Why is Cruelty Free important?

A cruelty-free brand is a brand that confirmed they don't test on animals at any point during product, and neither so their suppliers or any third parties. This applies not only to finished products but also to ingredients. We also ensure that these brands are not available for sale in stories in markets which require animal testing.

Just because you eat meat or enjoy a cup of tea with honey doesn’t mean you can’t love beautyand hair products that are vegan and cruelty-free. Aside from being kinder, safer, and all-around better for our furry friends, vegan and cruelty-free beauty products can also have a massive impact on overall animal consumption, making it a potentially more environmentally-friendly option.

And let’s be real, do you really want to use products that cause harm to innocent animals or utilize their parts when there are plenty of other safe, effective, healthy hair alternatives out there that won’t compromise your values?

Historically, the Chinese government required all cosmetics products to be tested on animals. Fortunately, Chinese cosmetics regulations have been modified to eliminate some of these requirements. In 2014, China allowed companies manufacturing so-called “ordinary” cosmetics (such as shampoo and mascara) within the country to avoid animal tests for their products, while still requiring animal testing for imported products. In 2021, China again amended its regulations making it possible for some companies to import ordinary cosmetics into the country without the need for animal testing. We are pleased with the progress, but there is still work to be done, as “special use” cosmetics (such as hair dye and sunscreens) still require animal testing and many non-animal test methods are not yet accepted by Chinese regulators.

When choosing to develop or use new ingredients in their cosmetic products, some companies conduct tests on animals to assess the safety of these new ingredients. This practice is both cruel and unnecessary because companies can already create innovative products using thousands of ingredients that have a history of safe use and do not require any additional testing. Plus, modern testing methods (such as human cell-based tests and sophisticated computer models) have replaced outdated animal tests with new approaches that are often faster, less expensive and more reliable.

What cosmetics tests are performed on animals?

Although they are not required by law, several invasive tests are performed on rabbits, mice, guinea pigs and rats. These can include:

• Skin and eye irritation tests where chemicals are rubbed onto the shaved skin or dripped into the eyes of restrained rabbits, without any pain relief.

• Tests that deliver doses of chemical substances to mice through repeated force-feeding. These tests last weeks or months so researchers can look for signs of general illness or specific health hazards such as cancer or birth defects.

• Widely condemned "lethal dose" tests, in which rats are forced to swallow large amounts of chemicals to determine the dose that causes death.

At the end of the tests, the animals are killed, normally by asphyxiation, neck-breaking or decapitation. Pain relief is not provided. In the United States, a large percentage of the animals used in such testing (such as laboratory-bred rats and mice) are not counted in official statistics and receive no protection under the Animal Welfare Act.

What are the alternatives to animal testing?

There are already thousands of products on the market that are made using ingredients with a long history of safe use that do not require any additional tests. Companies can ensure safety by choosing to create products using those ingredients. Companies also have the option of using existing non-animal tests or investing in and developing non-animal tests for new ingredients. Nearly 50 non-animal tests are already available, with many more in development. Compared to animal tests, these modern alternatives can more closely mimic how humans respond to cosmetic ingredients and products; they are also often more efficient and cost-effective. Advanced non-animal tests represent the very latest techniques that science has to offer, replacing outdated animal tests that were developed decades ago.

What can I do to help animals used in cosmetics tests?

While some products continue to be tested on animals, there are thousands of amazing brands that are cruelty-free! Keep animal testing out of your shopping cart by downloading the free Leaping Bunny app or viewing the Leaping Bunny guide for a comprehensive list of brands that do not test their finished products, formulations or ingredients on animals. Some brands also display the Leaping Bunny logo on their products.