Eva Mendes is not only beautiful but, it seems, has a soft spot for animals. Proof? Her new PETA-approved cruelty-free makeup line.
Eva Mendes has followed in the footsteps of other animal friendly celebs and come out with a new cruelty-free cosmetics line called CIRCA. Drew Barrymore and Honest Company founder, Jessica Alba, have gone the cruelty-free route too with cosmetics and personal care products that have not undergone animal testing. CIRCA is available at Walgreen’s and Drugstore.com, and included in PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies guide, a searchable database for brands that do not test on animals.
The PETA guide is one of the most reliable ways to search cruelty-free products. To make PETA’s list products must be free from animal testing, and this includes ingredients, suppliers, and formulations. Not just the finished product. Because there are no set laws in the U.S. on cruelty-free labeling it can be difficult to know if a product went through animal testing at any point in the manufacturing process.
Animal testing is big business. More than 100 million animals suffer and die due to animal testing each year. Some of the tests are in the name of medicine and food. But many are for cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients. Poisoning, blinding, burning, toxic inhalation all for a new lipstick or perfume? Horrible and completely unnecessary.
Most cosmetic brands committed to toxin-free ingredients also go cruelty-free. Look for the Leaping Bunny logo or read the brand commitment page to see if they use animal testing or source ingredients that have been used in animal testing.
Keep in mind, cruelty free does not equal nontoxic. CIRCA contains several ingredients that should be avoided if you are looking to stay toxin-free. The best way to ensure the products you buy are safe is to read the labels.
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Image of Eva Mendes via Shutterstock