Cruelty-Free Skincare: An Overview
Cruelty-free skin care refers to products that are developed and manufactured without any form of animal testing. This means that from the initial ingredient sourcing to the final product testing, no animals are used in experiments to assess the safety or efficacy of the product. The cruelty-free movement is part of a larger effort to promote ethical and humane treatment of animals, ensuring that beauty and personal care products do not contribute to animal suffering.
The adoption of cruelty-free skincare products reflects a growing consumer awareness and demand for ethical and sustainable beauty practices. This shift is fueled by increasing concern for animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and a desire for transparency in the manufacturing processes of everyday products.
It is common for brands in the beauty industry to be owned by a larger company (a parent company), often a global corporation. Most of these parent companies are not cruelty-free – they either test on animals to some degree or own several brands of which some are not cruelty-free. However, there are parent companies that have strict policies against animals testing.
The brands curated by Frimor Beauty do not test ingredients or their finished products on animals, neither do their suppliers or third parties. The products are not tested on animals anywhere in the world, including where animal testing is required by law (such as China). The parent companies of these brands also uphold the same ethical standards.
How to Identify Cruelty-Free Products
To ensure that the skin care products you choose are cruelty-free, look for the certification logos on packaging. The certifications will assure you that the product adhere to strict no-animal-testing policies. Many cruelty-free brands also list their certifications on their websites and provide detailed information about their animal testing policies. However, brands can be fully cruelty-free without being certified, it is still a good indicator of their ethical practices.
Some of the most recognised cruelty-free certifications are:
The Leaping Bunny certification requires that no animal testing is conducted at any stage of product development by the company, its laboratories, or ingredient suppliers. Companies must also agree to independent audits to verify compliance.
PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies certification requires companies to sign a statement of assurance verifying that they and their suppliers do not conduct, commission, or pay for any animal testing. PETA also offers a "Vegan" certification for products that do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
The Choose Cruelty-Free (CCF) certification is rigorous, requiring that no animal testing occurs throughout the product's entire supply chain, including the use of third-party ingredients. It also mandates that companies do not sell their products in countries where animal testing is required by law, such as China.
The Cruelty Free International certification ensures that the products have not been tested on animals at any stage and that the company adheres to a strict fixed cut-off date policy. This means that companies must ensure that their suppliers do not test on animals after a specific date.