How to Know if a brand is truly Cruelty Free.

Incredibly animal testing in the beauty industry is still an issue in 2022.  As consumers we have so much power to change the world just by being careful what we buy. Obviously the most significant reason to choose cruelty-free products is to prevent the death and suffering of animals all around the world. Did you know that roughly 500,000 rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, and mice die each year due to cosmetic testing alone. They also use dogs, cats and other many other animals also.

Choosing to buy only cruelty-free products can make a huge impact. Voting with your dollar is ultimately what causes larger companies to institute change, when they know how strongly consumers feel about particular issues.

Did you know the term "cruelty-free" is unregulated. This means that brands aren't breaking the law by calling themselves cruelty-free, even if they test on animals. Many brands no longer test on animals themselves, which is why it can be deceptive when brands claim to be "cruelty-free". It's important for brands to confirm that they themselves don't perform any animal testing, but as always we as consumers need to dig deeper, and ask more questions.

So as consumers how do we find out the truth about whether a brand is really  cruelty free. These are some great questions I found on the Cruelty Free Kitty website, www.crueltyfreekitty.com which is a great resource for all things cruelty free, including a list of skincare and makeup brands that are 100% cruelty free. These are also the questions I ask all my brands before agreeing to stock them, as genuine cruelty free status is a must for me.

Questions to ask or do some research:

1. Does your brand test on animals, either the  finished products or ingredients?

2. Do your suppliers test on animals? How do you ensure this? 

(Suppliers sell products or ingredients to the brand. Some suppliers do test on animals, so it's important to ask this question.) 

3. Do any third-parties test on animals on your behalf?

4. Do you test on animals where required by law?

(Many brands claim not to test on animals at any point, "unless required by law". A brand that's truly cruelty-free doesn't test on animals at all. No exceptions. If a brand makes an exception where required by law, it most likely means that they had to pay for their products to be tested on animals in mainland China.)

5. In which countries are your products sold (excluding online sales)?

(This is important to know whether brands sell in mainland China,  because most cosmetics have to be tested on animals in order to be sold there, and they continue to be at risk of animal testing once they're on the shelves in China.)

6. Are you owned by a parent company? If so do they conduct animal testing?

So if you have a particular brand or product  that you love, why don't you shoot them an email and ask the above questions to find out if you are supporting animal testing or if your favourite brand is actually cruelty free. x