As a makeup lover, it is always hard to see one of your favorite brands choose to test on animals, especially when their mission from the beginning was to be a brand that produces the cruelty-free way. Over the recent years, companies have been striving to become cruelty-free because most consumers have been requesting it. There have been WAY too many videos of makeup companies being exposed for testing on animals. All of these videos show the pain and torture that animals (especially precious bunnies) receive, in order for us to have a perfect blush or foundation. Personally, I have never been able to make it to the end of any of these videos because it is too hard to watch and overall disgusting for any brand to partake in.
Unfortunately, NARS has recently announced that they will be testing on animals because they want to expand their brand to China. China will not let any products hit their markets unless they are tested on animals before consumers get their hands on it. NARS decided to choose profit over their mission statement from the very beginning. I can’t even fathom why any huge makeup company would choose to put down their own morals and test on animals. At one point, NARS was all about promoting their vegan products and even prided themselves on providing safe products. Those videos of animals being tortured and tested on for the purpose of makeup is unsettling and extremely disturbing. It has turned me, and hundreds of other people, away from purchasing makeup from brands that do test on animals. China has been in the news for multiple occasions regarding violation of human rights and it is not shocking to hear that they expect this from a brand that wants to sell in their country.
After the news got out to the public that NARS was going to be testing on animals, they released a statement that clarified what their intention was. They tried to sugarcoat it and allow people to understand their expansion purposes in China, but they still put down their own morals for money. They did mention that this is not an action that wanted to be done, but in order for them to expand it is necessary. NARS, you are a huge company and had every right to disagree to the terms and conditions that China had laid out for you and go another direction with it. One simple Instagram post will not change the fact that you will be testing animals and losing hundreds of customers from it. Since they have posted that statement, their Instagram comments have been flooding with hashtags, such as “#StopAnimalTesting and #BoycottNarsCasmetics”.
I have so many products from NARS and I cannot begin to tell you how obsessed I am with them. Their concealer is a product that I can never the house with and their bronzer is absolutely stunning on any skin type. I would constantly praise this brand to my friends and encourage them to look into their products because not only did they work, but they did not need to test on animals to receive their success. This issue bothers me more than makeup companies that have started their business off constantly testing on animals. These other companies started their business off that way and were not willing to change, but how is morally right to willingly test on animals just to gain more money?
Sorry NARS, your makeup just isn’t worth the lives of innocent animals.