It is vital that we all start using ‘beauty without cruelty’ products. It is time we invested in products that are not washed with the blood of animals. Sounds heavy and gloomy, doesn’t it? Well it is true and it is a fact. If we don’t stop consuming goods carelessly we are in for a big, big shock.

Animal Friendly Products

Luckily there are companies that are pioneering in this regard and bring us beauty products (minus the gory cruelty to animals part) to our local malls. So we are becoming a bit more accustomed to seeing animal friendly products on the shelves. But, for numerous reasons, they are not always our first choice. A huge majority of us have been raised to take care of human needs, even wants, first – animals and plants are for our consumption.

This way of thinking has to change, though, if we hope to sustain this world beyond the next 100 years (and I’m being optimistic). While we are concerned about our bodies, we need to please (and yes this is a plea from me) consider the environment and its other inhabitants as well.

That said, my brief for this story was that I must write about beauty without cruelty – cruelty to animals, that is. As in every story that I write I have done my fair bit of research and found that it isn’t just a case of being cautious when it comes to the beauty products you use - it is about your whole lifestyle. And the companies that adopt and sell these products realise this. Which is wonderful, I mean why should it only be about the aesthetics of your body and face? Aren’t you concerned about what goes into your body and even your home?

The Pioneering Body Shop

Hold that thought while we take a few steps back. The most obvious company that is all about beauty without cruelty is the Body Shop. And they bravely declare on their website that they believe there is only one way to be beautiful, nature's way. And I’m sure that most of us agree with this in practice. But when you are not sensitised to the cruel way animals and forests and water reserves are being treated for our human pleasures and whims – you tend to forget – until a catastrophe happens. And why do we have to wait until a catastrophe happens?

The Body Shop says they strive to protect our planet and the people who depend on it. They say they don’t do it because it’s fashionable. They do it because, to them, it’s the only way. They have always believed passionately that animals should not be used for cosmetic testing. And in true beauty without cruelty style they have never tested their products on animals and, similarly, they insist that all their suppliers take the same approach.

In Case you didn’t Know

These values would be very honorable if the Body Shop walked the talk. I mean do you know what happens during animal testing? If you are still in the dark and wondering what the woohaa is about, let me fill you in...

Using the ‘eye irritancy’ test as an example – a substance is dropped into the eyes of rabbits. The animals are often immobilised in stocks from which only their heads protrude. They usually receive no anaesthesia during the tests and after placing the substance in the rabbits' eyes, laboratory technicians record the damage to the eye tissue at specific intervals over an average period of 72 hours, with tests sometimes lasting 7-18 days. Reactions to the substances include swollen eyelids, inflamed irises, ulceration, bleeding and blindness. During the tests, the rabbits' eyelids are held open with clips – and as you can imagine I am sure - this is highly uncomfortable to the point of being painful. Therefore many animals break their necks as they struggle to escape.

All in the Name of Looking Good

Animal testing, particularly in cosmetics, draws an enormous amount of criticism because animals suffer and ultimately die, all in the name of aesthetics and 'looking good'. There are a lot more people who will tolerate medical animal testing because they argue it involves the improvement or extension of human health.

Globally the European Union is ahead of the rest of us in that is has banned cosmetic testing on animals. At the time of the ban being proposed, France, which is home to the world's largest cosmetics company, L'Oreal, protested the proposed ban by lodging a case at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, asking that the ban be quashed. Today it is rumored that after L'Oreal’s efforts proved futile, they simply outsourced this research to less controlled countries (and I’m sure they are loving the cheap labour there too).

The irony, of course, is that L’Oreal is the Body Shops mother company. So I can just see Lindsay Owen-Jones, L'Oréal Chairman and CEO, feeling very proud of herself for having her Lancôme softened hands in both markets of the animal rights movement.  

Woollies - Broadening the Scope

Anyway, let’s move right along and ignore the little Body Shop expose I just made. To date though, the Body Shop mostly focuses on cosmetics. Most shops that are concerned with animal and environmental welfare in cosmetics use have broadened their offering. For instance, Woolworths also has strict policies around animal testing and treatment – for example, they have never asked or commissioned their private label health and beauty suppliers to conduct testing on animals; plus they do not sell products made from real fur and eggs from caged birds.

However this is just the tip of the iceberg as these policies extend to all their other product ranges including food and homewear – even their in-store hangers have environmental rules and guidelines that employees have to abide by!

There are also many smaller stores and flea markets that are making such products easily accessible. You might even be forgiven for saying that these organic stores are the fashionable places to be seen picking at a salad at midday. That aside they have some really wholesome products...

As Fresh as the Earth

The likes of Fruits and Roots and the Bryanston Organic Market are family favorites. My personal best is Fresh Earth. This little store is situated in Greenside, Johannesburg. When you walk in you are met with aromas of spices and incense, and very easily you lose yourself in your very own organic thoughts as a result of their bluesy jazz ambiance music.

I couldn’t really speak to David, the manager, since I arrived during the lunch time rush, but he gave me free rein to hang out and look lost. And from what I saw it is possible to do almost all your household shopping here. They have everything that is as fresh and as natural as the raw earth after the first spring rains.

Everything for Everyone

For junk food junkies they have hotdogs and pizza’s, even pies. If you are a dairy lover – there are milks and cheeses and yogurts. For moms they have organic nappies as well as other environmentally friendly cosmetic products for babies. They have makeup, various skin care products, herbal hair dye, natural soap and shampoo ranges.

They have books, magazines, and an array of other goods such as vitamins, seeds, oils, wines, deserts that actually look good to eat, sweets, chocolates, breads and cakes. If you are lazy to cook there is a selection of frozen homemade meals made with natural ingredients that are ready for the microwave – or you can have a sit down lunch and soak in the increasingly warm sun.

The shopaholic I am! While I was there I picked up their EarthnLove rejuvenating soak and detox bath salts that have rose geranium, grapefruit and rosewood, and, yes, I snatched their organic wine! The great thing about this store is that even if it is rather small – you will most likely find what you need... even pet food!

Celeb Sighting

They even have the odd celeb that comes in! Yes, I bumped into Franco/David Genaro (real name Jamie Bartlett). You know when you meet a ‘celeb’ you completely ignore them cause you do not want to be a silly groupie! Well, I did exactly that. Almost. I gave him a polite smile and then went on with my business. Except a few moments later the darling man came up to me and said ‘are you a chemistry student?’  (Cause I was taking notes for this piece at the Dr Hauschka cosmetic section).

I responded ‘no, I’m a writer, doing a story about beauty without cruelty.’ Ten seconds later he took it upon himself to take me on a tour of the store. He swears by the Olive Leaf Extract that they sell, saying, ‘because in my business I can’t afford to get sick!’

Is it Attainable?

I have one gripe with these stores and companies like Woolies though. I think they are too expensive considering most South Africans are driven to purchase household and grocery items by their economic value more than their origin or even quality.

I understand the nature of business and these shops need to make their bottom line. But the reality is the average Joe would rather not buy a bar of soap for 35 bucks; it is far easier to forgo your environmental duties when we start talking in rands and cents. So maybe what these shops need to start doing is engaging the government and business to subsidise them.

Caring for the environment should not just be for the larny rich housewives. Caring for the environment should be an attainable exercise for everyone. I for one cannot afford to shop at Woolies all the time (Lord knows I would love to). But I will stop using Body Shop products.... Bloody fakers (pun intended)!