Tested on animals/Sold in China

By far the most-asked question on the blog recently has been 'Why do you say 'Tested on animals/Sold in China'? in your reviews?.

The simple answer is that China 'reserves the right' to test products imported from overseas on animals. The much more complicated question is 'How far do you go?' when deciding if a brand is cruelty-free. 

Separating some facts from fiction: 

Know this. If you are buying a cosmetic/beauty product in the EU it has not been tested on an animal. It is against the law and has been for over 2 years. As of March 11th 2013, cosmetic products and ingredients tested on animals in production anywhere in the world, may not be sold in the EU. 

If, however, you are buying some paracetamol/medicine in a chemist, especially on prescription, it is a drug and therefore exempt from the EU law on animal testing. 

Same with washing your clothes with Ariel/Fairy or cleaning your toilet with bleach. All tested.

The USA however, still allows testing on animals for cosmetic purposes. Only three states,  California, New Jersey and New York have passed laws stating that available alternatives to animal tests are to be used for cosmetic testing.

It's a minefield, and one that I have written about before here.

My question remains, how far are you willing to exclude brands/retailers that operate in China? Benefit, for example, make a huge song and dance on their website about the lengths they go to to ensure that their ingredients are clear of animal testing at source, yet they are on sale in China. I'm not singling out Benefit for any particular reason, there are a whole heap of brands that do the same thing including Jurlique - which really surprised me. Most brands are shady when it comes to admitting that they are for sale in China. They sometimes will not list the Chinese market on their 'Locations' page because they know it's a tempestuous issue. REN for example, do not test on animals, do not sell in China, but just sold to Unilever, who make household brands that by their very nature are tested on animals, so do you count them? (I don't, but I know some of you do).

After a couple of comments from eagle-eyed readers on my Dr Brandt post last week - since altered to update the 'Sold in China' section to say 'Yes', I did some research (not on those commenters!) across Instagram and bloglovin' and found that quite a few bloggers/commenters who claim to be against animal testing love shopping in Sephora. 

Sephora are HUGE in China. HUGE. So I ask again, where do YOU draw the line? Enough to stop you shopping in Sephora? 

Come on now. Tell the truth. ;)

If you want to absolutely avoid any cosmetics/skincare tested on animals OR sold in China, you can do two things: Ask the brand directly or check one of the many lists available - my preferred one is Paula's Beautypedia list available here: www.paulaschoice.com/animal-testing - Paula counts selling in China as testing on animals and does not preach. She leaves the decision where it belongs, with you.

Meeting Paula Begoun

Oh lovely people! So today I went along and met the brilliant Paula Begoun and her co-author Bryan Barron. We chatted for over two hours and I could've stayed all day. Next time she's over we may hit the department stores on Oxford Street together. ;)

If you are unaware of Paula Begoun she is the Cosmetics Cop and the woman behind both Beautypedia and Paula's Choice skincare. She is sassy, opinionated, intelligent and did I mention opinionated? 

I see a lot of brands, meet a lot of people 'behind' brands where there is just nothing but dollar signs in their eyes. Not here. We spoke for so long that it would be nigh on impossible to cover everything but these are some gems that I took away from meeting Paula. 

'More than half my life has been in this industry, it's been over 35 years. Product development is what I love now. Developing products that encapsulate everything we believe is a joy.'

Her beliefs/the brand ethos

'We're now in 50 countries. Thank God for the internet!'

'We were on the cusp of setting up in China and then we heard about the animal testing and we pulled out. We said 'No'. It's a billion people market. It's a big deal. But 'No'.'

'Skincare has to be based around a system. There is no such thing as a hero product. Skin is too complicated. It's the largest organ of the body, it has specific needs and concerns that take more than one ingredient, more than one product to address.'

'It is the rare person that has a 'normal skin'. Or one skin type. So it takes a system to address those variety of concerns.'

'Everybody's skin, no matter who you are, has the same needs from the same ingredients. Everybody needs antioxidants. Everybody needs anti-inflammatories because inflammation is a skin destroyer that comes from many sources and then they need cell-communicating ingredients. Ingredients that can tell cells to make better cells, especially later in life or if you have a tendency towards blemishes.'

'So what it comes down to is texture. If you have an oily/combination skin, you may prefer gels. Same ingredients, but in a gel formula. If you are drier you may prefer a creamier formulation.'

