Vegan Testing: our fight for animal welfare

Eye creams have been highly requested since our launch in 2017, and until now, we hadn't offered any targeted eye care products. Yes, but behind this delay lies a sad truth that I will tell you about right away.

As you know, La Canopée is a vegan brand. This implies that we do not use any ingredients or accessories derived from animals or animal labor. It also implies that we do not perform animal testing (animal testing having been prohibited in Europe for many years anyway). Yes, but here is the thing: there are subtleties that, unfortunately, did not align with our commitment to animal welfare.

It is a fact, and this is due to a subtlety, or rather a gray area in European legislation. Indeed, in vivo animal testing is prohibited in cosmetics, but subtleties exist for in vitro testing.

What definition do we have of an animal?
Is an animal that is not yet born considered as such?
No, and this subtlety changes many things. Today, we believe that eye creams are essentially tested on animals, as the tests are very widely carried out in two ways:

👉 On fertilized hen's eggs. The chick is therefore inside. This involves removing the shell while keeping the thin membrane that protects the chick to gain access to the blood capillaries. A little bit of cosmetic is placed on this membrane. The goal is to see if these capillaries become irritated or even burst. The chicks do not survive these tests.

👉 The second solution, which is still not vegan in our eyes, is that cosmetics dedicated to the eyes are tested with bovine serum. The methods for obtaining bovine serum would make anyone pale with horror. Yet, since this serum is extracted from bovine fetuses (sometimes several months old), this test is still not considered an animal test and is therefore very widely used in cosmetic and scientific research. If you wish to learn more, I recommend reading this article: https://www.fc3r.com/actualites/8-raisons-d-abandonner-serum-foetal-bovin-45.html
 

Out of convenience and habit by R&D laboratories in cosmetic groups. They do not wish to, or do not take the time to examine the details of a protocol. After investigating the substrates used in one of the protocols carried out for ocular irritation testing, we discovered, with horror, this famous FBS (fetal bovine serum). It was unthinkable for us to continue with these tests, even though we knew that some vegan labels authorized them (because there really wasn't an alternative...). We questioned a multitude of laboratories to understand why this bovine serum was used and if they could offer an alternative. After months and months of research (we were losing hope at the end of our search!!), one laboratory was able to find a serum not derived from animals! Victory!

Unfortunately, given this great lack of clarity in the law, even a brand that calls itself vegan can proceed with these tests... How can you be sure that the brand you support is truly committed?
You have to ask them about the tests performed on their eye creams!
 

A committed brand is there to answer and to be transparent about its processes.
The emergence of veganism in cosmetics represents significant progress in the industry. More and more consumers are choosing vegan products not only for their well-being but also out of concern for environmental protection and respect for animals. Opting for vegan cosmetic products means supporting practices that respect animal life while benefiting from cutting-edge scientific innovations.

Our commitment to veganism reflects our desire to offer beauty solutions that are ethical, effective, and respectful of our planet.
By choosing our new eye creams, you are opting for products resulting from a responsible and ethical approach.