Quick Resource for Cruelty-Free Brands

(leapingbunny.com)

Hello guys.


I know going cruelty-free can be really difficult. Especially, when you want to replace the essentials: foundation, eyeliner, house cleaning products, etc. I don't want you to have to wait for me or any other cruelty-free blog to publish a correspondence in order to feel safe when purchasing from a company. I still feel it's important to conduct your own research about a company (email them, call them, etc); however, receiving a reply can often take weeks, even months.

Therefore, I wanted to share a resource I personally use and feel ok using in those situations. It is the LeapingBunny "The Little Book of Cruelty-Free." When they say little, they aren't lying! I try to carry it in all my bags : purse, backpack, small little shoulder bags, etc. I find it so convenient!

The best part is that to own your own little book won't cost you a dime. Just go to this link here and fill out your name, email, etc. At the bottom it will give you an option to either download PDF with Cruelty-free list or to have them send you the little book through the post.

Obviously, once you get to this point decide for yourself. (You can do both!) I recommend to have them mail you the little book, just because (as I've mentioned) it's so convenient to own!

Just be careful to look at  symbols ( #, *, **) next to company's name! At the bottom it tells you what they mean.
(i.e. # : Owned by parent company which is not certified)

I hope this little book makes your life easier. Remember I am not encouraging you to rely solely only on this list, you should conduct your own research; however, this resource is really reliable and will save you much grief!

Until Next Time,
Camila 

Laura Mercier

Hello guys!
 
I'm so motivated to be posting more frequently!!

   Today, I'm going to share my correspondence with Laura Mercier. No, not The Laura Mercier! One of her representatives. Although, the opportunity to correspond with Laura would be quite interesting. I have a few things I would enjoy discussing with her.
    Moving right along! If you follow my blog, you must be really familiar with the formate I use to contact  a company. I will however, share it once more (& probably always) just so that everyone who reads the replies I receive can understand them more clearly. So, I apologize if the regurgitation of it gets old, but here at HumanelyChic, I want everyone to understand what they are reading. Going cruelty-free is tough enough, without an added unnecessary confusion!

"To Whomever it May Concern:I am doing research on animal testing, and I need to verify a few key points about your company.
1. Does your company test ingredients or finished products on animals?
2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party?
3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?
4. Are you owned or affliliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?
5. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?
6. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?
7. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?
Thank you so much for the information."

I received this reply:

Thank you for contacting us with your question. We do not test our products on animals. We do however use animal derived products such as lanolin, beeswax, carmine, and cultured pearls in some of our products. We do use some natural animal derived hairs in some of our brushes. The hairs are obtained as a byproduct.

 For a complete list of ingredients for any of our products, please visit our website and click on the "ingredients" tab on the product's detail page. Thank you for your interest in Laura Mercier Cosmetics. We oppose animal testing and our products are not tested on animals unless required by government regulations. We actively lead initiatives to create alternatives to required animal tests.

CUSTOMER CARE

Toll Free 1.888.MERCIER (1-888-637-2437)

I have found that if a company says "unless required by the government" it usually means at some point their products have been tested on animals.  Also, in the USA the FDA does not require animal testing for cosmetics, so when they say "unless required by law," which law are they referring to? As you might be aware of, China requires animal testing on cosmetic products. They did not clarify if they sell in China, so I emailed them again.

We oppose animal testing and our products are not tested on animals unless required by government regulations. We actively lead initiatives to create alternatives to required animal tests. Currently our products are available in China.

As you can see Laura Mercier is not cruelty-free. At least not 100%. (Note: It's almost impossible to say a company is 100% cruelty-free). However, because they are sold in China they do not meet my personal criteria for determining the cruelty-free status of a company. (For my criteria click here.)

Also,  I found that Laura Mercier is manufactured by Gurwitch Products, which  also sells in China.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions or comments please let me know.

