Icky Institutions: Estee Lauder is a let-down

Hi all:

So after posting a few Estee Lauder products on here, having believed for a while now that they were pioneers in the anti-animal testing force, I found out that they, like other big cosmetics giants, are just as bad as their peers. On the Estee Lauder official website it reads:

Animal Testing

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is committed to the elimination of animal testing. We are equally committed to consumer health and safety, and bringing to market products that comply with applicable regulations in every country in which our products are sold. We do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients, nor ask others to test on our behalf, except when required by law. We evaluate our finished products in clinical tests on volunteer panels.
The Estée Lauder Companies fully supports the development and global acceptance of non-animal testing alternatives. To this end, the Company works extensively with the industry at large and the global scientific community to research and fund these alternatives.


For this reason, the Estee Lauder and Estee Lauder owned (see below for full list of Estee Lauder brands) products that were posted on this site will be removed shortly. Please join in expressing your disdain for this behaviour to Estee Lauder by emailing them from their website.

You don't have to be cruel to be kind,

GiGi

Estee Lauder brands:
American Beauty
Aramis
AVeda
Bobbi Brown
Bumble and Bumble
Clinique
Coach
Daisy Fuentes
Darphin
Donna Karan
Estee Lauder
Flirt!
Good Skin
Grassroots
Jo Malone
Lab Series
La Mer
Kiton
MAC Cosmetics
Michael Kors
Missoni
Ojon
Origins
Prescriptives
Sean John
Tommy Hilfiger
Tom Ford Beauty

Guiltless Goodies: Guiltless gifts for the holiday season!

Hi all!

It's been a while since I last editorialized on the reasons I am doing this blog, so I thought I'd preface this post with a reminder about my motivations. Please bear with me, it's an important message that I will restrain from repeating too often but it is, I feel, worth a read as a reminder from time to time.

It is important to have a conscience. Especially in today's world, which is often corrupt and capitalist.

Companies like to make money; the bottom line is that they are entirely focused on their bottom line. Sadly, in order to meet their financial goals, many of them look for the cheap way out - not caring who or what they hurt in the process. There are all kinds of problems that have emerged because of this competitive attitude: sweat shops, fur farms and child labour are just a few. The cruelties of the leather and fur industries, the realities of poorly-regulated animal testing that still takes place in overcrowded laboratories - it is overwhelming and can make any consumer feel disturbed and powerless. However, if the companies' concern is their bottom line, that is something that everyone, as a consumer, can impact.

Major designers such as Max Azria (owner of the BCBG group) and Stella McCartney (whose line is vegan, meaning fur- and leather-free) have taken stances against the use of fur in the fashion industry. Brands such as Almay and Origins boast natural, often organic and always cruelty-free products at drugstore prices. Cosmetics giant Revlon has trumped its competitors - L'Oreal and Maybelline among them - by banning animal testing in the production of its products.

For guilt-free purchases this holiday season, below is a list of festive products that would make an ideal gift for anyone and everyone. Using purchasing power for good will ensure everybody wins – including the animals.

You don't have to be cruel to be kind,

GiGi

A COSY KNIT SWEATER:

Expensive Elegance: Stella McCartney’s wool cashmere ladder knit V-neck sweater, $825, StellaMcCartney.com (shown here in round-neck version)

Ideal Investment: BCBGMAXAZRIA’s cable-knit long cardigan, $198, BCBG.com

Bargain Buy: Old Navy’s women’s cable-knit V-neck hoodies, $34.50, OldNavy.com

AN EYE-CATCHING CLUTCH:

Expensive Elegance: Matt and Nat’s Kogan clutch, $150 (Canadian), mattandnat.ca

Ideal Investment: Bebe’s satin bow clutch, $59, bebe.com

Bargain Buy: Charlotte Russe’s studded chain clutch, $16.99, CharlotteRusse.com

THE ULTIMATE PAIR OF PARTY SHOES:

Expensive Elegance: Mink Shoes’ Bull pump, $355, minkshoes.com

Ideal Investment: Charmoné’s Cinnamon – Black shoes, $179, charmone.com

Bargain Buy: Payless ShoeSource’s Miss Puerto Rico by Payless Divina sandal, $34.99, Payless.com

A RED LIPSTICK FOR ALL:

Expensive Elegance: Estee Lauder lipstick removed after more research discovered the company partakes in animal testing

Ideal Investment: Too Faced Cosmetics’ Drop Dead Red lipstick, $18, TooFaced.com

(Too Faced's Lip of Luxury lipsticks)

(Drop Dead Red)

Bargain Buy: Revlon Colorstay soft & smooth lipcolor in Red Velvet, $9.99, Revlon.com

HIGH-SHINE NAIL POLISH:

Expensive Elegance: OPI’s Designer Series DS Reflection, $12.50, OPI.com

Ideal Investment: Sally Hansen item removed (the company is owned by Coty, Inc. which does animal testing)

Bargain Buy: Avon’s Nailwear pro nail enamel in Ruby Slipper, $5.99, Avon.com 

Beauty Buys: InStyle's Lash Guide to mascaras

Hi all:

Three of the five mascaras InStyle recommended are safe for cruelty-free buying and I have featured them below, along with the blurb InStyle used to explain their picks in the October 2009 issue of the magazine. Get glamorous lashes sans guilt!

