since animal testing on some cosmetics and soaps are forbidden

The products that do not test on animals have people on staff that voluntarily try out the products. In my opinion that is how it should be done, not through animals.

very well sounds like it BUt if that is the case maybe ya should have tested it on your hands before useing it or some other place not sure where. wehn ya know it hasnt been tested

animal testing is human they stopped it years ago because they have the technology to test without sacrificing animals, read up on the net for how they do it.

I have never really thought about that..You are right if it is not tested on animals ,how do they test it to see if it is safe for humans???Maybe some of our friends that are animal activist might know...We will just have to read what they say,because i would like to know too....

Animals have always been top priority. I'm thankful that we have our little Maltese puppy and equally as happy we have the best vet in the world. I do know for sure if our puppy got sick our vet would never let the dog suffer the way I've had to do at times or my husband either. So are we less important than a rabit? Apparently so, I don't know???

So maybe they do testing on humans. They put it out to trial to humans first before they put it on the market. I don't know but that would only make sense on how it is done, if they don't animal test.

The products are still tested but they are mainly tested on humans instead of animals, which is really the way it should be. I've taken part in trials of new products. It's not that you are less important than a rabbit but is it right that the rabbit should bear the potential discomfort or suffering on your behalf? We have a choice as to whether we want to wear cosmetics or use soap and other manufactured products when there are natural alternatives available. Personally I think it's right that humans should be the ones that take the risk because at least they can volunteer to do so, animals don't have a choice.

I personally will not purchase any cosmetic product that does animal testing. We can argue about the necessity of using animals for medical testing which may save lives of humans but I don't feel a poor rabbit, or even a poor little mouse or rat should have to go blind or worse so I can find a make-up or cream that doesn't irritate my eyes or skin. There are plenty of people who are more than willing to volunteer to test new products in a controlled setting for a reasonable compensation or even just for the opportunity to try new products for free. Testing soaps and other similar products on animals is no guarantee anyway that there won't be people who have reactions from them. Of course you're not less important than a rabbit but neither is the rabbit just a disposable object that it's fine to subject to pain and suffering and ultimately loss of life so you, I or anyone else have a slightly smaller chance of getting an itch or rash anywhere on our bodies. Annie

When I was at school I visited the Body shop factory and we had a tour the woman who took us on it explained they test products on the staff, the staff wear a patch with some of the product in it for 12 hours and see if it gives them a rash. She also explained that if it hurts them they can take it off unlike the animals who are often bound and unable to get the products out of their eyes (rabbits are used because they have no tear ducts so can't get things out of their eye's). Are you absolutely sure it was the soap that gave you the infection? I get yeast infection too and all sorts of things can cause it, I get it in hot weather if I don't wear lose enough clothing. Even stress can cause it and antibiotics, it would have to be pretty strong soap to give you yeast infection as it would have to effect the chemical balance of your private parts to do it. Report it to them as I'm sure they'll test the product further and even remove it from the shops if they find it is causing rashes and discomfort to people.

seeing as the body shop is owned by L'oreal I don't really hold much confidence in it being "against animal testing" as they claim. I mean what does that mean anyway. saying "against animal testing" is not the same as saying "not tested on animals" the vast majority of ingredients used in skincare have existed and been used for a long, long time. it's known what quantities of certain ingredients bring an increased risk of reactions or sensitivity. and often new products are tested on panels of willing human guinea pigs. the way products are tested on animals it would be more than a "slight reaction" in their case. it would be prolonged pain and suffering. they don't just wash them in it and see what happens. to certifify a product for sale, the ingredients have to be in quantities not exceeding those recommended by a central panel. there will always be someone who will react to certain ingredients. a surprising number of people are sensitive to lavendar essential oil, which is particularly good for sensitive skin. if you are prone to thrush, urinary problems, or rashes, then start reading your ingredients lists and avoid products that foam up, as some people are sensitive to foaming agents, whearas others can brush their teeth in SLS heavy toothpastes twice a day their whole lives and never have the slightest problem. cosmetic testing is inexcusable.

