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Vegan. Ex-makeup artist. CFS/ME sufferer. Cares about human rights, equality, animal rights, conservation/climate change.

Chitika

Sunday 19 February 2012

Animal Testing Bombshell - Step Backwards for Cruelty-Free



I am SO annoyed and frustrated after learning that Peta has struck Estée Lauder, Mary Kay and Avon off their cruelty-free list. After many years being at the forefront of the cruelty-free movement, these companies have backtracked and started animal experiments again. 


Why? Why on earth, after proudly claiming 'Not Tested on Animals' on every website, box, and leaflet, would they suddenly U-turn and start maiming mice? 


Greed.


China is a massive market for cosmetics. In order to sell their products there, they have to conform to China's requirements - many products have to be tested on animals before they can be marketed there. No testing - no money from China. And so they caved. 


Now unless you've swotted up on your beauty company knowledge, you might not realise the enormity of this policy change. It's just three companies, there's plenty of others, right? Well Estée Lauder owns 28 of the most popular beauty and fragrance companies, including M.A.C Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Smashbox, La Mer, and many more! (click here for a full list)


As you can see, this is a large chunk of the beauty industry that has gone to the dark side. So I got to thinking, what can we, the consumers, artists, beauty gurus, and bloggers, do to stop this? We have to talk to them in the only language they'll understand - money. We need a boycott. In order for them to listen, we need a large enough number of people to stop buying their products until they change their minds. 


This needs to go viral. If you're a blogger, blog about it. Gurus, post videos about it. Tweet #ELauderAvonMaryKayBoycott , facebook it, stick it on reddit. I've started a petition, so please sign along with Peta's petition. If this gets big enough, we won't have to go without our beloved Mac for long, as they'll soon come round! 


I'd really appreciate if you help me out in this. We, as consumers, have the power to change things according to where we spend our money. 


Sorry for going all soapbox-y on you, I promise I have more, less rant-y posts on the way!


Emma
xXx



3 comments:

  1. It is governmental public policy, not the brand the enforces testing before releasing to the public. Please research further and re-think your position. Estee Lauder can't change the law, despite launching efforts to eliminate such cruelty.

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  2. Estée Lauder and co are free to decide where they market their products. If a government policy goes against their morals, they are free to cease trading in that country. The only thing stopping them is the potential earnings from that market. Therefore money, to them, is more important than ethics. Sad, but true.
    Emma
    xXx

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  3. I heard about this recently and was pretty shocked, I asked a friend who worked for MAC (I think Lauder owns them) if they would be participating in this as well and according to him they are completely separate in most aspects of the company, hopefully this is true, but I am still a little iffy to purchase from anyone who is affiliated with a company that tests on animals..it is beyond disgusting! p.s. Thanks for following! :)

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