You don't have to be cruel to be kind,

GiGi

Best for pale lashes
Estée Lauder item removed because it tests on animals

Best for sparse lashes

Revlon Double Twist mascara, $9, drugstores and revlon.com

How it works: Plastic spokes and nylon bristles deposit a thickening formula onto every lash.

We say: After we nailed the technique - you have to twirl the wand to get separation - our lashes were gorgeous and gunk-free.

Best for stiff lashes

Bobbi Brown item removed, as it is owned by Estee Lauder, which tests on animals

Guiltless Goodies: FITNESS award winners - the 'safe' products

Read full feature at www.fitnessmagazine.com


Hi all!

Here are the details of the products that passed GiGi's safety test!

You don't have to be cruel to be kind,

GiGi

Face Finds:
BEST SERUM - Estee Lauder item removed because company tests on animals.

BEST MOISTURIZER - Philosophy Divine Illumination, $85, qvc.com - This antiager contains light-reflecting mica for instant radiance. "It gave a dewy glow without too much shine," says Judi Roode of Wrentham, Massachusetts. Over time, ingredients like niacinamide work to wipe out wrinkles.

BEST MAKEUP REMOVER - Wet N Wild Eye Makeup Remover, $1.99, drugstores - Oil-free and enriched with aloe vera, this gentle formula whisks away waterproof mascara from lids and lashes. Bonus: "I love that it comes in a small, easy-to-pack bottle," says Abigail Oesterling of Butler, Pennsylvania.

Complexion Correctors:
BEST PORE MINIMIZER - Boscia Skin Perfecting Primer, $28, sephora.com - Pores look larger when they're filled with oil, which temporarily stretches them. This gel is made with peppermint and vitamin B5, which absorb sebum, leaving a "matte surface that lasted all day," says Cassandra TenBrink of Goodrich, Michigan.

BEST MASK - Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask, $35, clarins.com - Hyaluronic acid helps prevent moisture loss, restoring your glow, while sorbier, a tree-bud extract, boosts circulation, helping sun-damaged skin look even more vibrant. It can even bolster your budget: "It softened my skin so much, I was able to use less night cream and save money," says Izabela Szabo of Chicago.

BEST SKIN REFRESHER - HydroPeptide Polish and Plump Peel, $68, hydropeptide.com - In this two-step treatment, peptides reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while lactic acid and vitamin C whisk away dullness. "It left my skin smoother and visibly brighter," says Susan Payment of Colorado Springs.

Best Base:
BEST NAIL POLISH - Essie Spring 2009 Color Collection, $8 per bottle, essie.com - Finally - a one-minute manicure. These shades looked perfect with just one quick coat. "My usual polishes chip within days," says Andrea Woodward of Omaha. "This one lasted nearly a week."

BEST EYE DEFINER - N.Y.C. New York Color Metro Quartet, $3.99, drugstores - This smart eye quad, smaller than a credit card, clears up the what-goes-where confusion. The four long-lasting powders - designed for lids, creases, brow bones and lash lines - "come with how-to-apply instructions, making them oops-proof," Warren says.

BEST BLUSH - Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Blush & Highlighter, $11.95, drugstores - This palette works several ways. Blend the five waves of color for a sun-kissed glow. Or "use them separately as highlighter or even an eye shadow," says Alina Yakovenko of Vancouver, Washington.

Body and Sun Standouts:
BEST CLEANSER - Nivea item removed as Nivea is owned by Beiersdorf, who do test on animals.

BEST FOOT FIXER - Sephora Super Foot Scrub, $22, sephora.com - Get silky spa-pedicure soles at home. The sugar scrub, paired with its brushlike applicator, makes it a cinch to slough off dead, dry skin from heels and toes. "It's instant callus control in a bottle," says Daphne LaSalle of Altus, Oklahoma.

BEST EVERYDAY FACE PROTECTOR - Murad Oil Control Mattifier SPF 15, $39.50, murad.com - This broad-spectrum UVA/UVB shield is infused with willow-bark and argan extracts, which reduce oil production all day. Plus, "it's a great primer for makeup," says Caitlyn Beacham of Oklahoma City.

BEST SCRUB - C.O. Bigelow Lemon & Pomegranate Body Scrub, $15, bathandbodyworks.com - Skin-brightening lemon extract and pomegranate, a super-antioxidant, join forces in this cream exfoliator, which "leaves skin looking radiant from neck to toe," says dermatologist tester Hema Sundaram, M.D.

Hair Helpers:
BEST SHAMPOO - Nexxus Dualiste Color Protection + Volume Shampoo, $11.99, nexxus.com for info - This wash coats hair with shine-inducing ginseng and flaxseed oil. And its hydrophobic formula prevents water from sinking into the shaft and washing away dye. "It also removed all traces of styling product," says Caron Gross of Hagerstown, Maryland.

Workout Bag Winners:
BEST PALETTE - Smashbox Cosmetics Beauty Guru Palette, $47, smashbox.com - This houses three swiveling tiers, packed with 10 makeup must-haves, from bronzer to gloss. "It has everything I need, including a mirror," says Bobbi Wessels of Jacksonville, North Carolina.

BEST CLEANSING WIPES - mark Make It Go Away Makeup Remover Wipes, $8, meetmark.com - Use these cloths before hitting the gym to wipe away potentially pore-clogging foundation, and afterward to erase sweat and oil "They left my face feeling refreshed," says Aronda Dent of Stafford, Virginia.