Does Revlon Animal Test?

Revlon is a major drug store brand that is commonly considered a cruelty free item. Before I began this blog I purposely bought some of products and then the next day read that they weren't completely cruelty free, I believe because their ingredient suppliers did animal test. So, I emailed the company to get to the bottom of all this.

July 22, 2011

Thank you for your recent comments from the Revlon website and for voicing your concern to us.

Revlon is in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations related to animal testing. All ingredients used by Revlon and all products manufactured and sold by Revlon comply with both U.S. and European Union laws and regulations, including full compliance with all Europe-wide bans on testing of cosmetics and cosmetics ingredients using animals, which are part of the European Cosmetics Directive.

Revlon has long been an industry leader in the elimination of animal testing. In 1986, Revlon was the first beauty products manufacturer to close down its animal testing facilities completely. In addition, Revlon holds its suppliers of ingredients and components to the same standards. All chemical supplier purchase orders require confirmation by the supplier that it does not perform animal testing on materials supplied.

To assure product safety, Revlon relies on the judgment of pharmacologic, toxicologic and medical experts, non-animal alternative test methods and the established safety of formulations and ingredients. Revlon is committed to providing safe and effective products and will continue to comply with all government laws and regulations necessary to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of its products.

Thank you for your interest in our company. If we can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to let us know.

So, sounds pretty good to me. The only thing I'm confused about is the "European wide bans." I've been receiving all kinds of emails lately asking for me to sign petitions ensuring that the European wide ban on animal testing goes through. Based on information on the European Commission website here and my recent emails, it seems that steps to phase out animal testing to varying extents have been in practice since 2004. The deadline for finding alternative testing methods to replace all animal testing is in 2013. Therefore Revlon could be complying with the European animal testing ban and still be animal testing.

In fact, there are suddenly a lot of issues being raised about this 2013 timeline can be met, and it seems if enough alternative tests are not "developed and validated before March 2013" testing will still continue.

You're probably wondering why I'm acting all weird with Revlon when the email seems to clear them, right? Hopefully you have already read my post on the Leaping Bunny program to the right under July 2011. Leaping Bunny uses third party auditors to check up on companies to verify that they adhere to the animal testing guidelines they tell us they are using. Any company can be put on the Leaping Bunny list for FREE. Leaping Bunny has a page on their website (here) asking people to contact Revlon and insist on them taking the pledge, since they already declare that they are already cruelty free and not only that but practicly a pioneer for animal rights. It isn't explicitly said anywhere, but it seems Leaping Bunny has been trying to get Revlon on their list for a while.

Regarding why a company may not want to join the program and take the pledge, the Leaping Bunny website states:

"Some companies choose not to join the Leaping Bunny Program because they continue to conduct or commission animal testing for their ingredients or formulations, or they wish to reserve the right to test on animals in the future. Other companies simply may not realize the importance of joining the program to demonstrate their commitment against the use of animals in product testing."

Overall, I feel as if I need to exercise caution in regards to Revlon. If the email is enough for you that is fine; it would have been enough for me if I hadn't seen the page on leapingbunny.org. Something about this seems not right to me so I'm going to stear clear of their products until I find a definitive answer.

As far as subsidiaries are concerned, I have only been able to find Mirage Cosmetics which Revlon purchased in March of this year.

UPDATE:

I just found this article on uncaged.co.uk regrading EU laws regarding animal testing. There are no photographs but some of the descriptions are graphic regarding how animals can be treated in labratories. This is a change trying to be pushed through as of September 2011. If this is legal in the UK, which is a EU country, I'm confused what it not allowed under EU law.