Every dollar is a vote. Each product we purchase says something about who we are and what we find important. This is the philosophy of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) who is set out to end animal cruelty in the beauty industry by informing consumers that the choices they make in the beauty aisle could possibly effect or even kill thousands of animals.
“While policy is important, consumers can act now to help animals by purchasing cruelty-free products and demanding that cosmetic companies go cruelty-free,” says Pascaline Clerc, senior director of animal research issues for The HSUS.
With animal testing causing tens of thousands of rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and rats to undergo experiments that often end in death, it’s no wonder that a new poll found that most people are strongly opposed to animal testing.
In a survey of registered voters across the country, 68 percent knew that animals are used to test the safety of cosmetics and 72 percent said they opposed such testing with 70 percent going as far to say it should be illegal.
So how do we know if our shampoo or foundation was tested on animals? Look for products with the white bunny. Companies that are certified by the Leaping Bunny have undergone the “most rigorous standard in the U.S. for ensuring cosmetics are cruelty-free,” according to the HSUS.
There are lots of fabulous products out there that are cruelty-free. In fact, many of them are some favorites. The Suki Exfoliate Foaming Face Cleanser ($33) (in our latest TestTube) is an award-winning botanical product that deep cleanses and leaves your skin (and conscience) squeaky clean. If it’s makeup you’re after, Tarte makes highly pigmented color cosmetics and doesn’t hurt a soul doing it.
