California bill would ban products tested on animals

California senator Cathleen Galgiani is introducing legislation that will prohibit the import and sale of cosmetics and personal care products tested on animals. If passed, the ban will apply to both ingredients and finished products.

Alternative test methods ... are cheaper, faster and can better predict human reactions

The bill, SB 1249, will make it unlawful for any cosmetic manufacturer to knowingly import or sell any cosmetic, including personal hygiene products such as deodorant, shampoo or conditioner, in California if the final product or any of its components have been tested on animals after 1 January 2020.

Leading the way

“California has long been a leader in promoting modern alternatives to animal tests,” said Galgiani. “Inaction at the federal level compels California to lead the way in ensuring a cruelty-free cosmetics market for its citizens by barring any new ingredients or cosmetics that are tested on animals.”

Alternative test methods, including engineered 3D human skin tissues or other types of cells and sophisticated computer models, are cheaper, faster and can better predict human reactions, a government press release stated. Furthermore, companies can use the hundreds of thousands of ingredients for which safety data is already available.