Tips for Loose Dogs/Cats (others)

Hey Guys.
I have something different for you today. This Spring break has been one of dogs for me. I have had two encounters with loose dogs and decided to share some tips with you, if you ever find yourself in that situation. I know it can be stressful & you might not know what to do. However, I do urge you to do something. We often wait for others to take the lead, but often others are waiting for you to take the lead. Before, I go on a tangent, let's get to the tips.

1. Be sure to RIGHT NOW add your city's "animal control" or "animal shelter" number to you cellphone! I know you have the time and the room on your contacts!

theBalm

UPDATE: (August 8, 2013):

Hey guys!

Do you guys remember my post of theBalm? I was excited to learn that they are cruelty-free! However, I really urged them to become certified by either PETA or LeapingBunny. Which, I sure you can agree with me, would make shopping SOO much easier! Well,  have exciting news!!

Today, I emailed them urging them to take a look at the comments of that post! THis is what I said:

Hello [I've omitted any names],I emailed you back in March about your cruelty-free status. Being an animal lover, I was so thrilled to find that theBalm is cruelty-free! I even wrote an article on my blog. I have emailed you guys before urging you to become accredited by PETA or leapingbunny. I would like you to take a look at my article and read the comments. You will find that when a company is accredited it makes it soooo much easier to shop. I'm not the only one who thinks so. I love your company! Especially because you stand up for the furry ones, but not everyone knows that. Please consider it. 

They emailed me back! Take a look for yourself:

Hi Camila, Thank you for reaching out again!  We completely understand you concerns and are working to become part of the Leaping Bunning list. If I can help answer any further questions, please let me know.

How exciting is this!!!???? I am beyond thrilled! This is a huge milestone! I can't wait to hear back from them once (fingers crossed) they become certified. Which, like I've mentioned before, just because a company is not on a list it DOES NOT mean they aren't cruelty-free. However, it does make life easier for the cruelty-free community! 

Lots of Love,

Camila 

(thebalm.com)

Hey guys.

Sometime around the last week of February I began contacting theBalm. theBalm is becoming very popular in the beauty-community. Their products range from lips, face, eyes, etc. If you are a beauty enthusiats, I'm sure you are similar with them.

Of course, I felt inclined to look into their cruelty-free status.

I had little knowledge about them, before beginning my research.

First, they are not on LeapingBunny's nor PETA's list. Which is frustrating! I feel more confident purchasing from a company that has an accredited organization that verifies said company's status. However, that is not to say that companies who are not on a well-known list are not cruelty-free. What it does mean, at least for me, is to be more cautious. Especially if I were to add them to my cruelty-free list. I urge those uncertified companies to get certified. (Note: Not all companies on either LeapingBunny's or PETA's list are 100% cruelty-free!)

Anyway, I contacted them with this email. I use the template developed by VeggieBeauty. It's clear and gets to the point, which I 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 affiliated 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 Alvarez

About five days later, I received this email back:

Hi Camila,

 Thanks for your email. We do not test our products on animals, suppliers of raw materials used in our products certified that they have not been tested on animals since December 31, 1990 and our products have not been tested on animals. Our line of cosmetics is not considered a vegan line as some of our ingredients may have animal byproducts (such as bees wax or carmine) but do not contain any ruminant extracts or derivatives.

Distributors of theBalm Cosmetics from all over the world do not test our products on animals.
We hope this answers your questions.

 Thank you,

[I've omitted any names] 
theBalm 

As you can see, they basically evaded the China question. This is where being certified by an organization is helpful. I know LeapingBunny checks out the suppliers of the raw-ingredients to make  sure they are 100% cruelty-free. As for me, I can't do much when it comes to that. I could ask who their raw suppliers are, but most companies are not eager to give that information out. I like to ask if their products are vegan, even though I am not vegan.
Feeling unsatisfied with this email, I emailed them back:

Hi [name],Thank you for replying so quickly, I truly appreciate it. I just have one more question. Does theBalm sell in China. I don't mean online, but in a store. I'm sure you are aware of China's strict, animal testing policies.


Thank you!Camila

Their reply a few days later:

Camila,

Camila,
We currently have 0 vendors in China and no current plans to expand into their market. Let me know if you have any more questions!
[name omitted]theBalm

Excuse, the Camila, Camila thing. I seriously just noticed that. I didn't change the email. Anyway, well as you can see that theBalm does not retail in China. Which is very good!

I later emailed theBalm back to urge them to become certified my an accredited organization and asking about their parent company.

