Friday evenings are a special time for me, not because every student at Dickinson gets sloppy drunk and acts belligerent, but because my girlfriends and I pile into my room to do our makeup together, painting beautiful portraits to satisfy our own eyes. My dearest friend uses Bobbi Brown exclusively, unknowing of the abuses suffered for her lips to become that beautiful pouty maroon. In the bathroom, I glance at the girl powdering her face. Her MAC compact haunts the back of my mind, because I know that product has been the death of a defenseless creature. During restroom-chats where I typically say “that brand tests on animals, maybe you should try this,” most people shrug their shoulders as to say “I don’t care, I look good.” But I question where human morality lies when we begin to place aesthetic value more highly than the lives of other living creatures. Don’t get me wrong, I love my matte liquid lipsticks and thick, bold eyeliner, but should animals be tortured for me to achieve this level of humanistic satisfaction?

Some continue to use products tested on animals simply because they are blind to how harsh the industry truly is. While some may think animal-testing is cute bunnies wearing Mac’s Ruby Woo, it is far less glamorous. To be much less drawn-out and gory than I certainly would like to be, some examples of tests performed include forcing chemicals into rabbit’s eyes to see how long it takes to burn their corneas, force-feeding rats substances to see how their bodies react, and applying chemicals to shaved guinea pigs to see what kind of reaction it has with their flesh. While there is a negative stigma surrounding rats and mice, marking them as “lab animals,” this is not to say that kittens, dogs, and monkeys are never tested upon.

When I made the decision to switch my cosmetics collection to cruelty-free, my biggest question was: since the products are not tested on animals, how are they tested and how do I know they are safe for me to use? In considering the nature of animal testing, this method of testing products is actually inaccurate due to intrinsic differences between humans and animals, and thus their reactions to the different products. Therefore, human products should be tested on human-like substances. Luckily, we are a scientifically advanced species, therefore we have developed cell-based tissue models that provide much better research than live animals. The Humane Society claims that there are over 50 different models in existence, which are both more accurate and more cost-effective than animal testing. While one may not much care about the well-being of animals, consider being cruelty-free as “getting more bang for your buck.” In comparing drugstore brands, Elf and Nyx are far cheaper and, in my experience, far better quality than Maybelline and Covergirl. And in terms of high-end products, Estee Lauder is much pricier than Urban Decay and Too Faced, which are, in my opinion, the two best brands on the market.

I now extend a challenge, dear reader. I challenge you to dig through your cosmetics – boys, this includes you, as deodorant and shower supplies fall under this term and Axe loves to test on our cuddly critters- and just see what brands you have been using. Perhaps take a few minutes to Google the brand and find out if it is cruelty-free, and maybe try to find information regarding the nature of the labs used. In writing this, I understand that completely swapping your everyday products for different products is hard – but educating yourself is the first step to making a difference, and I challenge you to do this not for the invisible voice you hear nagging you as you read this, but for the animals who are suffering for your contour to remain on point, or for your hair to do that thing you like.