San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Support cruelty-free companies

This is an important change because if a brand that is this large makes a move like this, it sends a message that being cruelty-free is important, possible and still profitable for major brands.

Cover Girl is the most recent company to proclaim themselves cruelty-free. Being cruelty-free means that a company does not test on animals, but after that, it can get a little complicated.

This is an important change because if a brand that is this large makes a move like this, it sends a message that being cruelty-free is important, possible and still profitable for major brands.

If you look on the back of some of the products you use on a daily basis like makeup, face wash and even dish soap, you might spot a little bunny symbol on the back saying, “Cruelty-free.” Being cruelty-free means that a company does not test on animals, but after that, it can get a little complicated.

The definition of cruelty-free can mean different things to different people and companies. Some companies can say they are cruelty-free because they do not test their finished product on animals. Other companies promise their final product and the products that went into it are not tested on animals.

As you can see, buying cruelty-free can be complicated, but by simply making an effort to buy anything that is labeled “does not test on animals” or “cruelty-free” is important.

Animal testing is something that causes pain to so many animals. While rabbits are often considered the most-tested-on-animals, other animals like chimpanzees, mice, cats, dogs and so many more are too.

These animals get tortured every day just for the things we use every day, such as makeup, skin care and other unnecessary things we use to make ourselves look better.

But it is not limited to those types of items. Windex, condoms, Kleenex, Band-Aids and other everyday objects are tested on these innocent animals. Why do we need to use these objects when there are other, more ethical options?

Not only is animal testing cruel, but it also isn’t even effective all the time. PETA states on their website that according to the Food and Drug Administration, 92 out of 100 products that pass the tests on animals fail on humans.

If the tests on the animals end up failing on us anyway,  why do we even need to run them at all?

The idea that people are able to justify the torture of animals for things that aren’t even essential to survive is a hard pill for me to swallow.

Now, with Cover Girl finally being cruelty-free, I can only hope that more big companies start to move toward this. There are things people just like you can me can do to help. First, you can choose to buy brands that don’t test on animals, doing this isn’t hard. There are so many popular brands in makeup, skincare, cleaning supplies and so on that are cruelty-free, including Tarte, NYX, Yes To, First Aid Beauty, Method, Seventh Generation and so many more.

A couple of good blogs to look at are Logical Harmony and Cruelty-Free Kitty. Both of these websites do their own research into the companies.

If you choose to give your money to brands that are cruelty-free, it will give other brands an incentive to switch over, too.

Not only can you choose to support companies that don’t test on animals by giving them your money, but you can also do others things. For example, when your friends ask you for recommendations, only recommend things that are cruelty-free and only buy gifts for them that are as well.

This is, hopefully, just the start to a large movement of companies, large and small, all moving toward a more ethical and kind way of living.

Kayla Henrikson is a junior studying journalism.

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Support cruelty-free companies