Rebecca Hamilton is co-CEO of W.S. Badger Company in Gilsum.
The House Commerce Committee will soon determine the fate of legislation concerning animal-tested cosmetics introduced in the New Hampshire Senate earlier this year.
SB 202, which would end the sale of animal-tested cosmetics in the state, gained overwhelming support in the Senate, and for good reason. It has the backing of New Hampshire businesses and other stakeholders who understand the importance of a bright-line standard on a subject that involves human safety, animal welfare and intelligent business practice.
There is no shortage of businesses supporting legislation of this nature as the number of companies that have sworn off new animal testing continues to rise. More than 1,000 cosmetics brands selling products including haircare, fragrances, make-up, and deodorant in New Hampshire and other states, have already committed not to test their final formulations or ingredients using animals.
They used ingredients and formulations whose safety is already well-established, and they employ state-of-the-art non-animal methods that offer clear advantages over conventional animal tests.
Badger is one of those companies that have been producing cruelty-free, organic skincare locally in New Hampshire since 1995. The roster of other New Hampshire companies supporting SB 202 also includes Hemlock Springs Soaps (Nashua), Portsmouth Soap Company (Portsmouth), The Refill Station (Portsmouth), and Lush (Nashua and Salem).
It’s worth noting, too, that the Personal Care Products Council, the national trade association representing 90% of the U.S. cosmetics industry, supports similar federal legislation, which would prohibit animal testing for any cosmetics products manufactured or sold within the United States. SB 202 was purposefully drafted to align with the provisions of the Humane Cosmetics Act (S 3357/HR 6207), now pending in the U.S. Congress.
The fact that so many companies are willing to support the shift away from animal tests for cosmetics speaks volumes. Companies can continue to formulate new and innovative products using thousands of ingredients with a long history of safe use and do not require additional tests. Using existing ingredients is how the majority of cosmetics companies have been able to maintain a commitment to avoiding new animal testing for their products.
Cosmetics companies have also been at the forefront of adopting cutting-edge test methods that can replace traditional animal tests. They recognize not only the substantial consumer demand for products developed without animal testing but the great advantages of ensuring consumer safety through other means.
Among other advantages, non-animal approaches based on human biology produce results that are more relevant to the safety of the people for whom the products are designed. These methods are often less expensive and can be completed more quickly than traditional animal tests.
That’s why the continued move to animal-free cosmetics safety assessments will benefit consumers, companies and animals. With strong industry commitment helping to push these bills across the finish line, eight states, including Maine, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia, have already passed laws to end animal testing for cosmetics.
At the international level, 41 countries have passed laws to end or limit cosmetics animal testing. The list includes India, New Zealand, South Korea, Guatemala, Australia, Mexico and all countries in the European Union.
There is no reason for guinea pigs, rabbits, mice and rats to undergo painful new chemical tests for cosmetic products like shampoo and mascara. New Hampshire representatives now have a chance to do their part and put our state squarely behind the growing momentum toward cruelty-free testing methods.
Their swift approval of SB 202 will help to expedite the nation’s complete transition from cruel and inaccurate animal tests to more human-relevant approaches and reinforce the steadily advancing regulatory alignment that the cosmetics industry seeks.