Avon, Mary Kay, Estée Lauder Paying for Tests on Animals
December 12, 2019 UPDATE:
Huge progress! Avon Products, Inc. has stopped all regulatory-required tests on animals anywhere in the world, including in China. This is the first step to becoming cruelty-free. Now the company is working with its suppliers to make sure that no ingredients are tested on animals.
Note: Avon Products, Inc., is a separate company from Avon USA. Avon Products, Inc. sells everywhere in the world except in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
After two decades of touting their “no animal testing” policies, Avon, Estée Lauder, and Mary Kay have quietly resumed paying for cruel tests on animals—without letting consumers know about this stunning about-face. After they confirmed with each company that chemicals are being dripped into rabbits’ eyes and that substances are being rubbed onto animals’ skin because of requirements of the Chinese government in order to market products in that country, PETA U.S. downgraded the companies to its “do test” list.
All three companies were among the first large international cosmetics manufacturers to ban all tests on animals. Avon was the first in 1989, following PETA U.S.’ “Avon Killing” campaign, a play on the company’s then-slogan “Avon Calling.” Mary Kay came next, after being publicly lampooned by cartoonist Berkeley Breathed in a series called The Night of the Mary Kay Commandos in his hilarious Bloom County comic strip. Estée Lauder soon followed suit.
For each test required by the Chinese government, superior non-animal methods are available. Mary Kay had taken steps to work with Chinese officials on the acceptance of these tests, but Avon and Estée Lauder seem to have agreed to the tests without objection. PETA U.S. has jump-started the effort for non-animal test validation by awarding a grant to the Institute for In Vitro Sciences, which is working with scientists and regulatory bodies to replace animal tests in China.
Please let Avon, Estée Lauder, and Mary Kay know that you won’t buy their products until they are 100 percent cruelty-free once again. Fortunately for animals, you can still choose from more than 1,000 companies in the online searchable database of cosmetics and personal-care companies that don’t harm animals at home or abroad.
