Testing cosmetics on animals is a form of animal testing, intended to ensure the safety and hypoallergenic properties of the products for use by humans. Because of the harm done to the animal subjects, this testing is opposed by animal rights activists and others, and is banned in much of the European Union.

The United States are frequently criticized for their insistence on stringent safety measures, which often requires animal testing. Some retailers distinguish themselves in the marketplace by their stance on animal testing.


Alternatives:

Cosmetics manufacturers who genuinely do not test on animals generally use the following for safety testing of their products:

• reliance on existing natural or synthetic ingredients, compounds and substances, which have already been extensively tested on animals;
• avoiding novel ingredients or combinations of ingredients that have not been fully tested and may not be safe;
• testing on human volunteers/clinical trials.

This presumes that cosmetics companies are already using computer modeling and cell cultures to simulate human tissue, two techniques that have had ambiguous utility in discovering problems early. Supporters of animal testing say that neither can fully replace live human or non-human animal tests.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testing_cosmetics_on_animals

We the undersigned are against Cosmetic Testing on animals in the USA. We believe there are other alternatives to cosmetic testing of animals that should be used, as described in the petition. We will not support cosmetic testing of animals by purchasing products that do cosmetic testing on animals. We ask that a ban be put on the Cosmetic Testing of animals in the USA.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter.