As you know, I’m passionate about nails. I’m also passionate about preventing cruelty to animals. Animal testing for cosmetics is painful and unnecessary. Besides having to live their lives in a cage at a lab, animals are subject to cruel tests (cosmetics in the eyes, having their skin peeled with chemicals or dermabrasion, and a sickening variety of other tests). Google it if you don’t believe me- there are lots of videos, photos and firsthand accounts.

In this day and age, we don’t need to test cosmetics on animals. I love to be fabulous, but not if an animal has to pay the price. With so many cruelty-free choices, you don’t need to support companies that still test cosmetics on animals. Spend your money elswehere!

My source for which companies test on animals and which don’t is www.caringconsumer.com , associated with the People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Now, I think that certain philosophies of the People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals are sometimes wacky and I don’t always agree with them, but, if PETA states a company does not test on animals, I trust them. They have a list, updated regularly, of companies that do and don’t test. In order to make it onto the “Does Not Test” list, the company has to sign a statement saying they do not test on animal and submit it to PETA.

Thanks to increasing consumer awareness, the pressure is on for companies to halt animal testing. If you choose to boycott these companies, let them know why (politely, of course!)

I’m just going to list major brands/products here. For the complete lowdown on cruelty-free nail companies, including a lot of brands I’ve never heard of, check this out.



They also discuss household products, personal care products, and lots of other things, so check out the full list! I’ve updated this list to show some of the most popular nail polish and Health and Beauty product companies. This is by no means a complete list, but is meant to cover many of the usual consumer brands found worldwide.

Companies that DO Test on Animals:

Aussie Aveeno (Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Listerine, Lubriderm, Neutrogena, Rembrandt, ROC, tests cosmetic products in addition to their medical products) Avon. Avon was the first major cosmetics company to end animal testing on both on its finished product and ingredients in 1989, but appears to have re-started to expand into the China market.

Bic Borghese Clairol Clean and Clear Clinique– owned by Estee Lauder, who has resumed testing in 2012.

Coppertone Cover Girl (Proctor and Gamble) Dial Dolce & Gabana Dove Essie- used to be cruelty free as an independent brand but was acquired by L’Oreal, which is not cruelty free.

Estee Lauder- unfortunately

r- unfortunately resumed animal testing in 2012 after a two decade moratorium. Boo! This affects Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Bumble + Bumble, La Mer, Prescriptives, Origins, Clinique, MAC and several other subsidiary companies. Garnier Gilette Hawaiian Tropic Head and Shoulders Johnson and Johnson Jovan JOOP Kiehl’s

Lancome L’Oreal (Kérastase, Matrix, Mizani, Redken, L’Oréal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline New York, SoftSheen-Carson, Biotherm , The Body Shop, Cacharel, Diesel Perfumes, Giorgio Armani Parfums, Guy Laroche, Helena Rubinstein, Paloma Picasso, Ralph Lauren, Shu Uemura, Victor et Rolf parfum, Dermablend, La Roche-Posay, SkinCeuticals, Vichy Laboratoires.) L’Oreal says they don’t “generally” test but will not sign a statement confirming it, so for safety’s sake, they go on the Bad Guy list). Mary Kay. Resumed in 2012 in order to comply with Chinese regulations to sell in China. What a joke. Maybelline Marc Jacobs (perfumes and cosmetics) Max Factor Neutrogena NYC Philopsophy Proctor and Gamble (Always, Aussie, Cover Girl, Clairol, Crest, Downey, Eukanuba, Febreze, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Iams, Infusium 23, Ivory, Joy, Max Factor, Mr. Clean, Olay, Pampers, Pantene, Physique, Puffs, Scope, Secret, Swiffer, Tampax, Tide, Zest, Old Spice) Rimmel

Unilever (Axe, Dove, Lux, Ponds, Suave, Sunsilk, Vaseline, Caress, Degree, Lever 2000.)

Cruelty-Free Companies- Spend your $$$ Here

As mentioned above, these companies do not test on animals and have either sent me an email confiming it or signed a statement.

Almay Owned by Revlon, back on the testing wagon again, apparently. American International Industries (China Glaze, Seche, 5 Second Nail Glue, ESN European Secret Nails) Bath and Body Works Bobbi Brown. Parent company is Estee Lauder, who used to be cruelty-free but recently resumed animal testing in order to sell products in China. Considering the crap China puts in their food/cosmetics and their dismal safety records, China’s requiring testing on Western cosmetic products in use for decades in the US/EU is beyond ridiculous. Bonnie Bell Color Club- not only cruelty free but vegan too! DuWop Cosmetics e.l.f. Garden Botanika GOSH Cosmetics (vegan too) Hard Candy Jane Cosmetics Julep LA Girl Kiss Products (nail glues, etc.) Kleancolor. http://www.kleancolor.com/nav/faq.html Milani Nubar- Not only formaldehyde, DBP and tolulene free, but vegan and with an awesome formula NYX- New York Cosmetics OCC Cosmetics (vegan too) Orly Revlon (surprise, they used to be one of the Bad Guys. Back on the testing wagon again?) Sally Hansen Status unclear. They have been sold and reacquired in the last couple years but now looks like their parent company is a tester. Spa Ritual- vegan too! Wet N Wild. http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/wet-n-wild.aspx Zoya Urban Decay – Sold to L’Oreal in the last quarter of 2012. L’Oreal tests on animals. Major hypocrisy here- they built their brand on being cruelty free, then agreed to animal testing as a regulatory requirement to sell on the Chine$e market. Then they justified this 180 degree turnaround by saying “now we can raise awareness about animal rights issues with the Chinese.” Um, by engaging in cosmetics animal testing? Then they waffled back after public outcry. Then…sold their brand to a non-cruelty free company.

Companies do change, brands are acquired by different companies, and statuses do change. I realize it’s confusing enough to feel like giving up on selecting cruelty-free products, but if we all do the best we can, it’s a giant step in the right direction. I was personally very disappointed when OPI and Essie sold their brands to companies that do test on animals.

My personal philosophy: If a parent company tests on animals, I’m not buying their subsidiary brand (ie OPI/Coty) because I don’t want any of my money to go to the parent company. I don’t care if OPI itself remains cruelty-free, I’m not buying it. There are so many other choices out there, I don’t feel I have to compromise!