by Trish Austin

Created on: February 15, 2009   Last Updated: March 30, 2010

First, it is immoral to test cosmetics on animals because  it is cruel and inhumane. Has shampoo ever dripped into your eye? Unless, you are using a shampoo with no chemicals added, it burns horribly. You have to flush your eye with water for a minute or longer to make the pain stop. Now, what about a rabbit, who day in and day out is subjected to what equates to "shampoo in the eye" over and over again. But, the purpose is to see how far a chemical can get in the rabbit's eye before it causes permanent damage. Animals feel pain. They have pain receptors just like humans. What a horrible existence? A life that knows only suffering and pain. None of God's creatures should live only for suffering. Especially, when it comes down to why they are suffering. The pain inflicted on them is for superficial purposes. Make up is not a cure for cancer. Make up is one of the superficial non essentials in our lives

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Next, why should a cosmetics company get away with these despicable acts towards animals? Just because they have money? What if an individual had rabbits. And this person continuously tortured them. A number of animal rights agencies could be called and the animals would be taken from the person.The one individual who gets his or her rabbits taken away has only hurt a minimal number of rabbits. The cosmetic company, on the other hand, has injured and killed thousands upon thousands of animals over the years. Both scenarios are morally wrong. But, using a utilitarian approach, the makeup industry has done more harm than the one individual. However, the cosmetic company is allowed to treat animals with brutality on a daily basis.

Next, testing cosmetics on animals is not necessary. The companies perform these tests out of greed and out of fear. Greed, because they want to come out with new products that work better than their competitors and  are less expensive to manufacture. Therefore, they animal test so they can make more money. However, if this new formulation injures a person. For instance, if it causes a person to go blind. The data collected in the animal research can be used to prove that the company did all that they could to prevent this tragedy. In addition, they use the data to show that the person is flawed. The person is not normal. Or the person must have misused the product. The data proves it. For example, the cosmetic company presents in court, only 1 in 1,000 rabbits went blind. So, this person must have been using the product as not intended or they did not read the instructions etc.. The cosmetic company's lawyers come up with many arguments using animal testing as one of their defense tactics. When, there are so many cosmetic ingredients being used today that are known not to cause harm. Or the harm is known to be minimal. But, still some cosmetics companies choose to animal test.

Clearly, testing cosmetics on animals is morally wrong. When alternatives exists that make animal testing obsolete. Using animals for the purpose of torture. How could that ever be morally right?

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