Until Next Time,
Camila

Desert Essence

Hey guys. I know it's been a while, but honestly school has taken over my life. Also, it often takes days for companies to reply to my inquiries. Then, even when they do, some don't answer all my questions and I have to contact them once again. It's all a mission, but I truly enjoy it. :)


On my hiatus I was able to contact Desert Essence. If you have never heard of Desert Essence, they sell body products which range from: skin care, bath & body products, oils, hair care, dental care, baby products, and even some organic products. I thought it would be good to research them, as I know among all things in the beauty world, finding a good skin and body company is very difficult.


I emailed them using the template I always use. Which I first saw on VeggieBeauty's blog. (Check out her blog, it is sooo useful). Here is what it looks like:

To Whomever it May Concern:
I am doing research on animal testing, and I need to verify a few key points about your company.
1. Does your company test ingredients or finished products on animals?
2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party?
3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?
4. Are you owned or affliliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?
5. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?
6. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?
Thank you so much for the information and your time.
Also, note that any correspondence I receive will be published on
humanelychic.blogspot.com, which is a privately owned blog.

-Camila 

I received a reply from them about 2-3 days later. Which said the following:

Hello Camila,
Thank you for writing to us with your question. One of our brand’s core values is that animals are part of Nature and are to be valued and protected. We absolutely do not believe in animal testing. We do not do it, nor do we allow any third party to do so on our behalf. We advise all our ingredient suppliers of our practice, and will only buy cruelty free ingredients. Our company is not associated with any that conducts animal testing.
Some of our products contain palm oil. We look to use sustainable palm oil when we can. For example, earlier this year, we launched 3 soap bars with sustainable palm oil (RESPO certified).

We do not sell our product in China.
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Best Regards,

Desert Essence Customer Care

P.O. Box 14007
Hauppauge, NY 11788
+ Email: CustomerCare@DesertEssence.comü Visit us on the web at www.DesertEssence.comP Please consider the environment before printing this email.

As you can see from the reply, they answered all my questions (even the China one; which they usually avoid)! I also enjoyed the tone of the email compared to replies I receive from big brand named companies, such as MAC,  Estee Lauder, and L'oreal. Which often include pages and pages of how they have been making an effort to end animal testing since 1990-something. I truly appreciate the companies that get to the point. 

As you might know if you've been following my blog for a while now (if you're new WELCOME) I have three elements I use to determine if a company is 100% cruelty-free. 
1. I look at their parent company. I do not believe in supporting a brand which is under a big company that does not necessarily also have a 100% cruelty-free status. In those cases, you often don't know where your money is going. Often, it might be funding animal testing.
2. I look at the suppliers of the company's raw ingredients. Companies I consider to be 100% cruelty-free will have verified that they make sure the manufcatures of the raw ingredients comply. They are often also accredited by an animal rights organization such as PETA or LeapingBunny. This just gives me more reassurance that the suppliers are also cruelty-free.3. I look to see if the products are sold in China. I do these, because for cosmetic products to be sold in the Chinese market cosmetic companies must test their products on animals. Meaning, that if a company sells it's products in that market it cannot be cruelty-free. [Disclaimer: Although I ask about vegan products, I do not use that criteria exclusively to determine whether a company is cruelty-free. I just do it for the convenience of my vegan friends. :) ] 
As you can see from my correspondence with Desert Essence they meet all of the criteria!!! Also, just to be on the safe side, they are also on Leaping Bunny's cruelty-free list. 
I hope this was helpful! I'm trying to keep my posts quick, so I can get to the point without going on a tangent. Please let me know if you prefer that method. Also, what do you think about my correspondence? Let me know. :)
If you are interested in their products, I actually posted a review on my beauty blog about their "Throughly Clean Face Wash-for oily combination skin." Click the link if you're interested. 
Until Next Time,
Camila 

Too-Faced

Hey guys. 

