The dangers of makeup
Is your makeup contributing to animal abuse?
(vectorjuice,freepik)
Cosmetics is one of the most successful industries in the world, with the usage of it dating all the way back to 6000 BCE. Back in Egyptian times, cosmetics were thought to appeal to the gods and were initially used to represent a person's wealth. Since then, the meaning and formulation of makeup itself has changed drastically.
Today, many women and men use makeup as a way to express themselves and feel confident in the way they look. With the beauty market projected to generate $625.70 billion in 2023, it's no wonder why so many makeup brands are creating new and unique products every single day.
Behind the scenes
Many would be shocked to know what actually goes on behind the scenes of the making of a lot of popular cosmetics. Unfortunately, many makeup products that we know and love are tested on animals to ensure their safety for human skin. However, as pointed out by PETA, a non-profit organisation that focuses on animal rights, the use of animal testing for cosmetics is not actually necessary.
"Instead of measuring how long it takes a chemical to burn the cornea of a rabbit’s eye, manufacturers can now drop that chemical onto cornea-like 3D tissue structures produced from human cells.”
(PETA, 2013)
Many people are now starting to become more aware of the issues that come along with animal testing, and consumers are starting to insist on cruelty-free cosmetics.
Luckily, many cosmetic brands are starting to adhere to this request for cruelty-free cosmetics, with there being a 175% increase in vegan beauty products within the market.
With this being said, there are still many brands that refuse to go cruelty-free due to aspects such as the costs of testing products and the sheer lack of empathy for animals within animal testing facilities. Results from a survey among the 50 largest cosmetic brands in the world reveal that 88% of them had still not switched to cruelty-free.
So what can we do to help?
It's much simpler than you may think; slowly switching out your current products to cruelty-free cosmetics can make all the difference. Once people stop funding cosmetic brands that allow animal testing, the lack of sufficient funds will force them to make the switch to cruelty-free. To get a better insight, I talked to health and beauty influencer Sam McGraw.
(@sammcgraww Posing with her dog,Ted)
The 26-year-old shared that once upon a time she didn't know much about animal testing at all, and like most people, would buy non-cruelty-free cosmetics, unaware of the abuse that went on behind the scenes.
That was until she adopted her beloved dog, Ted. Ted was previously part of an animal testing facility before he was adopted. Sam stated, “The more I fell in love with my dog, the more I started to learn about what testing was.”
Sam soon realised the cruelty Ted suffered prior to being adopted by her. Since then, she has made it her mission to educate others about the dangers of animal testing and how easy it is to switch to cruelty-free.
With nearly 600k followers on TikTok, Sam's content has reached the hearts of so many people. She informs her followers of brands that aren't cruelty-free and guides them to more ethical brands in the hope of abolishing animal-tested makeup.
(@sammcgraww with her dog Ted)
“It's bad to use non-cruelty-free products because you are supporting brands that care more about profit than humanity."
“It’s bad to use non-cruelty-free products because you are supporting brands that care more about profit than humanity.”
Sam shared with me the deep bond she has formed between her and her dog, Ted. Unfortunately, Ted is still on Prozac due to the immense amount of anxiety he has dealt with. Sam claims he's one of the most well-behaved dogs, and she believes this is because he's truly grateful for her saving him.
Influencers such as Sam have caused an eruption of cruelty-free cosmetic brands that focus on producing high-quality makeup without unnecessary abuse.
Where should you shop instead ?
Finding the perfect cruelty-free makeup can be tricky at first, as there are still a surprising number of popular cosmetic brands that still haven't made the switch to not testing on animals.
That is why I spoke to a couple of small vegan cosmetic businesses myself to find out their personal opinions on the continuation of animal testing and to learn a bit more about their products.
I first spoke to Ashley, the owner of Ashley Cosmetics, a Hispanic-owned cruelty-free and vegan lip gloss business in Los Angeles.
(@ashleycostmeticsla at her business photoshoot)
“I love animals, and I am such a cruelty-free girl, animals deserve to be treated with respect”
Ashley founded her business in May 2021 and has now created an array of fun, high-quality glosses formulated with ingredients such as vitamin E and almond oils, known for being naturally nourishing for the lips. Not only do they hydrate your lips, but they also come in creative colours such as her gloss, "Goddess", which leaves a gorgeous golden shimmer on the lips.
(@ashleycostmeticsla collection of lip glosses)
Ashley shared how she has always dreamt of owning her own makeup line and also wants everyone else “to follow what they are inspired to do in life." She has always been an advocate for cruelty-free cosmetics, which is why ensuring her business involved no animal testing was so important to her.
She strongly believes that all companies that still use animal testing for their products should be shut down, as "Animals have feelings too and always deserve to be respected."
Her website, ashleycostmeticsla.myshopify.com will be up and running soon.
If you're looking for some cruelty-free eye makeup, you should head over to Beauty Moon Cosmetics, a UK indie brand based in Sunderland that has the most mesmerising vegan eyeshadows. From opal and pink iridescent liquid eyeshadows to neutral pigmented powders, there is an overwhelming choice for you to pick from.
(@beauty_mooncosmetics collection of liquid eyeshadows)
“This seems obvious: choosing cruelty-free makeup is a way to express support for Animal Rights causes and to take a stand against animal abuse.”
Tori set up her business in March 2022 for animal safety and welfare. Not only do her products contribute to animal safety, but vegan products contain much more natural ingredients compared to those found at animal testing facilities.
She shared with me all the harsh chemicals that are commonly found in mainstream products, like parabens and sulphates, which also affect the environment and wildlife.
The use of more natural ingredients in Tori's cosmetics means her products are much more gentle and skin-safe compared to a lot of other mainstream brands. Tori also offers an array of other vegan cosmetics, such as cleansing balms, loose glitters, highlighters, lipsticks and glosses.
Check out more of her products at https://beautymooncosmetics.co.uk/