Reassessing Safety: Cruelty-Free Testing in Cosmetics – Current Happenings Across STEM Magazine

How animal testing is being replaced with more humane, efficient alternatives.

Cosmetic product testing has been regulated by the FDA since the 1930s after numerous cosmetic products were exposed for harmful side effects, such as blindness, losing the ability to walk, and, in some cases, death (1). While the regulations were created to ensure safety for the customers, companies turned to testing chemicals on animals in order to determine the risks. So what is the problem with animal testing, and how can we create safe products without it?

Animal testing often involves procedures that cause significant harm to rodents like rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, and rats. They expose animals to chemicals directly applied to the eyes and skin, or orally in large quantities to examine the toxic effects. Some experiments are designed to test the amount of the substance that causes death. Many of the animals used in cosmetic testing aren’t included in official reporting and aren’t protected by the Animal Welfare Act (2).

Because of ethical concerns, many governments passed laws that banned animal testing for cosmetic products, including the European Union and 12 U.S. states (2). This has accelerated the development of alternative testing methods that are more humane.

Specifically regarding skin irritation, one new popular method for ingredient testing is to use in silico (computer-based) tools. This involves computer programs that can model biological systems and analyze data to accurately predict how the skin will react to certain chemicals. The field is rapidly expanding due to its cost-effectiveness and efficiency (3).

Another common cruelty-free testing technique is performing controlled in vivo (human) experiments. After companies perform in silico risk assessment and predict ingredients to be non irritating, they can proceed to controlled trials with human volunteers under the supervision of dermatologists. This assures safety while complying with regulations and avoiding unnecessary risk. It is also advantageous for assessing multicomponent ingredients, which is harder with only computer testing and is safer using combined testing methods (4).

Although cosmetic testing regulations were initially introduced to protect consumers from harm, traditional animal testing raised many ethical concerns. With many countries starting to ban testing on animals, there has been a recent surge in cruelty-free testing. Methods utilizing computer programs and ethically conducted human studies demonstrate that companies can confirm the safety of their products without harming animals. These methods are not only more humane, but also quicker and more cost-effective. The cosmetics industry is undergoing a promising paradigm shift towards more ethical testing, reflecting a broader shift in science that prioritizes both advancement and also ethical responsibility.

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U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018, July 11). 80 years of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-history-exhibits/80-years-federal-food-drug-and-cosmetic-act
Humane World for Animals. (2025). Cosmetics Animal Testing FAQ. Humane World for Animals. https://www.humaneworld.org/en/issue/cosmetics-animal-testing-FAQ
Selvestrel, G., Robino, F., & Russo, M. Z. (2022). In Silico Models for Skin Sensitization and Irritation. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2425, 291–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1960-5_13
Juncan, A. M., Rus, L. L., Morgovan, C., & Loghin, F. (2024). Evaluation of the Safety of Cosmetic Ingredients and Their Skin Compatibility through In Silico and In Vivo Assessments of a Newly Developed Eye Serum. Toxics, 12(7), 451. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12070451