     Yesterday I went on a crazy-sugar fueled spree. What kind of spree am I speaking of? I went to many too-many company websites, and asked about their animal testing policy. I'm glad to say, being that it's only 24-hours later, that three have gotten back to me: Nars, Too-Faced, & Sonia Kashuk*. I'm still waiting for a little more information from Nars, but don't be too disappointed, I have a real treat for you. 

I've been lusting for Too-faced for quite a while. (Kind of like how I've been lusting for tarte). The packaging is too cute. I was hoping to hear good things from them. When I looked on their website, and scrolled down, I knew something awesome was coming. This is what my eyes saw at the bottom of the site. 

I was surprised. I'm always checking the PETA list and had never seen Too-Faced on it. 

When I received the correspondence, it spoke a great deal of the kind of company Too-Faced is. 

Take a look. 

"Good morning Camila,
Thank you for your message. Too Faced Cosmetics is proud to be a completely cruelty free company. We are certified by Peta, and are in the process of becoming certified with Leaping Bunny as well. Whereas we do not test any of the materials within our products on animals, I cannot speak for any other companies in regards to their cruelty free status. I can tell you that Too Faced is very careful in deciding where our products are manufactured and where they are sold in order to ensure that our products are not tested on animals. In fact, we are not sold in some large markets because they require animal testing in order to even sell products there. I hope you find this information to be helpful! Have a great day Best Regards, Aun'JenelleWebsite Customer Relations Coordinator 

www.toofaced.com

 17361 Armstrong AvenueIrvine, CA 92614855-TOOFACED949-553-4431888-454-2141 

   So there you have it. From the beginning to end you can tell Too-Faced is a special company. The whole tone of the letter is so cheerful and colorful. Well, enough of my continues lusting over them. (I think I have a crush). Let's get to the facts. 
      ♥ They are not sold in China!
      ♥ They are certified by PETA & in process of becoming certified by Leaping Bunny. 
      ♥ They DO NOT have third party testing.
      ♥ They are not only cruelty-free but also environmentally friendly. 
      ♥ They do not have a parent company that conducts animal testing. 

I would feel really confident in purchasing from Too-Faced. 
I might hold of on it, since it is a higher-end company. 

I hope this was helpful. I tried to make it shorter, just to get to the facts. 

-Camila A. 

   
*I have a post on Sonia Kashuk, I'm trying to advocate so they get certified my PETA or Leaping Bunny.  

Rimmel, NYC, Sally Hansen, OPI, philosophy, Marc Jacobs (fragances), Chloe, Calvin Klein (fragrances), adidas, Playboy (fragrances), Davidoff (parfums)

Well, that is certainty the longest title, I've ever given one of my humble posts. So let me explain why, I stuffed so many brands into one bunch. Coty, is the parent company of Rimmel, Sally Hansen, OPI, philosophy, Marc Jacobs (fragances), Chloe, Calvin Klein (fragrances), adidas, Playboy (fragrances), Davidoff (parfums) ) these are just the TOP 10 !); click here to see them all. I will put all of them on my official cruelty-free list on this blog. Click here.
That means, that whatever policy Coty has about animal testing, will also apply to any of those companies.

    So, now that we have cleared that up, to my correspondence. I received this email, with an attached document. I was excited, being that this was the first time a company attached a document to their correspondence; it made me feel like a professional investigator. 

    Let me share it with you:

"Camila,
Thank you for contacting us about our use of animals in safety testing.
Coty Inc  does not perform, nor do we ever commission any third parties on our behalf to perform, testing of our products or ingredients on animals. Attached please find our full Animal Testing Policy Statement. 

To the fullest extent possible, Coty Inc. products, do not contain Bovine, Ovine, Caprine, or Porcine derived materials, nor do we use any animal derived musk materials. However, there may be an occasional Coty product that may contain honey, beeswax, lanolin or cochineal ingredients. In addition, some of our products are available for purchase in China. 
Thank you for taking the time to write to us."

