Today, consumers are more aware of environmental and animal causes. Thanks to collective awareness, the suffering and destruction of the planet have become central concerns that influence purchasing decisions. The labels affixed to beauty products are therefore increasingly important, in particular the mentions “organic cosmetics”, “vegan ” or “cruelty-free ”. NUOO looks below at the notion of “cruelty-free”, which is one of the pillars of its philosophy, and reveals to you what is really behind this expression.
From English, the term "cruelty-free" could be translated into French as "without cruelty". When used to describe a cosmetic treatment, “cruelty-free” indicates that the product has not been tested on an animal . Thus, by buying a “cruelty-free” cream or facial treatment, you ensure that no animal has been mistreated during the product testing stages.
To be cruelty-free, a cosmetic must meet three conditions:
Over the past decades, European law has greatly evolved to include more dignity and respect for animals. In Europe, several regulations have gradually made it possible to protect our furry companions.
Since 2004, finished products can no longer be tested on animals, and since 2009, this rule has been extended to each of the ingredients making up a treatment. As a result, in 2013, Europe banned all hair and body products that still tested on animals. But beware, this regulation only applies to European countries. Indeed, 80% of countries in the world can still manufacture products tested on animals, for lack of strict legislation on the subject. Hence the usefulness of labels and certifications, which guarantee the absence of animal abuse in the manufacture of a treatment.
In the future, the United Nations and the UN could decide on a global ban on animal testing in cosmetics. But in the meantime, when choosing cosmetics, common sense and caution must be in order!
Nuoo takes care to only collaborate with brands that position themselves against animal testing . Thus, on our site and in our monthly boxes, you will only find products not tested on animals. From our shampoos to our makeup removers, our lipsticks and our cleansers, whether they are French or not, none of them use animal testing. As a general rule, there are labels that help you ensure that a treatment is not tested on animals. Here are a few:
When you are unsure of the manufacturing conditions of a product, these labels direct you towards cosmetics that respect animal conditions.
In cosmetology, the notions of “cruelty free”, “vegan” and “organic” are sometimes confused. Back on what is hidden behind each of these expressions, and what differentiates them.
If “cruelty-free” and “vegan” both refer to the animal condition, they are not synonymous with it. A “cruelty-free” cosmetic is a product that does not carry out animal testing to verify its harmlessness. This concerns the finished product, but also its ingredients. A “vegan” cosmetic is a treatment that does not contain ingredients of animal origin. Being vegan does not directly affect testing conditions. For example, a care not tested on animals could contain honey or keratin, which would make it non-vegan, but cruelty-free.
Know that in Europe, an organic cosmetic is necessarily cruelty-free. Indeed, one of the conditions for obtaining organic certification is not to be tested on animals. In addition, an organic cosmetic must:
To sum up, a certified organic cosmetic is necessarily cruelty-free, but a cruelty-free cosmetic is not always organic. In addition, an organic cosmetic is often vegan, but not always, because organic allows certain ingredients of natural origin that involve animals, such as honey. Finally, a cosmetic can also be called “zero waste”, which will have to do with its packaging and its environmental impact.
At Nuoo, we only work with brands that share our values and are in accordance with our charter. We only offer you cosmetic lines that contain natural ingredients and refuse that animal suffering is part of their product process
