Compassionate cosmetics: once an accepted part of the beauty industry, animal testing is becoming a thing of the past

Better Nutrition, June, 2002 by Kathi Keville

Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing rouge? Or a mouse in mascara? Of course not. Then why has the cosmetics industry traditionally tested its personal-care products on animals? Conventional wisdom has maintained that animal testing identifies substances that can be harmful to humans, and therefore makes products safer. But is this really the case?

"Many regulators feel more comfortable with animal tests--even with tests that are known to be unreliable and of questionable relevance," says Michael Balls, head of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods in Ispra, Varese, Italy. The questionability Balls refers to arises because the skin, hair and eyes of an animal can react quite differently from those of a human--especially in tests where animals receive extremely large doses applied over a long duration. And several studies conducted during the past 30 years have indicated that animal testing simply does not accurately predict human responses.

animal alternatives

As the validity of animal testing falls further into question, interest in alternative testing methods is on the rise. These include cell cultures, eye bank corneas and sophisticated computer and mathematical models. Statisticians and epidemiologists also can judge safety by analyzing clinical surveys, human volunteers, case studies, autopsy reports, statistical analyses and environmental factors related to human disease. As technology advances, these types of tests are becoming less expensive and often produce ranch faster results than traditional animal testing.

The United States Department of Transportation, Consumer Product Safety Commission and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), among others, have approved the use of Corrositex, a protein membrane designed to function like skin. It can replace rabbit skin tests with results available in just a few hours at a low cost of $100 per test--compared to the 21-day, $1,000 price tag of a single Draize rabbit test, a traditional method of animal testing.

Another test, the Irritation Assay System, also mimics the reaction of human skin to more than 5,000 different materials. And a software package called TOPKAT--which monitors changes in electrical resistance in thin layers of cells grown on a membrane--is helping the FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army identify compounds that might cause human skin and eye irritation.

a new fashion

The development of inexpensive alternatives to animal testing--coupled with growing public sentiment against the practice--has caused cosmetics companies to take notice. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), more than 500 cosmetics and household product manufacturers have turned to alternative testing methods. The list includes body care giant Avon Products Inc., which tested its products on some 24,000 animals every year before changing its testing policy in 1989.

When surveys showed that four out of five customers at the Co-op--Britain's largest retailer--oppose animal cosmetics testing, the company launched its own campaign urging others to end such tests. Mary Kay Inc. has also joined the movement. The company's official statement reads, "Having assessed the current degree of scientific knowledge, the company does not foresee any situation in which animal testing might be necessary in the future." Mary Kay also is working to eliminate [Text incomplete in original source.]

Animal testing isn't the only issue for cosmetics consumers who want to go cruelty free. Many product ingredients also are derived from animals. And they sometimes can be hard to spot, since many companies remove the word "animal" from labels to avoid offending consumers. For example, a term such as "hydrolyzed collagen" might replace "hydrolyzed animal protein." Here are some other examples:

* Albumen: Found in eggs, milk, muscles, blood and many vegetable tissues and fluids. In cosmetics, albumen is usually derived from egg whites and is used as a coagulating agent.

* Allantoin: Uric acid found in most mammals, although it's also present in many plants, especially comfrey. It is used in cosmetics, especially creams and lotions. Derivatives include alcloxa and aldioxa.

* Alpha-Hydroxy Acids: Used in exfoliant and anti-wrinkle products. Lactic acid may be animal-derived while glycolic acid, citric acid and salicylic acid come from plants.

* Amino Acids: The building blocks of protein from either animals or plants.

* Collagen: Fibrous protein in vertebrates that is usually derived from animal tissue.

* Estrogen, Estradiol: Female hormones used in some creams, perfumes and lotions derived from the urine of pregnant mares kept in confined stalls.

* Hyaluronic Acid: A protein found in animal cartilage and joint fluid.

* Polypeptides: From animal protein.

* Stearic Acid: Fat from cows, sheep, dogs, cats or--most often-pigs. It is also derived from vegetable fats like coconut. Derivatives include stearamide, stearamine, stearate, stearic hydrazide, stearone, stearoxytrimethylsilane, stearoyl lactylic acid, and stearyl betaine, imidazoline, acetate or alcohol.