If all I had to go on Coty was this email and didn't research it more deeply, all my efforts to go cruelty-free would be worthless. That is one reason, I really enjoy receiving personalized emails from an official company representative, rather then relying in what it says on a company's FAQs page. 
     I will now share, the document that came attached to my email. It will go into detail. So, you've been warned. 

"Coty Inc. Statement on Animal Testing

    Coty Inc. is a leader in the global beauty industry and one of the world’s largest
fragrance companies.  We have developed a portfolio of notable brands and offer
innovative products of outstanding quality for which we are committed to maintaining
the highest possible standards of consumer safety.
Coty voluntarily ceased testing finished cosmetic products on animals in 1991, long
before the official European ban on such testing in 2004.  Coty has been actively
involved for many years in the research and development of alternatives to animal
testing.
     Before we place a product on the market, we assess it thoroughly to ensure that it is
safe for human use and for the environment and that it is compliant with all applicable
laws, rules and regulations.  Our safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients is based
on the use of recognized alternatives to animal testing, the use of existing safety data
and, increasingly, the sharing of such data with other industries.  We do not perform,
nor do we ever commission any third parties on our behalf to perform, testing of our
products or ingredients on animals.
     The only exceptions are the very few countries where, by law, the regulatory
authorities require us to submit our products or ingredients to them for testing on
animals as a mandatory part of their regulatory protocols in compliance with their
local regulations. In these countries we regularly communicate directly with the
authorities and try to convince them to accept the validity of the results of alternative
non-animal testing methods. We accede to mandated testing by the authorities on
animals only as a last resort.
     We continue to strive for the development and acceptance of additional reliable non- animal testing methods and will continue to vigorously support the research,
implementation and improvement of alternatives to animal testing, especially for
those more complex tests for which no alternative methods have been established.
     For this purpose we actively participate in research programs in Europe and the USA
by dedicating funding, time, resources and scientific expertise. The common goal of
all these efforts is to completely eliminate animal testing.

April 19, 2012 "

Notice how they keep repeating "We do not perform" and "We do not commission." It means that they DO NOT regulation or implement an no animal testing policy with those; third party companies include those where the raw ingredients come from.

They also talk about Coty being "actively involved for many years in the research and development of alternatives to animal testing." Blah blah blah!! Its the same story for sooo many companies!! Companies like tarte, Wet N' Wild, NYX, etc, create high quality products without resorting to animal testing.

Lastly, the document states "The only exceptions are the very few [China] countries where, by law, the regulatory authorities require us to submit our products or ingredients to them for testing on animals as a mandatory part of their regulatory protocols....." That is a red flag, which basically translates into we conduct animal testing. At some point, in Coty's distribution in those 'countries', the products are tested on animals.

It isn't surprising, but definitely a let down.


So what do you think? Are you surprised? Be sure to let me know! in the comments or email me at ca.alva@yahoo.com. :)


-Camila A.

L'Oreal Official Correspondence

Hey guys.
So I finally received a reply from L'oreal. To be honest, I think the reason it took so long to receive a reply was my fault. I later realized I had emailed the wrong department. Opps. The important thing is that I finally received a reply from them. 



Here it is: 

My email to L'oreal:

"December 18, 2012

The safety of our consumers is our highest priority at L'Oréal Paris, a division of L'Oréal USA, Inc. Our products and ingredients undergo extensive screening so that consumers may purchase and use our products with complete confidence.

L'Oréal is a leader in developing alternative methods to animal testing with the ultimate goal of eliminating all animal testing completely. In 1989, L'Oréal voluntarily stopped using animal testing for the evaluation of its entire range of finished products. The company has invested $800 million over the last 25 years to develop innovative, alternative methods to animal testing, particularly in the area of reconstructed tissue development. We are totally committed to a future without tests on animals.

