Michelle Resendiz – Chicago, Il.
In my time testing all these ‘beauty products’ it has become apparent to me that animal testing is a large global issue. Now, there are more and more companies jumping on board and banning animal testing which is FANTASTIC… But one company that stands out among the crowd is LUSH Handmade Cosmetics.
Not only are they known for the amazing handmade products that they produce, but they are one of the largest global companies that are fighting the war on animal testing. It shows on their site, they wear the campaign proudly. I believe that they want to educate their consumers on more than just looking and feeling pretty! Just take a look at what I learned doing some online shopping there.
TENS OF MILLIONS OF SHARKS ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR FOR SOUP
At LUSH, we’re committed to doing our part to promote sustainable environmental practices and humane treatment for animals which is why we’ve partnered with Shark Savers to protect our ocean’s sharks from the threat of extinction. Every year, tens of millions of sharks are captured and killed for their flesh, cartilage, oil and most importantly, their fins. We want to see an end to this cruel and wasteful practice. We’re asking our customers to join us and our campaign partners, Shark Savers, by taking the pledge to not eat shark fin soup and to put pressure on your local Government to enforce a ban on the shark fin trade.
WHAT IS SHARK FIN SOUP?
Currently illegal in Canadian and US waters, shark finning is a billion dollar industry fueled by the increased demand for shark fin soup, a dish served at weddings, banquets and business dinners in many Asian communities. The soup is commonly perceived to be good for your health, but studies have shown that the soup provides little to no nutrition, and often contains high levels of mercury and other toxic elements.
TAKE ACTION!
SAY NO TO SHARK PRODUCTS
- Take a personal pledge to abstain from eating shark fin soup, and choose only sustainable seafood products.
- Refuse to support restaurants or other retail businesses that sell shark fin products.
- Take the time to tell business owners why you are boycotting their products, and encourage them to stop participating in the shark fin trade.
You can read a lot more about Shark Finning, and the impact that it as on the environment over at Lush’s site. They had so much information regarding this serious issue, that it made me want to help the cause.
Aside from the shark issues, there is a whole war on animal testing right now. In my shopping ventures I also saw this. Lush really does care about more than just one situation at hand. They seem to be a really peaceful company, that really cares about their customers, and the world that they live in. They try so hard to manufacture products that are natural and good for you. They use all natural ingredients because they are good for you, and good for the environment.
Still Fighting Against Animal Testing
At Lush, we believe in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans.
Unfortunately, it’s become commonplace in the North American cosmetics industry to test products and their ingredients on animals in labs. Laboratory testing is done to substances that make up these cosmetic products, to see whether they are likely to harm people, or damage the environment when they are disposed of.
Not Legally Required
Considering animal testing is not legally required, a staggering number of animals are injured and killed for the sake of cosmetics.
As a cosmetics company we care deeply about both the quality of our products and the safety of our customers, and we happily comply with federal safety standards. But did you know that Legislation Canada and the United States only requires that products not be contaminated or harmful when used according to directions? This means that nowhere do they stipulate that animal tests must be used to demonstrate safety.
Cosmetic companies are responsible for providing safety assurances in whatever manner they deem appropriate. This can be done without any new animal testing by relying on the roughly 20,000 established cosmetic ingredients that have already been evaluated for their safety, and through the use of a growing number of proven, non-animal test methods.
Animals in laboratories spend their lives in cages, never knowing the warmth of the sun or the breeze on their skin. They are often kept either in isolation or in extremely overcrowded cages. They are never provided with pain relief after being subjected to often painful testing, and are killed once the testing has been completed. More than 100 million animals are used worldwide, which is about 274,000 per day, or three every second.
The Efficacy of Animal Testing
With millions of animals suffering and dying in the name of ‘cosmetic safety’, are these tests even accurate? Often not. We know from the pharmaceutical sector that 9 out of every 10 new drugs (92%) that appear safe and effective in animal tests turn out to be unsafe or ineffective in human clinical studies. And there’s no reason to believe that animal tests do any better in predicting the human safety of cosmetics or other substances.
Alternatives
The science of cosmetics safety testing has progressed greatly in recent years, and there are now dozens of proven non-animal test methods accepted by government regulators of cosmetics. Examples include 3-dimensional human skin models, which can fully replace the use of rabbits for skin irritation testing, and cell culture tests for sunlight-induced “photo”-toxicity, genetic mutations, and other harmful effects.
Unlike animal tests, which have never been ‘validated’ to demonstrate their relevance to people, non-animal methods have been shown to be scientifically superior – and usually take less time to complete, at a fraction of the cost of animal experiments.
A lot of you reading this right now want to know what you can do to stop animal testing, and there is a simple answer to that. Sign this petition help Lush help the animals, and stop shopping at places where it’s not clearly stated we don’t test on animals. There are things that you can do to change the world, and the change starts right here with you.
I will continue to shop with Lush, because I know that by doing that not only am I helping my body, but I’m probably saving the lives of a thousand little animals out there.
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