Hello [name omitted],

I truly appreciate your cooperation with me on these emails. I wonder why theBalm does not become certified my LeapingBunny or PETA. I know, the market of people who only shop cruelty-free would really appreciate it. It just helps the costumer feel secure about their purchase. Please, give the idea some consideration. Lastly, is theBalm owned my a parent company or does it have a private CEO?

 Thank you!Camila

They replied quickly saying the following:

Hi Camila,
theBalm is a privately owned company. Have a nice week!
[name omitted] 

 As you can see, the representative who answered my email completely evaded the becoming certified question. I did appreciate them responding to the parent company question. They are "privately owned"which is encouraging. If they had a parent company, I would certainly look into the parent companies animal testing status as well. As you know, I do not consider companies that claim to be cruelty-free, but are owned my parent companies who are not cruelty-free to be 100% cruelty-free. I do not settle for 50%, 80%, nor 99%, when it comes to using animals as lab subjects! I've emailed them back to ask about them becoming accredited, hopefully they do not evade my question again. I will keep you updated!!!

Summarizing:
theBalm

• Is not owned by a parent company.
• They do not test their raw ingredients, nor their final products on animals.
• They do not have vendors in China, and do not have plans to go there any time soon. 
• They are not certified by PETA or LeapingBunny. 
• (I have urged them to become accredited, however if they do not, it does not mean they are not 100% cruelty-free!, I will keep you guys updated) 
• I just don't see why they don't.

If you have a question about anything I have mentioned above, feel free to ask me in the comment section below. 

Please let me know if you think it's a good idea for companies to become certified by an animal rights organization? Don't you think that would make the going cruelty-free process easier for people? 

Until Next Time, 

Camila 

Something to Celebrate | European Union Bans Animal Testing on Personal Care Products

(European Commission) 

Hey guys!
I have some very exciting and joyful news. I just found out (maybe a few hours ago) that beginning March 11th the European Union's ban on using animals to test "personal care products" goes into effect.

So what does this mean?
It basically means that no animals can be used to test final products and "ingredients and marketing of products." (LeapingBunny.org)
According to Vicki Katrinak LeapingBunny's Administrator starting March 11, 2013 "it will be illegal to market, import, or sell animal-tested finished personal care products or their ingredients in the 27 countries that make up the EU." This news makes me want to jump around and bake cupcakes! It's such a huge achievement for the people working to get this passed and for those who can only cheer them on from the sidelines. However, there are some things to be aware of.

So what are the "bad" news?
According to LeapingBunny, there are some loop-holes to be aware of. For example, the term "cosmetic ingredient" has not been clearly defined. Also, they have not release information which tells us exactly what the ban covers.

We have to wait and see the terms of this ban. Don't get me wrong I'm thrilled, because I know this is setting a path for more, but that's just it. We can't stop here! I just heard about this and haven't researched the terms of the law (I'm not a lawyer) so bare with me. I hope to fill you in with the best of my ability soon. For now! Join the celebration <3

Until Next Time,

Camila Alvarez

Flower Cosmetics | Drew Barrymore @ Walmart

Hey guys. So I'm sure you've heard by now about Drew Barrymore's new makeup line. I first heard of it from watching her interview with Oprah. (Yeah, I know). I really love Drew, but of course when I first heard about this new line, my first question was: "Is it cruelty-free?"

So I went to their website, and looked for a 'Contact" or "FAQ" link. But of course, being that it's so new in the market, they don't have one. (Which I hope will change with time).

They did have a 'Philosophy' link. Which explains why this line was created, etc. They also mention that Flower products "are never tested on animals". As far as information about their animal testing policy, that is all I got. I tried researching on google, but all I would get were links to other posts (like this one). Apparently no one knows exactly.

I don't doubt that Flower's final products are not tested, as a company would look terrible if they lied about their cruelty-free status. However, what about their raw-ingredients? What about their parent company? Do they have a parent company? All these questions, which I use to determine if a company is cruelty-free, are left unanswered. 

So what does this mean? It just means I will have to get in contact with Flower more directly. I pride myself in presenting you with a cohesive post, with evidence to back up my conclusion about a company's cruelty-free status. I'm posting this, even-though, it's quite inconclusive just to warn you that this company might not be 100% cruelty-free.

If you are like me, you don't support company's unless they are 100% cruelty-free. Meaning that their final product, raw-ingredients, parent company, and sister companies do NOT test on animals. That is the standard I hold my blog up to. So just be aware.

