People should be cautious of cosmetics

Buying cruelty- free can save a life

With all the resources and knowledge about the cosmetics industry today, consumers should refrain from buying cosmetics that aren’t cruelty-free. Likewise, in the cosmetics industry, companies should be making and selling cruelty-free products.

In the beauty industry today, there is a rapidly growing demand for cruelty-free makeup. This is relevant considering PETA’s track record of exposing just how poorly animals are treated in the world of cosmetic testing. For example, in China, it’s required by law that any product being sold in China be tested on animals. In the United States, it has been found that more than 100 million animals are killed each year due to animal testing, which according PETA, includes all animal testing, not just in the cosmetics industry. However, consumers could lower the number of animal testing deaths by choosing to buy cruelty-free cosmetics.

Not only will the purchasing of these products lower deaths, but it encourages other companies to go cruelty-free.

There are more humane ways to test new makeup to make sure it is safe for human skin. One of the alternatives to animal testing is the EpiDerm tissue model. The EpiDerm test mimics human skin by using a 3D tissue model that consists of the normal, human-derived epidermal keratinocytes. A keratinocyte is the predominant cell in the epidermis, which is the outer layer of the skin that consists of 90 percent of the cells found in the human skin. As a result, it provides an easier way to see how the makeup product would react on the consumer.

There are over 2,300 cruelty-free companies, including Anastasia Beverly Hills, Tarte, and Lush. Not only do many of these brands sell cosmetics, but they also sell everything from face wash, moisturizers, body lotions, shower gels, and other hygiene products people use in their everyday life. For example, The Bodyshop sells makeup and other cruelty-free products like body butters, soap, and bath bombs—the list goes on. Not only are they great for the body and the skin with the use of more natural ingredients, but they also help promote the idea that a cruelty-free world in cosmetics is possible.

However, if someone doesn’t want to shop at a cruelty-free company and wants to buy their products from other stores like Sephora, a consumer who is unsure of whether a product is cruelty-free can look on the back of the product for a little bunny rabbit, which indicates that the product was not tested on animals. Another step to take to make sure they are buying from a cruelty-free company is to look up the brand they are interested in to see if their products are cruelty-free. Either option is enough to help in the fight for cosmetics becoming cruelty-free.