It always surprises me that with all the technology in today's society, we still rely on animals for cosmetic research. Some people think it is acceptable, even justified, to test on simple animals rather than risk harming people. So for these kinds of people, animal testing makes perfect sense. However, in my opinion, animals are living creatures and have the right to live their lives as nature intended rather than simply surviving in cages while being poked and prodded by whatever scientists want. I think it is depressing and rather grotesque that I am using products that have been tested on animals that are even commonly kept as pets. So I began my research to find out which companies were still testing on animals, why they were doing it, and what other alternatives they could use instead of animal testing. I learned that medicines and cosmetics often contain chemicals that can be dangerous or have dangerous properties. side effects. For example, a brand of mascara called Lash Lure left many women blind and one woman even died because it contained a chemical that burned the skin when used as directed. After approximately 100 people died from the use of a cough syrup called Elixir Sulfanilamide, made toxic by its production method, the American public was faced with a decision and it led our government to adopt the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. The law now requires that cosmetic products be tested for safety before being made available to the public. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible today for overseeing the testing of drugs and cosmetics. Animal testing used to be the most common form of cosmetic testing considered proven, but the technology now available could replace the need for animal testing...... middle of paper ...... the work has also empowered mainstream activists, like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). PETA supports cruelty-free businesses through its Beauty Without Bunnies program. When you see their bunny logo, you know the product you are considering is cruelty-free. And anyone with access to the Internet can easily check their website at http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdonttest.pdf to find out if a cosmetics company they are interested in complies with alternative testing or traditional animal testing. essay. Companies currently producing cruelty-free cosmetics include: Lush Cosmetics, Affordable Mineral Makeup, 2nd love Cosmetics, Bare Essentials, etc. And new ones continue to appear. The solution is therefore at hand with alternative tests and insisting that companies continue to develop testing methodologies that do not involve live animals..