Let's End Animal Testing Now!
What is the problem with using animal-derived ingredients in beauty products?
The way we consume products has drastically changed in this decade. We as consumers are no longer mindlessly buying into faceless corporations.
The brand’s ethics, values and stories have all become important factors that influence buying decisions.
Veganism, which started as a way for people to show their compassion for all things living has trickled down to everyday products like beauty and cosmetics. You might find yourself asking:
What is vegan in beauty?
Vegan simply means the absence of any animal-derived ingredients in the final product. An additional concept, cruelty-free means making of the products did not harm any animals. More often than not, this refers to animal testing.
In light of this revolution, many countries have banned animal testing. This includes India which became the first Asian country to have banned the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients on animals.
As for companies who still use animal testing & animal tested products, there are over 7,000 safe ingredients to choose from to formulate their products, so why continue these harmful practises?
There are several alternatives to animal testing which render this practice completely obsolete. Technology allows us to use in-vitro testing, computer models, or even replicate real human organs on microchips.
So, here’s why you should invest in vegan and cruelty-free beauty products.
It’s a no brainer if you’re an animal lover
Veganism is all about coexisting with the animal kingdom. It means refusing to let any harm come to animals for humans to meet their needs.
Animal testing, the practise of putting little animals in tiny little prisons and experimenting on them sounds like the plot for a very scary movie. How can we let this be reality?
The animals face tremendous psychological stress and physical pain.
How can anything resulting from this be beautiful?
There are no data suggesting animal-derived ingredients are superior in quality.
“Animal ingredients haven’t been proven to be superior in any way, and wholesome vegan alternatives do exist,” says Dr. Dennis Gross in an article by The New York Times.
In many cases brands that are vegan and cruelty-free also strive to be organic and safe! Wouldn’t you believe, brands that care for animal safety and don't practice animal testing also put their consumer’s health first!
It’s in our DNA
As Indians, we have grown up with home remedies and natural products. I would even argue that the ruthless bullying (that was sometimes followed by expert advice and remedies) many of us faced growing up, has deeply embedded itself in our brains as the only way to achieve stereotypical beauty.
This DIY heritage combined with the amount of knowledge the internet makes available can be credited for our inclination towards vegan and cruelty-free beauty products.
Data from a survey carried out by research firm Euromonitor shows that Indians prefer natural beauty and cosmetics. 71 percent of consumers surveyed said that they would pick up a face cream or lotion if it claimed to be ‘natural’, 38 percent said they would buy a shampoo or hair oil if it was made with ‘botanical’ ingredients.
Euromonitor International survey analyst Priyanka Bagde says, “In a market like India where herbal and ayurvedic hair and skin care has a legacy of usage (for example, henna, bhringraj or brahmi oil, or herbal face packs), awareness and benefits of herbal or botanical ingredients is high,”.
It’s time to join the revolution
We live in a world where we can influence someone’s opinions just by posting an image. It has never been easier to be heard and seen.
Let us use this power for the common good to stop animal testing. Don’t support any brands that choose to be ignorant and silent.
Speak up against unjust practices like animal testing and keep educating yourself as well as others.
What’s the hold up then?
The volume of power consumers have in the digital age is enough to influence any brand. Vegan and cruelty-free products should be the bare minimum the brand is expected to achieve.
As consumers, we shouldn’t let these multi-billion dollar businesses set the bar too low for themselves.
Change can’t be measured on paper, it must be felt with the brands’ actions.
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