Suspenseful,...I think you may be all too aware of my viewpoints about animal testing...and please give me the courtesy of hearing me out about this. First of all, I have to agree with OreoCookie about a lot of points she made here. Many of the products, such as those from Body Shop, Tom's of Maine, even Avon, do not test on animals, and the ingredients of most of these products are usually one-hundred percent natural ingredients, many are made from derivatives of herbals and natural botanicals. Whether ingredients are natural or not, tested on animals or not, is no guarantee that some people might have an allergic reaction to them. As OreoCookie also pointed out, for those companies that do not test on animals, human volunteers are instead tested on. You no doubt may have an allergic reaction to one or more of the ingredients, but that could be true of any product you may use, whether natural or not. This is actually the kinder way and more realistic way to test any product, as how can any product that is tested on animals verify how humans will react to a product..their physiological make up is completely different from we humans. Slight discomfort to a rabbit (or mice, rats, monkeys)??? SLIGHT?? There is no such thing as SLIGHT discomfort in animal testing. Rabbits are given strong solutions of the testing product ( much stronger than the normal indicated usage of the product) often in there eyes (not their paws) causing them blindness. Beagles have been purposely set on fire alive to test the affects of burns...uh, don't we kind of know that already?What I say here are mere words.....but pictures are worth more than words...I invite you to watch these videos...please do watch....then maybe you will agree that there is no such thing as a slight discomfort to animals being tested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xubRQBkXk7Y&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWgoxbIzFhc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iccmDK2UbZs&feature=related

Most companies that do not use animal testing do test thier products, they just test them on humans, which I think is more effective anyhow. They just pay people to be thier "guines pigs". There are even website where you can sign up for this and all other types of paid testing work. www.gpgp.net/ go check it out. Plus there are things that humans may react to that would not affect a rabbit as well as things that could be benficial to us but would hurt a rabbit. It's not very effective testing.

It's not a matter of importance here, its equality....sorry to burst your bubble, but rats, rabbits and mice are living things as well and we humans have no right to take their lives in our hands! Humans are selfish and becasue we have to have beautifully smelling products that make our hair silky and shiny and prevent break outs on our faces, innocent creatures die....This testing on animlas has to stop....we would not like it if animals decided to test products on us!! But we have no worry about that because animals are defenseless and humans, being the bullies that we are, prey on the weak and innocent....

The Body Shop products are control tested very carefully on humans. Patch testing they call it. Most of the ingredients they use are natural any way so are less likely to cause irritations.

The companies have people that try the products. I would hope they would choose ingredients that are gentle for sensitive people if that's what they're trying to market. Animals aren't good test subjects on many things because they may have different effects than us. It's better to have lots of people try it to see what happens. Pablo

Thats not exactly the point, the point is rabbits don't need body lotion. Company's like Bath and Body Works, Clinique, and Urban Decay, that do not test on animals still test their products. First they use ingredients that are not known to be allergins or to have negative side effects. Then they pay people to try out the products to see if there is any kind of reaction. Animal testing isn't forbidden, infact its completely legal and common brands like Covergirl and Loreal use animals to determine if their product is safe. I personally would rather buy a product that doesn't have a ton of strange chemicals in it and then was actually tested on people, since a rabbit wouldn't experience the same side effects anyway. Clinique tests each new cosmetic on 600 different people and if a single one has a reaction, they formulate. And you might be thinking "OMG how could they test on people thats HORRIBLE" but people are well compensated, given health care if there is a problem and continously checked up on for their long term health. Plus many products by law have to be tested on people in the first place. And as a broke college student I would try a new type of makeup for a few humdred dollars.

You are clearly allergic to a certain ingredient. This would not have been discovered in animal or human testing (unless some of the volunteers were also allergic to that specific ingredient). I haven't used cosmetics tested on animals for thirteen years and have experienced no ill effects from 99.9999% of them. Actually, the only non-animal tested products I have had problems with are those from Body Shop. Heaven knows what it is but I am allergic to something they put in their soap and shower gel. Creams and moisturisers I'm fine with, but cleaning products and bubble baths are a no go. You probably have the same problem I have. Try something more natural, a handmade African neem soap, for example. I love neem oil... it smells yummy. I have far more problems with animal tested products. As a kid I found I was allergic to almost every soap on the market. Most just made me itch but Imperial Leather brought me out in hives! "Where is the justice?" Where is the justice in torturing, for days or even weeks, a hundred animals so that you can use a beauty product? There are many, many ethical products out there; ethical in animal welfare, ecology protection and fair-trading standards. Look them up, try them out. Use something without SLSs in it...