairs, I often find that brow gel struggles to keep my brows in place. However, the Brow Sculpt makes sure they stay put all day. It did, however, take me an embarrassing amount of time to realise that the brush and comb were in the lid (oops).
REFY is a relatively new brand and, therefore, is not on the cruelty-free brand directories. However, REFY are marketed and known within the beauty community as a cruelty-free and vegan brand. Without a public certification I am a little skeptical so I will keep this page updated.
Shop the REFY Brow Sculpt 8.5ml from Selfridges here.
Easy to apply, highly pigmented and super shimmery; the Huda Beauty N.Y.M.P.H. All Over Body Highlighter looks like liquid gold. If you want glowing, sparkly skin, you need to try this. Using shade 'Luna', I love to mix this product in with my foundation for an illuminated complexion or blend all over my body before a night out.
According to Ethical Elephant, Huda Beauty is a cruelty-free brand.
Shop the Huda Beauty N.Y.M.P.H. All Over Body Highlighter from ASOS here.
The Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is an absolute cult favourite AND it's vegan! Known by the majority of the beauty community, the Urban Decay setting spray is famous for keeping makeup in place all day long. After trying out many setting sprays on the market, I can't recommend a better one.
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty, Urban Decay is a cruelty-free brand. However, they are not truly cruelty-free as their parent company, L'Oréal, does test on animals.
Shop the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray 118ml at ASOS here.
No matter what your motivation's are for using beauty products, there is one universal truth: it's cool to have a kind beauty regime. I look forward to the day when animal testing is banned and we don't have to check to see if something is cruelty-free. However, until then, I hope this basic overview of the cruelty-free beauty world helps you to have guilt-free fun with cosmetics!
What are your favourite cruelty-free brands? Let me know on in the comments!
This blog includes affiliate links. I am under no obligation to discuss any of the brands mentioned and all of my reviews are honest.
Amazing Tam ❤️