Shun Animal-tested Cosmetics

The present-day beauty standards are very different from how they were in the past. So to go along the trend, individuals make high value investments in cosmetics and skincare products. We find numerous products in the market that have established themselves as a game changer for the human skin. As consumers, our focus remains on the ingredients and their effectiveness. However, it is very rare that we concentrate on how the products are made and tested and if the overall process is ethical or not.

Like most scientific investigations, the testing of cosmetic products also began on animals. A variety of animal species such as rats, cats, pigs and monkeys were used for the same. And this practice continues even today. According to the Humane Society International, cosmetic testing involves making animals consume or inhale certain chemicals or have the chemicals applied to their skin or eyes. The main purpose of such experiments is to ensure that when people use those products, the ingredients don't cause any kind of problem.

However, a growing awareness and concern for animals has pushed a rising number of people to protest against these activities. Not just people and organisations, countries themselves have become a part of this initiative. More than 40 nations from around the world, including South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand, have banned the testing of cosmetics on animals. As per reports, Canada is the latest addition to this list. The country now prohibits both the testing of cosmetic products on animals and the sale of products that rely on data collected from animal testing. 

Animal testing is cruelty-based and there are much safer alternatives to it. Cosmetic companies can prioritise the use of cosmetic chemicals that are deemed to be safer and not harmful. This step can be combined with the use of non-animal testing methods. These days there are a lot of brands that promote cruelty-free products. These brands claim they do not harm or kill animals in any way during the product development. 

In general, animal testing is found to cause a lot of pain and suffering to the animals. Scientifically too, it is considered that animal testing does not give a clear picture about the product and its ingredients. Apparently, only 40-60 per cent of the time, the test is found to predict the state of human application. Because animals have different skin and eyes, so the tests done on them might not give a perfect picture on the kind of effects it will have on humans. But when it comes to alternative testing methods, they are considered successful around 80 per cent of the time. 

Most people are not very aware of the idea of cruelty-free and also about how products are tested on animals before sending them out to the market. These animals become a medium of experimentation but if we think about it rationally, we are basically captivating an animal, taking it away from its natural habitat and making it a subject of our study. The animal may continue living and be used for other tests or may die in the process. 

This is really inhumane, and encouraging the purchase of cruelty-based products can give them motivation to continue with their experimentation. What is necessary is that we prioritise both the health of animals and of consumers as well. For this, a greater understanding and awareness has to be established among consumers as well as other people.