My Recent Communications with Lancome and PETA

Lately I've become more keenly aware of animal cruelty and have been trying to make a difference through my buying power.  I've stopped buying all meat, dairy, and egg products unless they are clearly free-range & pasture finished.


While researching how to find animal products that are acceptable to me, I came across a lot of other commodities that cruelly affect animals by testing on them for safety.


I instantly wondered about my favorite cosmetic line, Lancome, and hoped they would be on the PETA "DOES NOT TEST" list.  Alas, I was disappointed to discover that they were on the "DO TEST" list!  What would I do without my favorite skincare product, "Genifique," which I fondly refer to as my secret liquid gold?!?!?


After a large amount of internet searching, I couldn't find any definitive reasons why Lancome is on the "DO TEST" list, or any information about how or what they test on animals.  Everything I was reading though was saying that they DO test though, so I knew I had to make a difficult choice.


I called up my favorite Lancome representative.  She is this super posh, Russian woman, we'll call her G.  I told G I needed to cancel my latest order before she put the credit card through and that I could no longer buy Lancome products until they publicly took an oath not to test on animals anymore.  G was shocked and swore up and down that they have not tested on animals for over 20 years!  She told me to check the Lancome website and call 1-800-Lancome for more information & to get the proof I need.  I told her to wait on canceling my order while I followed up.


Here is the transcript from the email that Lancome sent me after I called them:

September 13, 2011


The safety of our consumers is our highest priority at Lancôme, a division of L'Oréal USA, Inc. Our products and ingredients undergo extensive screening so that consumers may purchase and use our products with complete confidence.
L'Oréal is a leader in developing alternative methods to animal testing with the ultimate goal of eliminating all animal testing completely. In 1989, L'Oréal voluntarily stopped using animal testing for the evaluation of its entire range of finished products. The company has invested $800 million over the last 25 years to develop innovative, alternative methods to animal testing, particularly in the area of reconstructed tissue development. We are totally committed to a future without tests on animals.
To learn more about L'Oréal's work in the area of alternative methods to animal testing, please visit our Sustainability website at http://sustainabledevelopment09.loreal.com/innovation/in-close-up-alternative-methods.asp.
We appreciate your interest in Lancôme and we hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,Francesca SardiConsumer Affairs AdvisorRef # 6217727 

I found this a little bit confusing, given the fact that they are listed on PETA's website as a company that does perform animal testing.  So, I emailed PETA to ask why Lancome is on the list.  Here was their very prompt response:

September 14, 2011 

Dear Ms. Hutchings,

Thank you for your compassion for animals and for contacting PETA about Lancome, which is a subsidiary of L’Oréal. Unfortunately, L’Oréal is not as forthcoming as it should be about what exactly it does or does not do regarding animal testing.

L’Oréal claims on its website that it “has not tested its finished products on animals since 1989.” This statement has two loopholes. The first is that the testing policy outlined in the company’s most recently available annual report adds: “except in the case where national legislation requires it. This is the case in certain countries where L’Oréal operates and in those locations regulations require using animals before substances can be registered for commercial use.” The second is that the statement very pointedly omits any mention of ingredient testing. While European law forbids testing cosmetics products or ingredients on animals, companies are free to conduct some tests on animals outside the European Union until 2013. In 2008, L’Oréal stated, “[S]afety tests on animals are absolutely necessary and compulsory for some ingredients,” and it has not retracted this statement. In a 2010 Associated Press article (http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/01/14/technology-aims-to-replace-animal-testing), it was reported that L’Oréal does use animals for skin allergen tests: “Like other companies in the cosmetics industry, L’Oréal is racing to develop alternatives for testing wrinkle creams and lipstick to comply with European Union laws. Regulators there have ordered companies to phase out animal skin testing by 2013. L’Oréal has decreased its use of animal testing over the years, but still relies on the technique to test certain new chemicals.”

Some companies choose to use, develop, or manufacture certain kinds of ingredients that numerous progressive, humane cosmetics companies are able to function perfectly well without, and L’Oréal has argued that these ingredients must be tested on animals. But as L’Oréal could also choose not to use these ingredients, any testing of ingredients that is conducted, commissioned, or otherwise supported by L’Oréal is voluntary. This is indefensible, particularly as more than 1,000 cosmetics and household-product companies have already pledged not to test on animals.

However, we also recognize that L’Oréal has made significant contributions to the development of non-animal methods. Notably, L’Oréal is now funding the development of the Hμrel biochip, for which Hμrel Corporation was recognized with a PETA U.S. Proggy Award (http://www.PETA.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2010/01/14/Hurel-Wins-Proggy-for-Groundbreaking-NonAnimal-Testing-Method.aspx). L’Oréal also launched EverPure, a line of vegan and cruelty-free products (http://www.PETA.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/Ever-Pure-The-Vegan-Line-by-LOreal.aspx).

We would like to see L’Oréal state unequivocally that no tests on animals are conducted for any purpose, or if they are conducted, where and when testing on animals occurs and for what purposes. Please encourage L’Oréal to be forthcoming about its testing practices and policies and to clarify this issue publicly. Your voice as a consumer makes a huge difference for animals.

PETA will continue to work with L’Oréal to encourage it to end the use of animals for all product testing. Please contact L’Oréal’s CEO and encourage him to commit to a completely cruelty-free policy and to permanently ban all tests on animals.

Please send polite comments to:

Frederic Roze

President and CEO

L’Oréal USA, Inc.

575 Fifth Ave.

New York, NY 10017

212-818-1500

212-984-5019 (fax)

froze@us.loreal.com

You can also submit comments using the form at http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#/#/?page=top{userdata//d+d//|diagnostic|main:contact|media:_blank|nav|overlay:_blank}.

For a complete list of L’Oréal subsidiaries, please go to http://www.loreal.com/_en/_ww/brands-l-oreal.aspx. For letter-writing tips, seehttp://www.PETA.org/action/activism-guide/letter-writing.aspx, and for more information about ways to help animals in laboratories, please visithttp://www.PETA.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/default.aspx  and http://www.PETA.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/default.aspx.

To get involved in PETA’s other campaigns, please see http://www.PETA.org/action/default.aspx. To make a donation in support of PETA’s campaigns to stop cruelty to animals, please visit http://www.PETA.org/donate.

Thank you for caring and for everything that you do to help animals!

Sincerely,

The PETA Staff

http://www.PETA.org

So, what was my final decision on my favorite product in my favorite cosmetics line?  Alas, it didn't matter because I didn't have time to complete the cancellation because while I was waiting to hear back from these companies, my previously arranged order was processed, so I guess I better go pick up my liquid gold tonight...since I paid for it and all.


In the future, well, let's just say that I think this will be my last bottle until 2013 when I can be confident that none of the brands that Lancome is affiliated with test any portion of their products or ingredients on animals.


What do you say Clinique, do you want me back? I know it's been about 10 years since I was a faithful customer, but I never stopped loving you and right now I'm really digging your upfront and honest animal cruelty-free ways...