Cruelty free makeup is a category of makeup which never gets tested on animals. At the moment, there is no generally accepted definition for cruelty free makeup. In as much as this seems quite a break from the norm, it is so because various people have different understandings of what cruelty free makeup really is. And as a result of this, there is no approved definition for cruelty free makeup by the FDA. More often than not, cruelty free make up is regarded as makeup that has not been tested on any animal both as a finished product and as constituent ingredients. Regardless of the fact that a higher proportion of people view cruelty free makeup as any makeup that has not been tested on animals both as constituent ingredients and in its finished state, a handful of people view cruelty free makeup as makeup which has not been tested on any animal in its finished state even if it has been as constituent ingredients.
Now, due to the variance in the meaning of cruelty free makeup to various people, cruelty free makeup can only be defined based on the generally accepted norm in a community.
Cruelty free makeup was not a major subject of discussion before now. However, due to the many laws which have been put up by some countries which ensure that what ever makeup is bought gets subject to some form of tests with animals before they can be put up for sale as well as the fight to ensure that the rights of animals are respected, cruelty free makeup is now a major subject.
Unknown to a lot of folks that make use of makeup, there are policies in some countries which ensure that cosmetic products are tested on animals before they can be marketed in such countries.
In as much as cosmetic firms have to test their makeup before they can be made use of, companies that are certified to be a 100% cruelty free do not have to test their make up on animals in any part of the world. While this looks good, the implication is cruelty free makeup brands can not be marketed in some countries. China is one of these countries.
It is one thing for companies to claim to be cruelty free and another thing for those companies to a truly produce cruelty free makeup. There are quite a number of companies that make their consumers aware of the process which is involved in the production of makeup. Some of these companies are quite well known and are on the list of makeup companies which PETA considers trustworthy to be cruelty free.
Now, a question arises, do makeup companies which are not cruelty free claim that they are?
Various countries have different laws as regards testing their makeup with animals before they can be sold in the market. Whilst a lot of countries in Europe have laws which support cruelty free makeup companies, China has laws which do not agree with cruelty free makeup companies. As a result of this, for cruelty free makeup companies to sell their products in China, they have to agree to animal testing laws which are compulsory in China. It might really look like engaging in animal testing is against the norms of cruelty free makeup companies. Nevertheless, the multi billion dollar beauty market which is existent in China is one that every makeup company, cruelty free or not will want to take advantage of. The implication of this is: even if a firm has a no animal testing principle outside China, the fact that it allows its products to undergo animal testing in China means it cannot be said to be a firm that produces cruelty free makeup in China.
What is the difference between Being Cruelty Free and being Vegan
Understanding what a vegan diet is all about will give you a perfect understanding of what vegan makeup exactly is all about. In very much the same way as a vegan diet is free from animal ingredients, a vegan makeup is also a makeup that was not produced from any ingredient that has an animal to be its source.
Well, going by this, a product might be cruelty free but necessarily vegan.
How can Cruelty Free Makeup be Tested
The fact that cruelty free makeup can not be tested with animals simply implies that there are ways in which they are tested to ascertain how safe they are before being released go the market. In as much as there are quite a number of ways in which cruelty free makeup can be tested. Two of these ways include the use of sophisticated machines which can replicate check human body parts. With this technology, animal as well as human parts can be synthesised in the laboratory and made use of in testing cruelty free makeup before they are released into the market. The second way in which cruelty free makeup can be tested is through the use of donations of human tissues which can be used as specimens in tests rather than using animals.
Cruelty makeup does not involve just the prevention of make up tests with the use of animals. It also involves the use of synthetic brushes in applying make up to the face instead of the use of brushes which are produced from animal hair.
What are the countries that are in support of Cruelty Free Makeup
The use other means in testing makeup might be quite common at the moment. It, however, was not taken seriously until the 11th of September, 2004, when the European Union placed a ban on the use of animals in testing cosmetic products in Europe. After the ban on the use of animals in testing cosmetic products was issued by the European Union, other countries followed suit and adopted the idea of not testing make up with animals. Some of these countries are Israel, Norway, India, Brazil.
Conclusion
Since the ban on the use of animals in testing makeup was put up by the European Union, lots of ways in which makeup can be tested have been discovered. This is indeed good for animal rights. However, beyond its benefits to animals, it is also good for the environment.
The fact that cruelty free makeup is a thing does not mean it does not have some downsides. One of it a major downsides is the fact that cruelty free makeup cannot be marketed in China.