Hopefully, soon I will have a post ending the question of "Is it?"

Until then, hold tight. If you happen to find a cohesive post, please let me know. I would really appreciate it and I'm sure anyone reading this will to.

Until Next Time,

Camila Alvarez

Nars and bareMinerals

Hey guys.
I had been corresponding with a representative from Nars for about a month now. Of course, to get the details on their cruelty-free status.  As I researched, I managed to learn bareMineral's cruelty-free status as well, along with a collection of other companies. Some I'm sure you probably never heard of and some maybe you have. I'm just listing Nars & baraMinerals because they are the most well known.
They will also be on my cruelty-free list.

 So get ready, this is going to be lengthy.

I know a lot of you are anxious to hear whether these very popular & lusted after companies are cruelty-free.

I hope to help clear the rumors you might have heard.

I began by emailing them. I won't share it, just to save you some time and to get to the point. (If you're really curious, it went something like: "I'm a [potential] costumer and I demand to be listened to!!"

I then received a series of email, so get ready to do a bit of reading.

Dear Camila,
Thank you for contacting NARS Cosmetics. 

 While NARS is not a member of PETA, Nars does not test on animals, nor do we have any other parties, including our suppliers, conduct animal testing on our behalf. Nars uses only the highest quality ingredients which have a proven safety record and are widely used in the cosmetics industry. If you are questioning a particular product ingredients, please specify the product and we will be able to better answer your question. If we can assist you further please don't hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

 [I've omitted any names] 

Customer DesiresNARS Cosmetics

I have a few problems with that email. For one, they say "nor do we have any other parties, including your suppliers, conduct animal testing.." To me that says, 'although we do not encourage third party animal testing, we do not exactly demand that third party companies DO NOT conduct animal testing'. Hopefully, you understand what I'm getting at.


They were not clear on the China issue. I had included that as a question in my original email. Therefore, I emailed them again.

"Thank you for contacting me so promptly.

 Why doesn't Nars become affiliated with PETA? It would help people, like myself, that only purchase cruelty-free products. Also it would open a huge new market target. Also, does Nars sell to China? I'm sure you are aware of China's animal testing policy.

-Camila Alvarez 

I always like asking them about becoming affiliated with a animal rights group.(i.e. PETA, LeapingBunny). I feel that it saves time for people who only purchase cruelty-free products.

Maybe a day or two later I received this email:

Dear Camila, 

 We are not aware of any plan to retail in China.
NARS is owned by Shiseido.
If we can assist you further please don't hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,

 [I've omitted any names]

 Customer DesiresNARS Cosmetics

This is where my research became interesting. As you know, from the description of this blog. I do not support companies who are "cruelty-free" but are owned by companies that are NOT cruelty-free.

It does not make any sense to me. If you buy from those types of companies, your money is going toward who knows what. You might be funding the animal testing.

I then went on Shiseido's website. Before this correspondence I had never heard of Shiseido. Apparently, they are a separate beauty company and the parents of Nars, bareMinerals, etc.  They apparently own: Nars and bareMinerals, and a bunch of other companies. Click here to see that list.

They own makeup companies, they also own skincare, haircare, body care companies.
After my eyes starting hurting from looking at all the companies they own. I went to see if they sell in China. And I'm sure you can guess, that of course they sell in China. Here is their Chinese website. That's evidence enough for me.

So, are Nars & bareMinerals  (they are both owned by Shiseido) cruelty-free?
Of course not. I didn't even bother to check the section where, they mention all the work they have done to end animal testing, because frankly I'm tired of reading that crap over-and-over again.

I hope this post helped you in some form. I know I was not surprised to hear that Nars is not cruelty-free, I was however somewhat surprised to hear that bareMinerals is not. Either way, I don't own any of their products so I wont be missing them. I'm sorry if you are a huge Nars or bareMinerals fan, and this news is hard to swallow. Just remember that the life of an innocent bunny, cat, or dog is more precious than participating in a beauty trend. Also, bunnies, dogs, and cats are not going to be using these products, so it's not fair for them to sacrifice their lives, for something so insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Don't get me wrong I'm a true, girls-girl but I know where to draw the line. Do you?

Chanel

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.  

CoverGirl, Almay, Dolce and Gabbana Fragrances, Pantene, Secret, Venus, etc.. P and G companies

      I've been trying to get through most well-known "drug-store" companies. I realized, that I'm missing CoverGirl, which is probably the most well-known of them all. Therefore, I started to look into them.

