THE global brand The Body Shop recentlylaunched its #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting campaign in the Philippines at the Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall. The event also introduced the brand’s campaign ambassadors, who are also avowed animal lovers: model Vanessa Matsunaga, ABS-CBN artists Michelle Vito and Fifth Solomon, host Janeena Chan and racing driver Marlon Stockinger.
The Body Shop, the iconic global brand that was first to fight against animal testing in cosmetics, hopes to get 8 million signatures to present to the UN General Assembly in 2018. Mallgoers joined the celebrities and members of the media in signing up for a good cause.
Other celebrities who have posted support for the campaign include model Bar Rafaeli; actor Adrian Grnier, and Nykhor, the former face of Louis Vuitton.
Over the last three decades, The Body Shop has worked with its campaign partner Cruelty Free International, and their collective efforts helped lead to a European Union (EU) ban in 2013. However, 80 percent of countries around the world still allow animal testing, and they want to end this practice everywhere and forever.
It will be remembered that in 1989, The Body Shop started campaigning to end animal testing in cosmetics, the first global cosmetics company to do so. Following its sustained campaign, the UK government banned animal testing of cosmetic products and ingredients in 1998.
In 2003 campaigning by The Body Shop and BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, now Cruelty Free International) contributed to an EU ban in animal testing of cosmetic products, which was implemented in 2009.
The Body Shop celebrated history in 2013, when the EU ban was completed with the prohibition of the sale and import of animal-tested products and ingredients. Its campaign with Cruelty Free International collected 1 million signatures across the world as South Korea, New Zealand and India now have a variety of bans in place.
Australia is set to follow with a ban promised by July 2017, as is Taiwan in 2019. Cruelty Free International scientists in Vietnam are now discussing with Thailand and other governments the possibility of a ban across the Asean.
But how does The Body Shop test its products? It uses three main testing methods involving computer data, laboratory created tissues, and people.
Its NSilico (computer-based analysis) uses readily available, existing data which will have it assess the suitability of similar materials through a process of extrapolation of this information.
Laboratory-produced EpiSkin (created by L’Oreal) is grown from human skin cells, allowing The Body Shop to conduct safety checks on cells that react virtually the same as human skin without harming any people or animals.
Finally, to insure good tolerance on people, The Body Shop often tests its products using patch testing, which involves placing a very small amount of product on a person’s skin to ensure that it is safe and effective. It also carries out controlled user trials.
Join the #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting (#FAAT) campaign by supporting animal testing-free beauty products and signing the petition at The Body Shop stores and online.