To learn more about L'Oréal's work in the area of alternative methods to animal testing, please visit our Sustainability website athttp://www.sustainabledevelopment.loreal.com/research-innovation/focus-on-predictive-evaluation/a-new-generation-of-predictive-evaluation-methods.aspx.

We appreciate your interest in L'Oréal Paris and we hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

[I don't feel right sharing the name of the person who replied to me]

Consumer Affairs Advisor

Ref # 6785402 "

      As you can see my suspicions were pretty accurate. Like I have mentioned before companies that mention they are committed to "a future without animal testing", are just evading the question. Whenever you hear that from a company it basically mean: WE CONDUCT ANIMAL TESTING. I am however, confused that according to my correspondence, in 1989 "L'Oreal voluntarily stopped using animal testing for the evaluation of its entire range..." I don't understand why a company would initiate an end to animal testing, yet continue to conduct animal testing. My opinion is that it has to due to China's obligatory animal testing law. Remember, there are  1.3 billion people in China, that is a gigantic market and companies like L'Oreal are not stupid. They know what that means to their pockets. Oh, money how you can rid us of our humanity! 

     Its weird to me that so many replies I receive from companies that do conduct animal testing are so similar. For example my correspondence with Maybelline, Revlon, & MAC. 

     I don't understand why these companies talk about trying to find "an alternative" to animal testing, when the alternative already exists. Check out Peta's website for an more detail at these methods, where are often "generally faster and less expensive."( Peta's Site)

       I won't go into too many details about these methods, as I am just a regular person who happens to be very passionate about animal cruelty, but I'm by NO means an expert. 

   

       So, if you are switching over to all cruelty-free cosmetics, I applaud you and urge you to STOP buying L'Oreal products. There are other great companies that come out with amazing products and do it with with no animal testing! For example, Physicians Formula, Sonia Kashuk, ELF, NYX, L.A. Colors (I still have to verify, but I'm hopeful), tarte, etc... (Check out my Cruelty-Free list for more). 

     Like I mentioned in my L'Oreal Update post, just a couple of days ago, I DO NOT support companies who have parent companies that test on animals. So I will be adding all the companies I listed from that post, to the NOT CRUELTY FREE section of my cruelty-free list. 

What do you think about all the similar replies I've been receiving from these companies? Have you had a similar experience? Anything you would like to add? Let me know, I really enjoy my comments! Especially since I receive so few. :)

      

--Camila A. ☼

My Cruelty-Free

So I've contacted a good hand full of companies, enough that I feel comfortable starting my list. Of course company policies are changing daily, none that I know of as of now, so that list will possibly change. This is just letting you guys know what is to come. I still have many to contact. These are the ones I've received a reply so far:

KEY:

BLACK : NOT cruelty-free

yellow ☀ :Cruelty Free

Fushia : haven't received a reply

(P:___) Parent Company is...

✘: Parent Company DOES NOT comply

_______________________________________________________________________
1st List (Cruelty-Free Companies)

***As you can see there are a LOT more non-cruelty-free companies vs. cruelty-free (or at the ones I've researched). I recommend you check out LeapingBunny's list, where they have PLENTY of more companies you can choose from. I'm sure having a list of non-cruelty-free companies is just as helpful as GOOD companies.

Desert Essence☀

NYX☀

Physicians Formula☀

Real Techniques☀

Sonia Kashuk☀

tarte☀

Too-Faced☀

theBalm☀

Wet N' Wild☀

_______________________________________________________________________

2nd List (NOT cruelty-free COMPANIES)

(a)

Adidas (P: Coty)✘

Astor(P: Coty)✘
Almay (P: P&G companies) ✘

(b)

Burt's Bees (P: Clorox) ✘

Balenciaga (P: Coty)✘

Beyonce (P: Coty)✘

Bottega Veneta (P: Coty)✘

bareMinerals (P: Shiseido) ✘

Biotherm (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

(c)

CCB Paris (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Cacharel (P: Coty)✘

