Step back in time just a couple of months, and there you would find me crying many a tear as a result of my genuine heartbreak during an eye-opening meeting with PETA. Throughout my life I have been an animal lover, and I have always been torn between guilt and temptation when it comes to the issue of vegetarianism. Whilst I have always known that thousands of animals are slaughtered each and every day for our own selfish needs, whether or not to consume meat was out of my hands in my younger years. Growing up in a large family who often met for get-together dinners, and embarked on many a lunch outing, it was always much simpler to cook one large portion enough to feed everybody, or to visit a restaurant catering for the tastes of us all. Consuming meat was always the most convenient option. It is a sad reality that it is (far too) often much easier to pick up a pulled pork sandwich or cheeseburger from the street food venders than it is to visit a restaurant catering for vegetarian needs whilst visiting a busy city centre. Despite my guilt, it had never actually occurred to me that the animals we so effortlessly consume are exposed to such despicable torture every day.
A month or two down the line, it occurred to me that animal cruelty is not limited to eating meat. So many of the products we use as part of our daily routine contain animal byproducts that we completely fail to acknowledge. For as long as I can remember, I have made every effort to only purchase and use products that are completely animal friendly. The Body Shop, Lush and LouLouBelle skincare have quickly established themselves as my very favourite cosmetics companies for that very reason. Of course, the heavenly fragrances of their products greatly contribute to my fondness for them. After another meeting with PETA last Friday, I am so delighted that I made the decision to use animal friendly products when I did. Although many products are not tested on animals, particularly since the implementation of the sales ban last year, many cosmetics do still contain animal byproducts, which unfortunately means that they are not vegan. I decided to explore the growing (and wonderful) mania that is Organic Beauty through the eyes of the most active organisation in the world.
Organic Beauty seems to be flourishing in popularity, and more and more brands seem to be opting for an animal-friendly packaging. How would you summarise organic beauty, and how does this growing mania contribute to the protection of animals and the movement away from animal cruelty?
Labels can be so misleading, and any animals involved in the process of beauty can be subjected to all the same methods of cruelty that occur during the production of non-organic cosmetics. PETA, therefore, encourages all shoppers to purchase only cruelty-free cosmetics. A list of cruelty free companies can be found on the PETA U.S website. Companies included in our list have either signed PETA U.S' statement of assurance, or provided a statement verifying that they and their suppliers do not conduct, commission or pay for any tests on animals for their ingredients, formulations or finished products anywhere in the world, and that they promise not to do so at any time in the future.
Whilst many people do want to stop using products tested on animals, or those that contain animal byproducts, many of the alternatives are very expensive. What advice would you offer to those who cannot afford expensive alternatives? Are there any products that you would recommend to these people?
In fact, nowadays, there are many cruelty-free companies catering for every price bracket! A EU-wide ban in 2013 prevented (and continues to prevent) companies from selling cosmetics which have been tested on animals, so British people can rest assured that they are already avoiding products that have been tested on animals since the commencement date. However, companies based within the EU are still able to sell products outside of the EU, with ingredients that have been tested on animals, as long as the animal testing was done elsewhere. With more education on the issues, and greater awareness of the cruelty associated with animal experiments, consumers around the world will increasingly demand cruelty-free products. Ultimately, consumers, regardless of their socio-economic status will punish irresponsible companies.
Which everyday things can people change about their daily routine to contribute to the protection of animals? Are there any regimes that we're performing that are actually contributing to animal testing, or some method of animal cruelty down the line?
The single most effective thing that anyone can do to bring an end to the vicious cycle of cruelty to animals is to stop eating them. Far more animals raised for meat, dairy products and eggs suffer and are killed every day than in any other industry. The great news is that in addition to saving animals, ditching animal products from our diets is also great for the environment and our own health, because vegans are, on average, slimmer than their meat-eating counterparts and less prone to various diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. In addition, many people also credit their vegan diet with improving their skin, the condition of their hair and nails, and their overall feeling of well-being.
Many cosmetics used in everyday life still contain animal byproducts, which means that they are simply not vegan. Examples include cows' urine, sheep placenta, horses' hooves and shark liver oil (squalene). Crushed beetles (carmine) are also often found in bright lipsticks, while fish scales (guanine) are sometimes found in nail varnishes and shampoo in order to give the products a shimmery look. The list of excretions and body parts that go into some beauty products is enough to make anybody's skin crawl. PETA encourages every shopper to buy only cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics which can be found on PETA's list of companies that don't test on animals. Many of these compassionate companies also feature PETA's cruelty-free bunny logo on their products.
What do you hope to see in the future of cosmetic companies who do not hold the same animal friendly ethics that you do, and currently test on animals?
The very welcome decisions by Urban Decay and John Paul Mitchell Systems to reverse plans to sell in China - and thus be required to test on animals – after talks with PETA US show that companies can and do respond to public concern in a very direct way. Similarly, after intensive efforts by PETA India, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and others, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced last week that it has officially banned animal-tested cosmetics from being imported. This just goes to demonstrate the power of people to make changes. If other countries follow suit, as we expect they will now, it will no longer be up to companies whether or not to test. The industry is aware that animal testing comes at a significant cost to its reputation and is increasingly moving away from animal tests. Animal tests aren't just bad ethics – they're bad science, because they focus on the wrong species. Non-animal testing methods are becoming faster, cheaper and more sophisticated all the time, and worldwide, governments are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in developing new methods which will really predict what happens in humans.
What can the general public do to become more inhabited by those ethics?
Pressure from consumers and campaigners has massively reduced the number of animals used for testing by the cosmetics industry over the last 20 years. Everyone now knows that cosmetics testing on animals is wrong, and Europe's precedent-setting policy against it should be a point of pride for us all. But we need to keep the pressure on. Those who don't want to support cruel animal tests that involve substances being forced into animals' stomachs or dripped into rabbits' eyes can visit PETA UK's Action Centre to see what they can do to help.
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| Revlon gains an unlikely shareholder; The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. |
