C.‘it’s a little bunny on the packs which has great significance: Rimmel London has obtained the certification Leaping Bunny, the highest world standard of the institution Cruelty Free International. Means that all the cosmetics of the brand, all over the world, are not tested on animals. The concept of cosmetics not tested on animals it is in fact still full of gray areas: how to be sure of so-called ethics cruelty free of a cosmetic brand? We talked about it in London with Michelle ThewCEO Cruelty Free International, guarantor of the new Rimmel London goal.
Cruelty Free cosmetics, what does it mean
«Animal testing for the cosmetics industry is regulated in European Union for many years. Since 2004 Tests on finished cosmetic products, from make-up to creams to perfumes, were banned. From the 2009 is forbidden even to do it alone on individual substances or ingredients that compose them. In general, not only production is banned but also the sale of any type of cosmetic product that has been tested on animals ».
“It is a pity that in many other countries this is still not the case, and each company can behave differently depending on the reference market. In China, on the contrary, testing is actually required by law. A brand can use animal tests in some areas of the world the same ingredients it will use in the European Union such as cruelty free, swithout actually violating the European ban! You don’t think about it, but that’s the way it is” He tells us Michelle Thew.
What does it mean to be certified Leaping Bunny?
«The Leaping Bunny certification – easy to recognize, it’s a jumping bunny – is a guarantee: it is considered the gold standard because it has global significance. It ensures that the trademark does not text on animals or finished products or individual ingredientsis that neither do its third party suppliers or partners. Furthermore, it must not sell products in countries where the law requires cosmetics to be tested on animals. Our certification thus ensures the ethics of Rimmel London and its entire supply chain globally. It is an important signal from a mass market brand with such a wide global reach. It’s a choice that proves it is possible to make cruelty-free products accessible“.
How is this certification obtained?
«It is certainly a complex process, because it is not a claim but must demonstrate a long-term commitment. All individual ingredients must be checked of the cosmetic product, up to the raw materials, going down along the entire supply chain.
We are an international team with offices in most of Europe, UK, France and Italy first of all, America, Australia and we are trying to open also in China, by far the most complicated market: it is nice to see that when we started, years ago , in 1998, we fought to get companies to listen to us, now it is the brands themselves that they call us to ask for our help. This is a sign that ethics are changing, and the issue is becoming a priority. The change is visible ».
Why was cosmetics tested on animals in the past, how was it useful or necessary?
“Since the 1940s testing on animals has been the basic modus operandi of the cosmetics industry. We speak mainly of test to check for toxicity of products in contact with skin and mucous membranes, and their possible broad-spectrum dermatological reactions. Our certification has the symbol of the rabbit, the animal most used for toxicological tests together to skinny pigs, the skinny pigsthat is a type of almost hairless guinea pig, often subjected to tests for topical allergic reactions ».
Why were rabbits mainly exploited?
“Because they are not genetically capable of blinking, so thereAnd substances that are applied directly to their eyes, they stay there, and for a long time. A useful method to quickly see the physiological reactions of various substances ».
And today why does it no longer make sense to do so?
“Fortunately we have the possibility to use the so-called”human reconstructed skin“, that is to say skins generated with biotechnology. Indeed they have far greater reliability and relevance compared to the animal ones. In addition, there are various simulation software to analyze chemical compositions in the smallest detail scientifically valid and more in-depth than in the past. Today the industry has more sailing, accurate and ethical methods available ».
What is the difference between a brand that claims to be vegan and a cruelty free one?
“Cruelty free it means that the product has not been subjected to any animal testing. Vegan, that the product does not include ingredients of animal origin. The difference is subtle, but radical. A product cruelty free may not be vegan since it contains an ingredient of animal origin, even if only a beeswax, honey, lanolin, or a derivative of milk.
V.conversely, a vegan product may not be cruelty free, as it has been tested on animals somewhere in the world. It is important for consumers to read the certifications on the labels well, as they have distinct meanings. To have both vegan and cruelry free products you have to look at two different wordings, currently to be monitored separately “.
Rimmel London knows it: in addition to the Leaping Bunny sticker, the line Kind & Free it also ensures its vegan formulation, that is, completely free of active ingredients of animal origin.
What is there still to do, how do you see the future?
«In Europe it is still possible to test certain substances for certain sectors, especially for the purposes of safety, environment, pollution, toxicity. We imagine a totally no animal tested future, for any sector, for any purpose ».
“In the 2018 the European Parliament passed a resolution in which a global ban on cosmetic testing on animals is called for by 2023 and on the sale of cosmetics tested on animals. Now the EU is becoming the bearer of this request before the UNand this is what we at Cruelty Free international are also supporting. We hope the politics will listen to us. The new generations already do it: they are very interested in the subject, they have access to a lot of information, they demand ever higher standards. The hopes for a future without animal testing are all there“.
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