Our ethics in Aura Kritis are in favor of animal rights. We create vegan cosmetic products and in the same time, we stand against animal cruelty.

For decades the animal kingdom has been suffering due to the misuse of both living organisms and the natural ecosystem, for purposes of the cosmetic industry.

Thousands of animals have been sacrificed during cosmetic testing, which follow methods of retaining animals in captivity, applying on them excess amounts of chemicals, suffering burnings and other painful activities in their short life circle.

Experts in Aura Kritis share tips for a cruelty-free and vegan skin care routine.

CHOOSE EXCLUSIVELY COSMETIC PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS

According to the European Union Regulation (1223/2009) that is in value since the 11th of July 2013, animal testing is banned for every cosmetic product made within E.U.

Furthermore, all cosmetic products prepared in E.U. must comply with the regulation about animal testing, an act that is not advisable to be indicated on products labels, as this action might be considered as misleading.

As a result, consumers face difficulties while trying to distinguish cruelty-free products.

Aura Kritis motivates consumers to crosscheck whether the brand complies with European Union’s Regulation or, in case of preparation out of E.U. if it follows cruelty free ethics.

By this way, each individual can help reduce animal cruelty in cosmetic industry.

Aura Kritis proudly follows European Union’s Regulation regarding the ban on animal testing, not merely by obedience to the law, but also by a conscious choice to defend animal rights.

2. AVOID PALM OIL IN SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

Palm oil is one of the most widely used vegetable oils in various industrial fields, as it forms a common ingredient in cosmetics, chocolate, cookies, even in biofuel!

Generally, palm oil is not considered as hazardous for human health.

Then, what is the problem with palm oil?

Using palm oil in cosmetic products is unwanted due to ethical, ecological and environmental consciousness reasons.

The palm oil production was estimated to be 56.4 million metric tons in the marketing period 2012/2013, while by 2018/2019 the number has climbed alarmingly up to approximately 74 million metric tons. The excess demand of palm oil by the manufacturing industry led to the extensive deforestation of tropical lands with significant biodiversity, in order to create palm tree fields.

This violation of natural harmony lead to the irreversible destruction of the natural habitat for millions of animals, including endangered species such as the orangutan, Sumatran tiger and Asian elephant.

As a result, the population of many species has been reduced dramatically, presenting an inevitable impact in planet’s biodiversity..

Moreover, as Malaysia and Indonesia are responsible for the biggest percent of palm oil production worldwide, these places have suffered a massive ecological but also ethical footprint. In fact, child labor, human rights abuse, land stolen from indigenous people and corruption, are few of the dreary cases known to originate from the palm oil production in the above countries.

Το φοινικέλαιο προτιμάται ιδιαίτερα στη σαπωνοποιία, καθώς παράγει υψηλής ποιότητας φυσικό σαπούνι με πλούσιο αφρό.

Palm oil is efficiently used in soap making, as it produces high quality natural soap with rich foam.

On the other hand, due to our Ethics in Aura Kritis we choose to ban palm oil from our ingredient list, in order to stand for both human rights and the animals affected by the palm oil industry. In Aura Kritis we have developed our exclusive formula for the preparation of natural soap, utilizing pure Organic Olive Oil and other fine oils of vegetable origin such as avocado, that are saponified according the traditional soaping method, the so called today “cold process”. By this way, natural olive oil soap is formed, known since antiquity as the best quality soap.

 

All in all, Aura Kritis would like to urge consumers to choose palm oil free cosmetics as by this way everyone can contribute in reducing demand of production and therefor, stop the rainforest devastation, save the biodiversity and protect human rights.

3. CHOOSE VEGAN COSMETICS – NON-ANIMAL ORIGIN INGREDIENTS

Products classified as vegan, do not contain any animal ingredient or animal derived ingredient.

Those ingredients are not usually harmful for human health.

Then, what is the problem with animal derived ingredients?

Many skin care ingredients are obtained from animal sources according to gentle and caring practices, such as pure honey. Worker bees are dedicated to their noble mission and would like their effort to be recognized by people making good use of it.

On the other hand, many other cosmetic ingredients that are animal derived, are obtained through more invasive means e.g. whale oil.

The waxy oil that lines whale’s stomachs is the precursor of various components used by industries such as whale oil, squalene and hyaluronic acid. Although today there are multiple plant origin alternatives that can sufficiently replace the above, still the whale’s population suffers from commercial whaling.

In fact, since 1986 has come into effect an international moratorium banning whaling for commercial purposes, in order to protect the fast reducing whale population. Sadly, despite the moratorium, during the 3 last decades not less than 40,000 whales have been sacrificed for the commercial use of their derivatives.

 

AURA KRITIS PROTECTS ANIMAL RIGHTS

 

Our experts in Aura Kritis have developed special formulas in order to replace animal derived ingredients with vegetable origin ones, of the same or even higher effectiveness. Aura Kritis wishes to raise awareness for animal rights and empower the consumer to contribute in minimizing animal suffering, by choosing cruelty-free and vegan cosmetic products.