The market is filled with plenty of skincare and makeup products that also seem to be the same. Unfortunately, not all products are created equal. Some have more natural formulations, others use sustainably sourced materials, and then some are cruelty-free.
Juice Beauty is a popular skincare and makeup manufacturer that promises organic blends and formulations. But is Juice Beauty cruelty-free? After all, many users of organic products would want to use animal-friendly products, too. Let’s find out if Juice Beauty is one of them! Read here: Makeup trends to try this season
What Is Cruelty-Free?
Many products on the market claim to be cruelty-free. But what does it mean exactly?
Cruelty-free is a term used widely by the animal rights groups. It is a label for either activities or products that neither harm nor kill animals.
Many product makers, particularly skincare manufacturers, conduct their tests on animals as part of their research and development process. These tests are often painful, and, in many cases, cause suffering and even death to millions of animals worldwide.
According to the biggest animal welfare organization, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA, most countries including the United States do not have laws that require testing on animals.
On the other hand, countries like China require animal testing for many products. This means some manufacturers test-torment and kill animals during their research and development to sell to the Chinese market.
The PETA suggests that those who go for cruelty-free goods should refrain from buying from product makers who continue to sell in China.
Why Choose Cruelty-Free Products?
Some do not understand why many product makers opt to be cruelty-free. After all, there are many reasons why one should think about purchasing from companies that do not test on animals.
Healthier Option
Contrary to popular belief, being kind to animals during the production of cosmetic and skincare products is not all about joining the bandwagon or even a marketing gimmick. Many people fail to realize that cruelty-free products are not just about being kind to animals.
Being cruelty-free also means providing healthier options that do not include harmful ingredients such as sulfates, parabens, and synthetic dyes.
Not 100% Effective
Just because products have been tested on animals, does not mean that they are more potent or more effective. In fact, much medical research state that there is no strong evidence that experiments on animals were crucial in obtaining medical advancements.
There have been instances when animal-tested drugs caused so much danger to humans. For example, in the 1950s, the sleeping pill, Thalidomide, caused thousands of infants to be born with serious deformities. Thalidomide was tested on animals before its release to the market.
Similarly, Vioxx, an arthritis medication, was tested to be potent in protecting the hearts of rats, and yet the drug caused tens of thousands of heart attacks on human and even sudden cardiac deaths. The medicine was later pulled out from the market.
Humane Treatment of Animals
Animal welfare groups like PETA advocate against the use of products that test on animals, mainly because animals are inhumanely treated during experiments.
Keep in mind that in testing cosmetics, the animals are restrained. For example, the Draize Test required that the test rabbits’ eyelids were held back for at least three consecutive days during the experiment.
Needless to say, having one’s eyes held back for a long time causes not just discomfort but also suffering to the rabbits. This practice also causes deaths. Imagine using cosmetic products that were produced by causing suffering and deaths from these rabbits!
One also has to consider that not all animal experiments result in a new product’s release. Many animal testing experiments do not even have direct benefits for humans.
Juice Beauty: An Organic Manufacturer of Skincare and Makeup Products
Juice Beauty was founded by Karen Behnke, an entrepreneur who specializes in wellness. Her journey with personal care products started when she was 40 and was pregnant with her first child.
Behnke was experiencing serious hormonal changes in her body given her pregnancy. She then decided to find healthy alternative skincare solutions for her body’s needs and discovered that few personal care products were effective.
In 2004, and after giving birth to two kids, Behnke purchased the name “Juice Beauty” and a year later launched the company. Her vision was to produce natural and organic-formulated personal care goods that are as effective as conventional products.
For five years, the entrepreneur worked closely with physicians, chemists, and microbiologist to find the perfect Juice Beauty formulation. Her goal was to develop products rich in vitamins and antioxidants from organic botanical juice instead of the usually added water and petroleum derivatives.
Currently, Juice Beauty offers makeup and skincare products that are compliant to the USA organic regulations and follow solid eco-values.
Is Juice Beauty Cruelty Free?
Juice Beauty is popular as a manufacturer of organic and vegan skincare and makeup products. But is Juice Beauty cruelty free?
According to founder, Karen Behnke, Juice Beauty does not test on animals as part of its research and development process. Likewise, the company does not participate in markets that require product makers to do animal testing before selling.
Juice Beauty stopped selling in China recently, making it a 100% cruelty-free company. It also stressed that most of its products and ingredients are vegan and sustainably sourced. In fact, only its USDA facial wash and mask, correcting concealer, USDA lip, perfecting foundation, and reflecting gloss and conditioning lip products are non-vegan.
Behnke emphasized that torturing animals to become beautiful is not a good thing to do and that it is better to test on the end users, the humans rather than on animals.
Definitely A Healthier and Animal-Friendly Option
There are many reasons why one should consider purchasing animal cruelty-free products. After all, cosmetics and skincare products that are experimented on animals are not necessarily more effective than those that were not tested on animals.
Fortunately, many manufacturers are animal-friendly in their products including Juice Beauty. Aside from being cruelty-free, Juice Beauty is also organic, and most of its products are also vegan.
