What's up with Alberto VO5?

[juno]

I've been using their Make It Straight! Straightening Gel for my hair, and now I've finished the bottle but I'm not sure if I'm going to buy it again. While it says on the label that the product wasn't tested on animals, a lot of websites state that Alberto VO5 does test on animals. I checked caringconsumer.com, but it doesn't say whether Alberto tests or not. Help?

[hoodedclawjen]

might have something to do with the parent company testing their other products on animals. Alberto-Culver seems to also make Tresemmé, Sally Beauty Supply, Alberto VO5 and TCB Naturals... i'd find out if these are all non animal tested lines?

also, the company saying 'the product' wasn't tested, doesn't mean new ingredients developed by the company, for the product, weren't tested on animals in order to be deemed safe for fda approval (the fda doesn't say they have to use animal tests, just that they have to show its safe) or that bits of the product weren't tested, just that the finished product wasn't.

[juno]

Thanks.

Grr damn labels. I'll just buy something else to be on the safe side.

ETA: Oh wait, found this! =]
http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/ARI/arna/ARNA_2003_01_31.pdf

I guess those websites that said Alberto tests on animals are not updated anymore.

[kpickell]

I've never seen a website that says Alberto tests V05 on animals.

Who cares what the parent company does in other products? If we cared about every product a company makes we wouldn't eat Boca Burgers, drink Silk Soy Milk, or a purchase million other completely vegan products made by non-vegan companies.

[hoodedclawjen]

i didn't offer any sort of ethical response, my 'thats why' suggestion was to do with why perhaps its not on lists, or on others. a lot of the anti animal testing and cruelty sites do clump up every product of different brands, that made by a specific company, and boycott the lot, and they're really specific about criteria to make something 'acceptable'.

[eggplant]

I've never seen a website that says Alberto tests V05 on animals.

Who cares what the parent company does in other products? If we cared about every product a company makes we wouldn't eat Boca Burgers, drink Silk Soy Milk, or a purchase million other completely vegan products made by non-vegan companies.

And some people don't buy those products just for that reason. It's up to the individual how far they're going to go...

[Animosity]

Who cares what the parent company does in other products? If we cared about every product a company makes we wouldn't eat Boca Burgers, drink Silk Soy Milk, or a purchase million other completely vegan products made by non-vegan companies.


Well, I feel if I am against animal exploitation and suffering then I should not only give up unethical products but products made by unethical companies as well. That's my reasoning for not buying those products.

Also, It's probably listed as 'do test' because Sally's Beauty Supply funds animal testing.

[juno]

I've never seen a website that says Alberto tests V05 on animals.

http://www.arkonline.com/animal_test_companies.html
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/discussion/animal-testing/383780/
http://yamaleah.tripod.com/YamaLeah/id8.html

I didn't notice it the first time, but the first link was last updated way back in '97, while the second one was posted in 2002.

[isowish]

Alberto-Culver, AFAIK, don't do any testing on animals or get anyone else to test for them. I'm not sure if they have a fixed cut-off date. IIRC, the last response I read they basically stated that although for a looooong time they had not tested (or maybe very rarely tested, I forget) on animals, they had never officially stated that they were a non-testing company in case in the future they needed to test an ingredient on animals. Recently they decided that modern non-animal-testing methods were sufficiently reliable that they could state with confidence they wouldn't be testing on animals, and they made some kind of official statement that they don't and won't test on animals. I'll see if I can find a source for this.

[isowish]

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=18701
has a response saying they do not test.

note, however, that some of their products do contain animal products. According to a reply I received from them, their "general policy is not to use animal products wherever possible" (whatever that means :lol:). Their entire 'Alberto Balsam' range is free of animal products (and I love it :smitten:) but this may be marketed as something different in other countries than the UK. I have heard conflicting information about whether St. Ives stuff is also all vegan or not. Not sure about other ranges.

[juno]

Alberto-Culver, AFAIK, don't do any testing on animals or get anyone else to test for them. I'm not sure if they have a fixed cut-off date. IIRC, the last response I read they basically stated that although for a looooong time they had not tested (or maybe very rarely tested, I forget) on animals, they had never officially stated that they were a non-testing company in case in the future they needed to test an ingredient on animals. Recently they decided that modern non-animal-testing methods were sufficiently reliable that they could state with confidence they wouldn't be testing on animals, and they made some kind of official statement that they don't and won't test on animals. I'll see if I can find a source for this.

Yep, I came across that too. Scroll up a bit, I posted the link in post #3. =]

[juno]

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=18701
has a response saying they do not test.

note, however, that some of their products do contain animal products. According to a reply I received from them, their "general policy is not to use animal products wherever possible" (whatever that means :lol:). Their entire 'Alberto Balsam' range is free of animal products (and I love it :smitten:) but this may be marketed as something different in other countries than the UK. I have heard conflicting information about whether St. Ives stuff is also all vegan or not. Not sure about other ranges.

In the past I've used a St. Ives lotion called "Collagen Elastin". I guess from the name itself we can say that that particular product is not vegan. :down:

[kpickell]

http://www.arkonline.com/animal_test_companies.html
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/discussion/animal-testing/383780/
http://yamaleah.tripod.com/YamaLeah/id8.html

I didn't notice it the first time, but the first link was last updated way back in '97, while the second one was posted in 2002.
Those links only say that the company performs animal testing. It doesn't anywhere say that V05 is tested on animals.

It is so so shortsighted of vegans to boycott vegan products sold by non-vegan companies because it sends a message to mainstream companies that there is no market for vegan cruelty-free products and discourages them from seeking alternatives to animal testing since their cruelty-free products don't sell as well.

[*Star*Lass*]

This isn't regarding the animal testing, but what the hell is going on with VO5 at the moment? They've changed it because it now smells really chemically... it's awful!

[juno]

Those links only say that the company performs animal testing. It doesn't anywhere say that V05 is tested on animals.

You're right. :doh:

[skfamiliar]

why isn't alberto- culver not listed on peta's list of ok companies, if they don't test? did the company just not reply to their inquiry?

[::GG::]

in the uk it doesnt have the little bunny on the alberto vo5 products to show that its animal testing :confused:

[curlytoes79]

I got a response from a VO5 CSR yesterday...

Incidentally, I had asked about animal testing AND animal products but they only responded to the 'animal testing' question. I do know that VO5 makes hair conditioner with collagen, so at least some of their products aren't vegan.

Still, if they do carry vegan products (I'm still trying to get a straight answer), I think it's worth supporting them. Maybe other mainstream companies will follow suit if they see there is a market for vegan products.

-------------------------

Thank you for your enquiry regarding animal testing. We appreciate your concern and are glad of the opportunity to express our views on this matter.

We assure you that none of our current products are tested on animals. Neither have we contracted with third parties to conduct such tests on our behalf, nor have we instigated such testing on raw materials used in our products.

It is our policy to support alternative methods of testing, indeed such is our belief in this that we contribute significantly to the Johns Hopkins University in the United States of America who are leaders in this field. If confirmation of product safety is required, then we would consider, and in fact have used on occasion, testing on human volunteers.

We hope you find this helpful in showing that not only are we dedicated to providing all our consumers with the quality products for which we are renowned, but this is accomplished without the animal tests that are of concern to you and us.

Sincerely,

Linda Lee
Consumer Relations Representative