Chloe (P: Coty)✘

Calvin Klein Fragrances (P: Coty)✘

Celine Dion (P: Coty)✘

Cerruti (P: Coty)

CK ONE Color (P: Coty)✘

Chopard (P: Coty)✘
Covergirl (P: P &G companies)

(d)

Diesel (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

David Beckham (P: Coty)✘

David Off (parfume) (P: Coty)✘
Dolce & Gabbana Fragrances (P: P&G companies)

(e)

Essie (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Elite Models (P: Coty)✘

Esprit (P: Coty)✘

Estee Lauder 

(f)

Faith Hill (P: Coty)✘

(g)

Garnier (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Giorgio Armani (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Guess (P: Coty)✘

(h)

Halle Berry (P: Coty)✘

Heidi Klum (P: Coty)✘

(i)

inneov (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

(j)

Jennifer Lopez(P: Coty)✘

Jil Sander(P: Coty)✘

Joopi(P: Coty)✘

Jovan(P: Coty)✘

(k)

Keraskin Esthetics (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Kate Moss (P: Coty)✘

Kylie Minogue (P: Coty)✘

(l)

L'Oreal Paris

L'Oreal Professional (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Lancome (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

La Roche Posay (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Lady Gaga (P: Coty)✘

Lancaster(P: Coty)✘

(m)

MAC (P: Estee Lauder)✘

Maybelline (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Matrix (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Maison Martin Margiela (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Madonna (P: Coty)✘

Manhattan ✘

Marc Jacobs (P: Coty)✘

Miss Sporty (P: Coty)✘

(n)

NYX 

N.Y.C NEW YORK COLOR (P: Coty)✘

Nautica (P: Coty)✘

Nicole by OPI (P: Coty)✘

NIKOS (P: Coty)✘

Nars (P: Shiseido)✘

(o)

OPI (P: Coty)✘

(p)

Pantene (P: P&G Companies)

Pureology (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Philosophy (P: Coty)✘

Pierre Cardin (P: Coty)✘

Playboy (P: Coty)✘

(q)

N/A

(r)

Revlon (P: Estee Lauder)✘

Ralph Lauren (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Roger & Gallet (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Rimmel (P: Coty)✘

Roberto Cavalli (P: Coty)✘

(s)

Sonia Kashuk 

Softsheen (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Shu Uemura Art of Hair (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Shu Uemura (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Stella McCartney (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Skinceuticals (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Sanoflore (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Sally Hansen (P: Coty)✘

Sarah Jessica Parker (P: Coty)✘

Stetson (P: Coty)✘

Shiseido 

(t)

Tim Mcgraw (P: Coty)✘

Tjoy (P: Coty)✘

Tonino Lamborghini (P: Coty)✘

(u)

Urban Decay (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

(v)

Viktor & Rolf (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Vichy (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

Vera Wang (P: Coty)✘

Vivienne Westwood (P: Coty)✘

Venus (P: P&G companies) ✘

(w)

(x)

(y)

YSL Beaute (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

YUE SAI (P: L'Oreal Paris)✘

(z)

_______________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: I look at three factors to determine if a company is cruelty-free.
1. I look at their parent company. I do not believe in supporting a brand which is under a big company that does not also have a 100% cruelty-free status. I believe this because in those situations you often don't know where your money is going. Often, it might be funding animal testing.

2. I look at the suppliers of the company's raw ingredients. Companies I consider to be 100% cruelty-free will have verified that they make sure the manufcatures of the raw ingredients comply. They are often also accredited by an animal rights organization such as PETA or LeapingBunny. This gives me more reassurance that the suppliers are also cruelty-free.

