Is Your Makeup Actually Cruelty-Free?
Image courtesy of Kayla Balkin (Instagram: @makeupandskincarebykayla)
Finding the right beauty product is often a never-ending task. It isn’t easy to find a product that does its job, isn’t harmful, and won’t break the bank. But often times reading the package isn’t enough. Do we really know what is in the products we use everyday or how they are made?
The term cruelty-free is thrown around a lot in the beauty world and is often a title that makeup companies are proud to have. As more and more consumers are interested in ethical products, major companies are finding new ways to claim to be cruelty-free.
Cruelty-free means a product that is not tested on animals, according to 5th year biology major and longtime makeup enthusiast Joanie Burzymowska. But “cruelty-free” and “not tested on animals” are phrases that are not regulated by the Food and Drug Association, which makes it easy for a company to throw that label on a package. A company can also claim that they don’t test on animals, however they may get ingredients from producers that do.
The beauty industry isn’t all grim according to esthetician and makeup artist Kayla Balkin.
“Cruelty free products are now much easier to find as it has become more important to consumers,” Balkin said. “Brands are changing their businesses to match their customers preferences,” Balkin added.
Her favorite brand to use is Anastasia Beverly Hills.
The website Logical Harmony is doing its part to make finding ethical products easier by allowing you to find a company’s name on one of three lists: cruelty-free, not cruelty-free and pending. Logical Harmony has an in-depth process to determine a company's ethics. According to their website, cruelty-free “means that the products are not tested on animals at any point during production, as a finished product, nor do they contain ingredients that have been tested on animals.”
Many makeup artists have taken the vow to only use cruelty-free products. Balkin, who graduated from the University of Maryland in 2014 with a communications degree, works full-time as a makeup artist in Rockville. She only buys cruelty-free products but also looks into other aspects of companies.
“People forget there are other ethical aspects of the company that need to be considered as well such as how they treat their employees and if the ingredients are ethically sourced,” Balkin said.
Burzymowska has used cruelty-free products for the last six years and encourages her friends to do the same.
“There are a ton of amazing cruelty-free brands that are sold everywhere non-cruelty free brands are, like Sephora, Ulta, CVS, Walgreens,” Burzymowska said.
Her personal favorites are Urban Decay and Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Burzymowska also said that she relies heavily on Logical Harmony to find products.
Not knowing the truth behind the products you use can be scary. But before you panic and vow to never use a beauty product again, remember to look into the brands you love. Not all companies lie and not all companies test on animals. There are organizations out there to inform makeup users and plenty of experts ready to spread the word about ethical companies.
“Now that I know about animal testing I try to bring awareness and help people transition as much as I can,” Burzymowska said.