'You cannot use fragrance. It's damaging as soon as you put it on. Skin doesn't show damage in the short term, it takes a long time. We know this from UVA. You step outside, the damage is immediate, even though you don't feel it. Irritation, no matter what the source, is taking place, even if you cannot see it.'

CH: 'And you love/use mineral oil. I hate it.'

PB: 'Well the research says that it is a wound healing ingredient. There is no negative research about mineral oil.'

CH: 'Weellll, that depends what studies you read.' :)

PB: *sits forward* 'What studies?' 

There follows a long off the record conversation about mineral oil and brands that use it.

CH: 'Certainly from a massage point-of-view, during facial massage, plant oils are superior. I would never massage with mineral oil, although I would do a paraffin mask during the treatment.'

PB: 'Mineral oil and plant oils have two different properties. Plant oils have fatty acid properties and are anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. They absorb in better and work at cellular repair. Mineral oil, on the other hand, is a surface ingredient. It's too large to penetrate. It's great for wound healing. It allows for air to flow through and keeps moisture to a minimum.'

That's where we left that conversation. ;)

Her products

'A great skincare product takes into consideration that there are things that need to stay on top, things that need to absorb, and then things that need to absorb deeply.'

'The other thing is the notion of 'gentle'. It is a huge issue because everything about ageing, everything about healing the skin, red marks, blemishes, is all about reducing inflammation. What we know about ageing and collagen destruction and sun damage is inflammation is a killer. Whatever that source is, whether it's the sun, hot water, irritating ingredients, fragrance, fragrant plant extracts, essential oils, it causes further irritation and damages skin. So everything we do is to encompass active ingredients in a formula loaded with soothing ingredients that contain no irritants. That's who we are.'

'All of the claims we make for the products are supported by published research, that we list on our website. We take all of that very seriously.'

Exfoliants

'A major component of Paula's Choice is exfoliants. It's a fundamental concept for healthy skin, to help skin shed naturally what it can't normally do because of things like sun damage. Glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids are the ones we know the most about. However, not everyone can use all of them so we make different products so that everyone can use something.' 

CH: 'I love acid toning.'

PB: 'You call it acid toning? I think that's brilliant!'

CH: 'Don't nick that Paula! It's mine.'

She's not a fan

'That everything needs to absorb, or everything needs to penetrate, or this needle-rolling to create channels to get things into skin is just bogus.'

Me: 'What do you think of dermarolling? I hate it.'

PB: 'It's damaging. Repeatedly wounding the skin does not generate collagen. It generates (we both say together) scar tissue. If you use it once a month, it may not give you an issue, but a lot of people are using it on a regular basis, using at-home kits. Over time, it ends up stiffening the skin. It does not give you supple, pliable, beautiful skin and it damages elastin. And elastin doesn't rebuild. It is very hard, if not impossible, to rebuild elastin. Dermal rollers are terrible. They are physiologically bad for skin.' 

*high fives Paula*

And my favourite part of our conversation

I asked Paula what she thought of the frequent criticism of her Beautypedia website being conjoined with her Paula's Choice website.

CH: 'Do you find it's a fine line to cross between having a website that talks, frequently in a negative fashion, about all the other brands and then at the bottom up pops a box with a 'Try this!' and it's recommending something from your range?'

PB: 'No not at all.'

CH *smiling*: 'You don't care?'

PB: 'Well it's not that I don't care, I get that it's controversial. But I know that we are the only cosmetics company in the world that recommends products other than their own - that are willing to talk about other products.

So as long as we stay, in Paula's Choice, respectful of what we are trying to achieve and keep each other in check, and never cross any lines....

Listen. I know, for a fact, that we have some of the best products on the market, and as an entire line, some of the most cohesively consistent formulas and packaging. We're not going to make everybody happy. You never will. For years we were almost embarrassed that we had our own products. So no, I don't mind the criticism.'

The Lady has a point. 

And yes. She has great skin.

www.paulaschoice.com/beautypedia

Paula's Choice Resist 2% BHA Daily Pore-Refining Treatment

I've been using Paula's Choice BHA 2% on and off for a few months now.

What is it?
'Wrinkles and breakouts at the same time? Not anymore. This lightweight leave-on exfoliant removes old cells on the skin’s surface and inside the pores, while repairing signs of aging.'

Who is it for?
It says combination to oily skin, but it's gentle enough for any skin type - I would even say sensitive. Zero tingle factor, very gentle. Be ye not afraid.

