I have been cruelty free for coming up to a year now and it's one of the best decisions I ever made. I was so ignorant to the fact that animal testing was still in practice and that many of the brands I spent my hard earned cash on were still to this day, testing on animals in order to sell their products in China. I found that many of the drug store brands I was using were not cruelty free and therefore I had to go to slightly higher priced products in order to keep my make up collection cruelty free. One of the brands I fell in love with was Too Faced, but I quickly dropped them a few months ago when they made the ultimate shock sale, and sold themselves to Estee Lauder, one of the biggest make up brands in the world, who do sell their products in China. I was pretty heartbroken about this, as I really did enjoy Too Faced products and they are quite easily accessible in TKMaxx for half the price. Another brand that I fell in love with was NARS. Although their prices are pretty expensive, they were another cruelty free brand that I could purchase in TKMaxx. They are owned by a non cruelty brand, but they did not sell their products in China.
That may make me sound like a complete hypocrite, buying from NARS who is owned by Shiseido who is non cruelty free, but refusing to now buy Too Faced who is now owned by Estee Lauder? This is because Too Faced used being cruelty free as one of their major selling points. They reached out to people like myself and vegetarian and vegan people, and used the fact they they don't test on animals as a massive pro to their business. So you can understand how this was a massive betrayal when they decided to sell out to one of the biggest animal testing companies in the world. NARS on the other hand, is in a whole different ball game now.
I was really quite shocked when I heard the latest news about NARS. If you haven't seen their Instagram post from 27 June, I will insert it below:
'We want you to know that we hear you. The global elimination of animal testing needs to happen. We firmly believe that product and ingredient safety can be proven by non-animal methods, but we must comply with the local laws of the markets in which we operate, including in China. We have decided to make NARS available in China because we feel it is important to bring our vision of beauty and artistry to fans in the region. NARS does not test on animals or ask others to do so on our behalf, except where required by law. NARS is committed and actively working to advance alternative testing methods. We are proud to support the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), a globally recognised organisation at the forefront of advancing non-animal methods in China and around the world. NARS is hopeful that together we can work toward a cruelty-free world.'
Does anybody else hear one hundred percent bull shit in this text? NARS are saying that they disagree with animal testing and that they are 'committed and actively working to advance alternative testing methods' yet they are going against everything they have just stated in order to sell their products in China. I get it, there is a lot of money to be made in China seeing as 19% of the worlds population is in China alone, but sometimes morals and all the hard work you have put into a company since 1994, come first.
NARS is probably worth millions. They have every kind of make up product you can think of, they have a skin care line, they have make up brushes. They are a well established company that are huge in the UK and the USA. They do not need to go into China. I think their line 'We have decided to make NARS available in China because we feel it is important to bring our vision of beauty and artistry to fans in the region' is the biggest load of cop out bull shit I've ever heard. There are already so many make up brands that are in China, MAC, L'Oreal, Estee Lauder, Benefit and nearly every other designer brand you can think of, I don't think there is a demand in China for another make up brand.
I am ashamed to have been such a fan of this brand. I am devastated that yet another precious cruelty free brand has given in to the bull shit system that China run where animal testing is required. NARS, I can guarantee that I'm not just speaking for myself when I say you have lost one loyal fan.
If you're reading this post and you think that animal testing is not a big deal, go and take a look at Kat Von D's Instagram page, look at them photos of innocent rabbits being used for lab testing on the cosmetics that are sold every single day and tell me you feel absolutely nothing. I bet you can't.
To be honest, I'm just waiting to see who is next to jump ship into the money pool that is China and loose all morals and ethics that they have built.
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**Disclaimer: All views, opinions and photos are my own.**