LimeCrime

Hello guys. I'm really excited to share with you all my correspondence with LimeCrime. If you have never heard of LimeCrime, you need to listen up! They sell really vibrant cosmetics. For example, you can find red lip stick and blue lipstick on their site. Shades you might expect high-end companies, such as Mac or Nars to sell. Except --as you will soon find--cruelty-freely.

I first "heard" (read?) about LimeCrime, when I was looking through PETA's DO NOT test list. I checked them out & knew I had to find out their cruelty-free status.

Of course, I first emailed them using the format I always use. (Click here to see it).

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? 
7. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase? 

I received a reply a few days later:

Hi Camila,
1-6 the answer is no
7 currently all products on our site are vegan.

I'm glad they replied, but --as you can see--their reply didn't leave me much to go on. Being very as partial to detail as I am, I decided to email them again, urging them to explain further:

 Hi [names have been omitted], 

Thank you for your prompt reply. I would appreciate it if you elaborated. How does LimeCrime ensure that the manufactures of their ingredients do not conduct animal testing? Does LimeCrime have an audit process? Second, from what I understand LimeCrime does not retail in the Chinese market because it requires animal testing; am I right in this statement? 

Also, thank you for becoming affiliated with PETA. There is a fast growing market of makeup enthusiast who only shop cruelty-free. I know I really appreciate it and so do the readers of my blog, it just makes shopping easier for us. -Camila 

 I received a second reply about a week after:

Hi Camila, 

I've just spoken with our Inventory Manager, sorry for the delay. We do have signed pledges from all of our manufacturers stating that our products and ingredients are completely vegan. We ensure vegan/cruelty-free claims by working with manufacturers who are reputable and willing to provide sworn written statements about the sources of their ingredients.

Well, as you can see: LimeCrime does not have a parent company; meaning we don't have to worry about what would be that company's cruelty-free status, Lime Crime does not support 3rd party testing & have a specific audit process to ensure their manufacturers are reliable, and finally, LimeCrime does not sell in China. These are the three specific criteria I look at when determining a company's cruelty-free status & deciding whether to add them to my list. (To see my criteria more in detail click here). 

I would feel safe purchasing from LimeCrime & am excited to do so!! 

Also, if you are interested about purchasing from LimeCrime, I really recommend you check out Friends of the Lagomorph, which is an online site that retails ALL cruelty-free cosmetics, beauty products, etc. And, no I am not being paid to talk about Friends of the Lagomorph, I just truly LOVE that site. It's easy to shop & I don't really know of any other online site that only sells cruelty-free beauty products. 

Let me know what you think. Leave me ANY feedback you would like. 

Until Next Time,

Camila 

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. ☼