The Body Shop Is Fighting To End Animal Testing Worldwide, So Here's How You Can Help
More than ever, it seems people are finally starting to pay attention to their beauty products beyond just their visual benefits. It's no longer enough for a product to simply make you look better — we care about the ingredients being safe, effective, and environmentally sourced, as we've come to want only the best for our skin. However, it's not only about how products affect our bodies, but how they impact other living creatures as well, which is why The Body Shop is fighting to end animal testing once and for all.
On June 1, 2017, well-known cruelty-free makeup, skincare, and haircare brand The Body Shop began their Forever Against Animal Testing campaign, making them the first-ever global beauty brand to fight against animal testing. The goal of the campaign is to take their passion for animal rights and spread it worldwide, and they've teamed up with Cruelty Free International in hopes of making their dreams a reality.
According to the campaign, about 80 percent of countries worldwide still allow animal testing, and according to Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of Cruelty Free International, "one single test may involve hundreds of animals." In fact, according to an estimate from Cruelty Free International, over 500,000 animals may be used in cosmetics testing worldwide every single year, even though there do exist alternative testing options that would allow neither animals nor consumers to suffer.
"People are confused about animal testing," Thew said in a press release. "The world over, people want this cruel practice to end, yet existing laws are a patchwork of different rules with some very big gaps."
Prior to the promotion of the campaign, I was obviously aware of animal testing, but I admit, I hadn't given it too much thought when it came to actually shopping for my products. If you had asked me, "Do you think animals should suffer for beauty?" my answer would, of course, have been negative, and yet here I was, a consumer regularly buying from non-cruelty-free makeup and skincare brands. Not cool, right? So when I found out there was a way to help The Body Shop achieve their anti-animal testing goals, I knew I wanted to sign the petition right away to do my part.
To think, I was letting my makeup faves potentially harm sweet, innocent angels like this lil hamster. How is this even allowed?
So, where exactly is this petition, and what exactly will it do? You can sign the petition online right here. If the brands reach 8 million signatures before Aug. 31 (just a few days away, people!), they will have garnered enough support to petition to the United Nations General Assembly and really bring about change in regard to global animal testing. As it stands, they're currently less than 40,000 signatures away from hitting 8 million.
“The Body Shop passionately believes that no animal should be harmed in the name of cosmetics and that animal testing is outdated, cruel and unnecessary," says Jessie Macneil-Brown, Senior Manager International Campaigns and Corporate Responsibility for The Body Shop. And TBH, she's absolutely right, which is why I think you should sign the petition, too.
Think of all the rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters you could be helping with just a few clicks and a signature. Cuteness overload, am I right? If I love anything more than a good lipstick, it's a sweet, soft bunny, and I'm even willing to have certain lipsticks discontinued if it guarantees a bunny's safety, because priorities!
Kudos for The Body Shop Cruelty Free International for going above and beyond in their fight to give a voice to animals that are pointlessly mistreated by cosmetics companies around the world. Fingers crossed they make it to 8 million signatures and can bring about this much-needed change in the beauty industry.