What’s in it?
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol (slip agents and penetration enhancers), Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy acid exfoliating agent), Butylene Glycol (slip agent), Polysorbate 20 (emulsifier) Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (cell-communicating ingredients), Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (anti-irritant), Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (antioxidant), Oleanolic Acid (anti-irritant), Sodium Hyaluronate (skin-repairing ingredient), Allantoin (anti-irritant),Trehalose (skin-repairing ingredient), Panthenol (skin-conditioning agent), Glycerin (skin-repairing ingredient), PEG-60 Almond Glycerides (emulsifier), Caprylyl Glycol (skin-conditioning agent), PEG/PPG-18/4 Copolymer (solvent), Methyl Gluceth-20, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane (skin-conditioning agents),Glycereth-26 (emollient thickener), Sodium Metabisulfite (stabilizer), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Carbomer (gel-based thickener), Disodium EDTA (chelating agent).

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?
Not really, it has glycols and pegs that some people don't like - but I don't concern myself about them - and clearly neither does PC.

Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?
Man made. Vegan.

Tested on animals/sold in China?
No./No. Paula loves a bunny.

What's not in it?
Fragrance.

How do you use it?
You apply this as you would an acid toner, on to cotton pads and then all over the face avoiding eyes. Follow with serum/treatments etc

What’s good about it?
This, to my mind, is an essence rather than a 'treatment'. That's why it's more expensive and in a smaller bottle size. The highlighted ingredients above are far more than you would normally find in an acid toner product. This is called a 'treatment' and for good reason. Salicylic acid means it is great for unclogging stubborn pores and the peptides help with the signs of aging, making it a good starter/introduction product to the Resist line for those of you (us) with either adult acne or hormonal breakouts on the other side of your 20's.

What’s not so good about it?
Although I understand that it contains more than the usual acids - this is £25.00 for 88ml. The same size in the US is $28.00. I don't know about you but I've been seeing US brands translate dollars into pounds almost on a like for like basis for over 20 years and I'm bored of it now. In today's exchange rate this should cost you £18.00. £7.00 extra because we happen to live in the UK. Even allowing for taxes, import duties and shipping etc it's a hard pill to swallow. Even more so because Paula's Choice is only available on their own website, cutting out any margin for a third party retailer. You also have to pay for shipping. Something that most of the large online retailers now offer free as standard. You have no choices here. It's the only stockist.

I know it works both ways, UK brands are frequently pound for dollar, and none of us have it as bad as the poor Australians. Sorry chaps, you have it much worse than anyone else. And so to prove fairness to PC, I'm adding another heading to my reviews to include prices in the brand's home country. Because you know: CASH.
But that is my only (albeit long-winded) gripe. The product itself is great. Sorry Paula.

Where to use in your routine?
I use this at the acid toner stage but I don't follow it with a spritz. I usually go straight in with her Retinol 1%.

Similar products?
Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion (no peptide action though)
Clarins Gentle Exfoliator
Some essences, but it's a fairly unique product.



Paula's Choice BHA 2% is £25.00 and available from www.paulaschoice.co.uk or .com in the US.

I've liked the PC products I've used. I'm going to start working my way through the brand. Taking one for the team. ;)

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

What is it?

'Sun damage that won't go away? Wrinkles keeping you up at night? Don't get mad, get powerful.'

or in other words - an overnight retinol anti-ageing treatment.

Who is it for?

'Acne, Anti-Ageing, Breakouts, Brown Spots, Wrinkles'      

Anyone looking for a proven anti-ageing treatment.

What’s in it?

(What isn't in it!?!! --->)

