How The Heck Are Mink Eyelashes Cruelty-Free?

The majority of mink eyelashes brands make the bold claim that their products are cruelty-free, stating that they only source from ‘free-range’ farms where the animals are gently combed to obtain their fur. Since these are solitary, wild mammals, the chances are that they are not going to sit quietly for a little ol’ grooming session. So begs the question,  how the heck are mink eyelashes cruelty-free?

For many people, mink eyelashes are their first and only choice when it comes to wearing falsies. Other options are silk, human hair and acrylic. So, it would seem that despite the various materials available, the vast amount of women who wear false eyelashes, prefer to don mink fur on their eyelids, even if they have strong beliefs against wearing fur coats or any other garment. Why is that? It’s called great marketing.

Fur farms are not the cosy retreats that manufacturers would have us all believe. Like any commercial endeavour, they exist to maximise profits. Any claims of minks roaming free on a large stretch of land seems unlikely and ridiculous.

According to animal rights organisation PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) : ‘Fifty-eight percent of mink farms are in Europe, 10 percent are in North America, and the rest are dispersed throughout the world, in countries such as Argentina, China, and Russia.

Mink farmers usually breed female minks once a year. There are about three or four surviving kittens in each litter, and they are killed when they are about 6 months old, depending on what country they are in, after the first hard freeze.’

PETA  goes onto state: The animals—who are housed in unbearably small cages—live with fear, stress, disease, parasites, and other physical and psychological hardships, all for the sake of an unnecessary global industry that makes billions of dollars annually.’

Some mink eyelash brands are very specific about where the minks are bred but with the globalisation of the fur trade it is impossible to know exactly where your eyelashes come from and you risk wearing fur from unethical manufacturers.

Disease and injuries are widespread on these farms, and animals suffering from anxiety-induced psychosis chew on their own limbs and repeatedly throw themselves against the cage bars.

And have you considered what happens to the minks once they are of no more use? The murder of these animals, after a short, tortuous life, ranges from slow suffocation to being skinned alive.

Environmental Impact

What’s more, animal farms have a real impact on the environment. It takes 20 times more energy to produce fur products, compared to fake.

The farming process produces a large amount of faeces which not only poisons the air but enters the ecosystem with adverse effects.

And despite claims that fur is biodegradable, fur is chemically treated to prevent it from rotting.

What You Can Do

• Do not buy eyelashes, or any other product, made from mink fur. Look at the alternatives such as silk eyelashes which are sustainable products.
• Educate your friends and colleagues about the realities of producing mink eyelashes.
• Do not patronise any retail outlet that have products made of fur.
• Contact fashion and beauty magazines who promote the use of animal fur.
• Support animal rights organisations.
• See PETA exposé on mink farming.

Visit KOL Cosmetics for luxury handmade eyelashes that are 100% silk.