Many of us would call ourselves animal lovers. We have companion animals; We stop on the street to pet peoples' dogs; We cry at the humane society commercials that flash on the television late at night; We rescue, rehabilitate, dote over, and treasure the furry, feathered, scaly, and swimming. Animals make us tick in a magical way. There's a symbiotic relationship between people and animals - they see us and love us, and in return we make an unspoken pact to protect them in the areas where they're vulnerable. Perhaps that's why many of us default to thinking that cosmetics are never tested on animals nowadays, or that it's only a small few - because the reality that animal testing is so widespread, especially in a country that considers itself so progressive, is just too difficult to comprehend.
I won't go in to the bits and bobs animal testing. Take me at my word that it's horrendous, or there are loads of posts and excellent sites and blogs out there that can thoroughly educate you on the gruesome business. And we all should be educated. Just like any societal ill, it behooves us to get the information and be proactive.
It used to be that if you wanted cruelty-free fragrance or cosmetics, you would have to make them yourself. The few well-intentioned non-animal tested products on the market didn't have the financial bandwidth to be as effective or glitzy or well-marketed and placed as their mainstream counterparts.
Much has changed in just the past decade. Countries like Israel, India, and the European Union have introduced and passed bans on animal testing in cosmetics. Sure, there are loopholes and grey areas in these bans, but these are steps in the right direction. Just last week, Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) introduced H.R. 4148, a federal bill dedicated to making the United States the next cruelty-free marketplace. Obviously, we're excited about this. To support the legislation and spread the word about erradicating animal testing, we're celebrating "Be Cruelty Free Week," an initiative of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International. Because there's nothing beautiful, glamorous, or necessary about testing of animals.
Olivine is a solidly cruelty-free company. Our products, formulations, and ingredients are never tested on animals. And I pride myself in offering quality, luxury vegan perfumes and other beauty rituals free from animal byproducts. Why? Because those things matter. I set out to create a company that offers glamourous rituals that make people feel good about themselves, their bodies, and their lives, and it's impossible to accomplish those things when innocent creatures suffer to bring those to market.
I'd love it if you'd join me in supporting this cruelty-free movement. Read about the pending legislation and how you can support its passage. Take a moment to look at your product labels and research your personal care, home cleaners (yep, home cleaners are tested on animals), and beauty products. Are they free from animal testing? If not, I urge you to find kinder alternatives. There are so many marvelous resources that can help you purchase with kindness and confidence. Here are some of my favorite cruelty-free resources:
Here's to sending you love for a beautiful week, and hope for a kinder, more compassionate future for people and animals.
xo,
Julie