3. I look to see if the products are sold in China. I do this because for cosmetic products to be sold in the Chinese market cosmetic companies must test their products on animals. Meaning, that if a company sells it's products in that market it cannot be cruelty-free. [Disclaimer: Although I ask about vegan products, I do not use that criteria exclusively to determine whether a company is cruelty-free. I just do it for the convenience of my vegan friends. :) ]

Urban Decay

Hey guys.
I emailed Urban Decay, using the format letter. I received a reply today. I would like to share it :

"Dear Ms. Camila Alvarez,
Customer Service has forward your email to me.
    We at Urban Decay Cosmetics are extremely concerned about our customer's satisfaction and do value the input from our devoted customers, so we appreciate you writing to us in regards to the research you are doing on animal testing. Please refer to the following links on our website to answer your questions-
http://www.urbandecay.com/Animal-Testing-Policy/animal-testing-policy,default,pg.html   We hope you continue to enjoy products from the Urban Decay line as you will continue to see our quality is amongst the very best. We truly appreciate and thank you for your patronage.
   Best regards,
UD Regulatory DepartmentUrban Decay Cosmetics LLC

833 W. 16th StreetNewport Beach, CA 92663Phone: 949.631.4504"

If you go to the link provided here is what it says:

"Animal Testing PolicyUrban Decay is a cruelty-free brand and is committed to ending animal testing. We do not test our finished products on animals, nor do we allow others to test on our behalf. Additionally, we require our suppliers to certify that the raw materials used in the manufacture of our products are not tested on animals. Our practices are certified by both PETA and The Leaping Bunny Program (CCIC) as cruelty-free."

Usually when companies state that their final product is not tested on animals, it implies that their ingredients might be tested on animals. However, it specifically states that the "raw materials" meaning the ingredients are not tested on animals. UrbanDecay, also states that they require suppliers to certify the "raw materials" as cruelty-free. If you have looked at the cruelty-free lists offered by both PETA and LeapingBunny.org you would be similar with UrbanDecay as one of the few huge makeup companies that are widely known as cruelty-free. So why was I inclined to follow up on them?

Its important to conduct your own research. Its easy, specially in our society, to be gullible and apathetic in regards to facts or news. Although, PETA and LeapingBunny are both committed to helping those of us who want to go cruelty-free, they can make mistakes. In order for me to feel secure in my purchase of cruelty-free cosmetics I need to "see" the truths for myself. I encourage you to use PETA and Leaping Bunny and my blog as accessories to your research. That's another reason I strongly encourage you all to email these companies and ask them about their policies. See for yourself first, then make an educated decision. If you do contact these companies please share below in the comments or email me at ca.alva@yahoo.com.




So now, how do I feel about purchasing from UrbanDecay?

I feel more comfortable. Will I go out and get myself the Naked Palette, as of now? No. I heard many contradictory stories about UrbanDecay. From random blogs. (Read veggiebeauty.com).

Therefore, I emailed them back, asking about their policy for selling in China. Many cruelty-free companies sell in China, through the web and therefore, do not need regulate to China's required testing on animals policy. Once, I get a response I will share it here.




Comment below and tell me how you feel about UrbanDecay.




-Camila

Cruelty Free/ Power of the Bill/ Vote with your Money

I'm doing research by contacting popular cosmetic companies and inquiring on their animal testing policies. I borrowed this formate from veggiebeauty.com when acquiring information from the companies. "To Whomever it May Concern:I am doing research on animal testing, and I need to verify a few key points about your company.
1. Does your company test ingredients or finished products on animals?
2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party?
3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?
4. Are you owned or affliliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?
5. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?
6. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?
7. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?
Thank you so much for the information."

So far I have contacted Physicians formula and Burt's Bees. 

If you are willing to also contact these types of companies and share their responses with this blog, and me Camila, I would appreciate it. I also think it's important to see how these companies respond to different people.
 Unfortunately, without physically checking out the companies factories there is no 100% bullet proof way of proving if they do or do not test on animals. Also, if many people show interest in purchasing cruelty free/vegan products more companies will want to go in that direction. The power that we have to vote with our money is powerful, and that is the biggest way we can get these corporations to listen to us. 

Camila A.