A few weeks
back, I touched on the subject of Cruelty Free (CF) Cosmetics, and
how NARS decided to ditch their animal friendly stance to enter the
Chinese market. I learned a few things after speaking with Jenny
Frankel, co-founder of NUDESTIX, over DM. She gave me the information
I wanted to communicate.
NUDESTIX are
a Cruelty Free brand based in Toronto, Canada. Their products are
sold exclusively in Sephora stores in Australia, and I met the team
when I attended the Sephora Exclusive Brands Showcase last year. I
have not been to subsequent events, but the whole conversation
started there in 2016 when Super-Mum and Entrepreneur, Jenny and I
were talking about animal testing and the Chinese market.
.
AN APOLOGY
First and
foremost, I had little realized that my stance on using only CF
cosmetics came from a place of privilege, living in a Western society
where animal testing for cosmetics isn't yet banned, but just
generally, not practiced for cosmetics and personal care products.
China's political situation is based on what I understand to be a
communist and authoritarian leaning government that allows for
national and capital interests, only for a select few. I'm not an
expert in politics, so take that with a grain of salt. Being able to
talk about that in the way I am, shows my position of not living
under this kind of ruling.
Regardless of
why the Chinese government implemented such laws is beyond my
comprehension, however, the regulatory bodies and internal “hush
hush, confidential” attitude of the residual totalitarian ruling
may have something to do with it.
.
THE LOOPHOLE
I posted a link
to the story covered by Business Wire on how NUDESTIX is
maintaining their CF status while selling to the Chinese market. They
basically collaborated with their European manufacturer that have manufacturing based on the mainland. Being owned by EU parent companies, strict quality and manufacturing standards are followed such that local manufacturing in China comes at a premium pricing (10% higher than EU). All employees are paid the equivalent of their
European counterparts.
Non-special, locally manufactured cosmetic products in Chinese facilities located in cities/provinces that are exempt from pre-market animal testing, for sale in local retail stores, are not required to submit or commission any government based testing, but alternative data is accepted. NUDESTIX were able to submit in-vitro safety data to the authorities.
So far, the pre-market laws only apply to imported cosmetics; and
that also includes the post-market testing that some of us were
worried about. There are currently no laws stating that locally made
products are to be randomly tested by authorities.
And this is how
you do retail commerce in China, without sacrificing CF status. It's
very costly, but the investment seemed to be worth it for NUDESTIX,
there's just not much to say for the investments of brands importing
their goods. They simply pay lip service and leave it at that.
.
CHINA'S
ATTITUDE TO ANIMAL TESTING
Jenny informed
me of some observations behind the average millennial living in urban
areas of China; most aren't aware that it is happening.
When NUDESTIX
launched in retail, they observed that the clients, staff and MUAs were not aware of the fact that
their imported cosmetics were being tested before they hit the
shelves. They had not agreed with the law, they were just oblivious
because this information wasn't freely available or discussed.
The NUDESTIX
model is hoping to change the attitudes from the consumer perspective
by educating and offering CF options to a market saturated with imports that
aren't cruelty free, in the hopes that consumer voices and purposeful
boycotts may influence change.
.
WHAT CAN YOU
DO TO HELP CHANGE THIS?
Hound the hell
out of companies that are selling in China, tell them that there are
ways of getting around these laws, they'll just have to invest a few
extra dollars and time. Give them your feedback, and hopefully with a mass of
people saying “WE WANT OUR COSMETICS TO NOT BE TESTED ON ANIMALS”,
maybe reform may come. The alternatives are there and are accepted as
sufficient safety data in other East and South East Asian countries.
Be proactive on the issue, and never shut up when the “except where
required by law” rhetoric comes up.
Buy all those
CF brands hiding under the umbrellas of non-CF parent companies. Tell
them that you want change, not excuses. Show us what kind of work is
happening with the authorities in charge of regulating this business.
This goes for
beauty media and brands alike – don't simply do it out of
convenience or campaigns, make it an everyday conversation.
.
The Body
Shop currently has a campaign running to end animal testing. You can
sign the petition here.
READ THE ORIGINAL POST ON THE TOPIC HERE.
This post is presented as a non-sponsored knowledge and communications piece. For more information, please read my Disclosure Policy.
READ THE ORIGINAL POST ON THE TOPIC HERE.
This post is presented as a non-sponsored knowledge and communications piece. For more information, please read my Disclosure Policy.
But locally manufactured cosmetics can go through post market testing by the province and nudestix will not be informed it has happened.
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