      I was surprised when the 'search', in my research proved short lived. I clicked on the "Contact Us" link, located on the lower right side of the CoverGirl homepage. I was then lead to a page, with three subheading. I clicked on the first, "Email Us." Instead of going to the email use header, I decided to check out their 'frequently asked' section. ( click here, to be linked there directly). I typed in "animals".                                                                

There I found the following:

"What is CoverGirl's policy about research involving animals?

P&G, maker of CoverGirl cosmetics, does not test beauty products on animals; nor do we ask suppliers to test them on our behalf. We do not test beauty ingredients on animals, except in rare cases when needed to meet regulatory or safety obligations. For more information on our full policy, visit http://www.pg.com/en_US/sustainability/point_of_view/animal_welfare.shtml "

      I Could already tell, from the "except in rare cases...", what I would find on the link provided to the P&G website.

Note: In case you are not aware, P&G is the company behind many household care items. (i.e. Bounty,   Mr. Clean, Pampers, Dawn) (click here for the entire list). 

      I realize that on this blog, I only focus on beauty related companies. However, I'm sure most of you would appreciate knowing that P&G is also behind those companies. 

   

    I found it surprising that they are also behind, MANY cosmetic/beauty companies. Here just a few of the better known ones: Always, Head & Shoulders, Olay, Pantene, Gillette, Venus, Tampax, etc. (Click  here to see them all) 

Back to what I found on the P&G wesbite. 

"Sometimes, to ensure that materials are safe and effective, we must conduct research that involves animals. This is a last resort. We consider such research only after every other reasonable option has been exhausted. The vast majority of our tests do not use animals and our ultimate goal is to completely eliminate animal testing. P&G firmly believes that ending animal research is beneficial for consumers, animal welfare, and industry. Wherever possible, we use computer models, synthetic materials, clinical studies, published scientific studies, and comments from consumers about products they use. P&G's product lines are diverse. We sell more than 250 brands. These brands are subject to different legal/regulatory oversight. As a result, our Animal Research policy for the Health Care business is similar to, but distinct from our policy for consumer products such as cosmetics and cleaning products. We are also committed to helping pets live better and longer lives, and our nutritional research programs for pets are designed to do just that. This represents a third area in which we have a policy to guide our development of nutritional programs specifically for cats and dogs. Today, more than 99% of our safety assessments are accomplished without the use of additional safety testing with animals. We reapply existing information and make extensive use of non-animal methods to determine safety. P&G is working with many partners and lawmakers globally to continue to advance science and technology in this area. P&G is well known for leadership in developing alternatives to animal tests, investing more than $275 million and developing or adapting more than 50 alternative methods. Many of these methods are not only faster than corresponding methods using animals, they are also more predictive of environmental or health effects.We are committed to continuing our leadership in developing non-animal alternatives, and our goal is to ultimately eliminate all animal research." ( P&G.com) 

      I think it's funny, laughable you might say, how they ramble on about "[believing] that ending animal research is beneficial for consumers, animal welfare, and industry." 

      

       Yet, they keep implementing it. I don't care how many times they say "we must conduct animal testing" to ensure the safety of our costumers blah blah blah!!! I know, that the only reason they continue to conduct animal testing is because of China's policy.

       

      If you are unaware, China requires cosmetic companies to conduct animal testing before they can sell in the country. 

      

      I think, and am sure most of you will agree, that the real reason companies like P&G, Estee Lauder, L'oreal Paris, MAC, Revlon, Maybelline, etc... continue to conduct animal testing, especially since we now have so many alternatives, is the profit or $$$. 

       Like I've mentioned before. The people behind these companies are not unaware of the 1.37 billion people living in China and what that means for their pockets! (http://www.statisticbrain.com/china-country-statistics/) 

So there you have it. I can't say I'm surprised at all by this. Definitely annoyed at their attempt to keep their "saintly" image. I wonder how 'saintly' they would seem, if they allowed us to enter their torture labs. 

Let me know what you think. By either commenting below or emailing me at ca.alva@yahoo.com. 

      I've been busying trying to contact SleekMakeup, Mally, etc from my list. By the way, if you are interested in looking at the list of cruelty-free companies I've gather, I have a post of each of them with my research, click here. Or you can look at the upper-left hand corner of my blog, where I will have my list linked, as well as Leaping Bunny's list, & PETA's list. 

      I would also appreciate if you would let me know which companies you want me to research. I can't guarantee I'll be able to get back to you guys with a post in a matter of days, but I will defiantly start.  

--Camila A. ☼

Too-Faced

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.