Aqua, Dimethicone (silicone slip agent), Glycerin (skin-repairing ingredient), Butylene Glycol (slip agent/penetration enhancer), Isononyl Isononanoate (emollient), Castor Isostearate Succinate (skin conditioning agent), Glyceryl Stearate (emulsifier), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (thickener), Dimethicone Crosspolymer (silicone thickener/texture enhancer), PEG-33 (binding agent), Polysorbate 20 (emulsifier), Behenyl Alcohol (fatty alcohol thickener), Retinol (cell-communicating ingredient), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (vitamin C/antioxidant), Ceramide 2 (skin-repairing ingredient), Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (cell-communicating ingredient), Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (cell-communicating ingredient), Sodium Hyaluronate (skin-repairing ingredient), Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (antioxidant plant extract/anti-irritant), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract (antioxidant plant extract/anti-irritant), Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernal Extract (antioxidant plant extract/anti-irritant), Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root Extract (antioxidant plant extract/anti-irritant), Salix Alba (Willow) Root Extract (antioxidant plant extract/anti-irritant), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols (antioxidants/skin-conditioning agent), Lecithin (cell-communicating ingredient), Allantoin (anti-irritant), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E/antioxidant), Hydrolized Soy Protein (antioxidant), sorbitan Laurate (emulsifier), Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester (anti-irritant), Disodium EDTA (stabilizer), Hydroxyethylcellulose (thickener), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Tribehenin (emollient), Caprylyl Glycol (skin-conditioning agent), Ethylhexylglycerin (skin conditioning agent), Pentylene Glycol (slip agent), PEG-100 Stearate (thickener), PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides (emollient), PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer (film-forming agent), PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol (fatty acid-based thickener), PEG-8 Dimethicone (sillicon-based skin-conditioning agent), PEG-14 (thickener), Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate (binding agent), Polymethylsilsesquioxane (sillicone-based opacyfying agent), Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (slip agent), Arachidyl Glycoside (emulsifier), Sclerotium Gum (thickener), Arachidyl Alcohol (thickener), Benzoic Acid (preservative), Sodium Carbomer (gel based thickener), Phenoxyethanol (preservative).

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?

Silicones (I don't mind silicones at all but I know some of you do)

Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?

Man made, vegan as far as I can see.

Tested on animals/sold in China?

No/No

What's not in it?

Fragrance

Mineral oil (odd considering the brand champions it, but also sensible considering this ingredient needs to penetrate and it won't do that if it's in a mineral oil base)

Parabens

How do you use it?

'Apply a pea-sized amount after cleansing and toning, and then follow with your Paula's Choice serum and/or nighttime moisturizer. When first using the Clinical 1% Retinol, start with no more than three evenings per week, then gradually increase frequency to every other night and, finally, every evening as tolerated (measure how your skin responds). Avoid the lips, direct contact with the eye, and corners of the eyes. You may apply up to the orbital bone of the eye area.'

Good, sensible instructions except for the 'follow with PC serum and/or moisturiser'. You could perfectly well follow this with a serum or moisturiser from one of Paula's competition - just try and avoid using one that contains a lot of retinol/vitamin A!

What’s good about it?

This is a good product. If you read the website you'd think it was the second coming of Jesus (can't blame them for that - it IS their brand after all) - but nonetheless, it is indeed a good product. 

It is not, as they claim, the strongest retinol on the market without prescription, brands like Skinceutcals have been doing 1% retinol treatments for years.

This moisturises nicely, gives me no 'burn' or irritated feeling and is fragrance-free, which I know will please a lot of you!

Results for me were good, no peeling or redness at all, but then my skin may be more acclimatised to retinols than yours, so always take heed from the tips on the website.

If you aren't using vitamin A products at the moment, and you are in your 20's or have acne scarring, try this.

If you aren't using vitamin A products at the moment and you are the other side of 30, you need to get with the programme because your face will fall off by the time you're 70. 

Slight exaggeration, but you get my point. Vitamin A takes your face to the gym. It needs the exercise. Embrace it. Even if you do it while lying on the sofa watching Corrie.

What’s not so good about it?

It's not that it's 'not good', but that ingredient list tells you everything you need to know about most US brands. They take a 'throw everything at it and something will work approach' - it's like a buffet in an all-you-can-eat-restaurant. Offer everything, there will be something for everyone. Or in this case, offer everything, something will give results. 

That being said, retinol/proper anti-ageing creams will always be more complicated formulas than most natural ones. Which is fine by me. You get to a certain age, if you really want results, you need to embrace the chemical. Sorry but it's true. I'm all for natural and organic cleansers and moisturisers, but nothing is more anti-ageing than proper clinical vitamin A. You don't get that from bloody rosehips IMO. This retinol actually works.

Where to use in your routine?

After toning, before serum and/or moisturiser.

Similar products? (Similar, not same)

Skinceuticals 1% Retinol

Dennis Gross Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution 

Brand Website - very good:

www.paulaschoice.co.uk

Incidentally, everything I hate about bad websites (too numerous to mention) is the exact opposite of the website for Paula's Choice. It has ingredients, explanations, great product information and good advice. If I was marking websites, hers is hard to beat. Cult Beauty is another one that comes to mind for a retailer, but brand-wise, this is the dog's gonads.

Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment is £51.50 for 30ml and only available online at said website..