Beauty

[aprilskies]

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@phoenixbrd wrote:

We do not have the ability to change the laws in China (they are beginning to review their animal testing requirements)....but we have the ability and moral obligation to change the heinous testing laws on animals in our country.  There are alternative ways to test for product efficacy other than maiming and violently harming sentient beings.  Other countries have already expressed compassion and concern for their animals and passed appropriate protection laws.  It is embarassing to think that the US is slow to express humane practices....but we are in the process!

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@phoenixbrd, 100% agree.  Well said. 

[rnmom]

I don't understand why you think that all these companies would fall apart because they wouldn't be able to sell globally. There are many, many companies that would do very, very well not selling in China. Do you think that Loreal, Maybelline, Covergirl, Proctor and Gamble, Johnson and Johnson would all just fall apart because they can no longer sell in China? You don't think that they would continue to do just fine selling their products everywhere else?

For example, it's my understanding Peter Thomas Roth used to be cruelty free. He was obviously doing very well. Then he expanded to the Chinese market and now he is no longer cruelty free because he allows China to test his products on animals. He was doing just fine before he started selling in China but these companies just get too greedy. 

These companies need to pull out of the Chinese market until China changes their laws. They can stop the animal testing, sell their products everywhere else and do just fine, and if China changes their laws, then they can start selling in China again.

I try to buy cruelty free as much as possible, with makeup, skincare, bath and body products, cleaning products, everything I reasonably can. Sometimes it's difficult because it's hard to know for sure if a product is cruelty free. Plus a lot of cruelty free products cost more than their non CF counterparts and cruelty free products are difficult to find. Have you ever tried to find a cruelty free air freshener? It's doable, but difficult, and sometimes expensive. While I try to do my research and be informed, it sure would make life a lot easier for me, and the animals, if I could just go to the store and know that none of the items on the shelf got there because an innocent animal was tortured in the process. 

[rnmom]

I'm sorry, my post was a response to @ccassaday, it didn't show up. 

[qvcaddition]

At least .ca doing something right.

[PatriciaG]

@ccassaday

The only people who would lose their jobs may be the animal testers.  California, by itself, is one of the largest economies of the world.  Cosmetic companies will need to change their ways if they want to sell to Californians.  They will not want to give up the revenues from California so that they can test on animals.

[ccassaday]

Imagine the money it would cost to close factories and labs in certain countries then open new ones in other countries. This is not feasible and not he rght way to go about this. Everyone’s heart is in the right place but not to do it this way. The sticker idea is a good one and that puts the choice onto the consumer where it should be.

[PatriciaG]

I'd much rather see closing of testing facilities than animals being tortured.  Its time companies changed their philosophy about testing animals. Its unneccesary and archaic.

[Porcelain]

@ccassaday, the graphic I posted shows that the Chinese animal testing requirement is only for items sold within mainland China. Cosmetics produced in China for markets outside of China don't have to be tested. So no cosmetics production labs are affected by other locations' bans.

If a brand is serious about selling to the Chinese and wants to remain cruelty free, they can simply sell to their consumers online and set up their flagship stores in Hong Kong. The population that can afford fancy cosmetics can afford to pop over to Hong Kong. Such folks also have computers and smartphones to shop online and disposable income to spend on lots of makeup.

But most people who live in China are not that well off. Average wages are extremely low. (Which is how the stuff we buy here at Walmart is so cheap.) So the Chinese market isn't as much of a gold mine as some might think. Certainly not worth giving up our shared values and humane decency over.

[this is my nic]

Wow.  Goes to show it does not matter if there's any real issue, just so it sounds good.  I'd venture to bet most cosmetics made in the US are not tested on animals.  If they come from China, all bets are off.  

[stevieb]

Good for them. I think they got this one right. If there are a few less choices on the shelves, I guess California shoppers will have to adjust. Hopefully, others will have to as well should other states follow their lead. I hope they will.