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It was just less than 100 years ago that cosmetic and other health and beauty products were put on the shelves without being tested for safety.

However, in the 1920s a new product guaranteed to produce beautiful long eyelashes was used in salons across the U. S. It was one of the most horrible moments in the history of cosmetics when thousands of women suffered from irritation, blindness and some even died. Testing for product safety became mandatory.

It was then, over 80 years ago, that policies were put in place for health and beauty products to be tested on animals. Some tests developed then are still in use today. That includes the Draize test, in which albino rabbits have drops of eye product put in their eyes. These white rabbits, which do not have the natural ability to rid their eyes of irritants, are strapped down and their eyes monitored over a period of several days or weeks.

A similar test for skin is administered to rabbits, along with mice and rats. First, the rodents are shaved down to their tender skin. Then a skin care product is applied to the skin and scientists watch for evidence of irritation.

With products such as hair spray and perfume, an animal is placed in a sealed container and forced to breathe the substance through a mask, then monitored for breathing difficulties.

Animal testing today is becoming less acceptable by the public. A large percentage of health and beauty product manufacturers have stopped animal testing and ensure that all product labels acknowledge that fact.

At the same time, consumers want to know that the products they’re buying and using are safe. What steps are manufacturers taking to ensure the buying public get what they want in both regards?

Scientifically speaking, many non-animal tests have been developed. Instead of using products and potentially burning the corneas of live rabbits, manufacturers now use donated human corneas to test for results. In laboratories, human skin cultures are developed and used for irritant testing. These type of tests are proving to be more cost effective and give quicker more accurate results that the old methods.

One of the most widely used tests that do not include animals is the Neutral Red Uptake Assay. Once again, this uses advancements in human cell growth outside the human body, in vitro. In vitro means “in glass”. Human cells in a dish are subjected to a cosmetic or beauty product. A specific dye which will separate living from dead cells, is added and the results are put through computer analysis.

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) still require that certain chemicals need to be tested on animals; however, the Animal Welfare Act has laid out stricter guidelines on how animals are treated. That includes the use of pain killers to ease any possible suffering.

There will be a day when animal testing is a thing of the past. Until the memory of the thalidomide disaster of the 1960s, when thousands of babies were born with defects, we will continue to use animals as guinea pigs to ensure our safety.

Use it sparingly, and make sure that you comb out any globs that get away from the brush. http://www.myadvertising1.com/?tag=lingerie Harder pencils will give you a harsh look and can hurt when you apply them. They are then checked in the days to follow for problems or damage to the eyes.