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Makeup brand Nars is sorry for animal testing, but it's not going to stop either

People are pissed.
 By 
Yvette Tan
 on 
Makeup brand Nars is sorry for animal testing, but it's not going to stop either
TOKYO, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 06: Products are displayed at the NARS Pop-Up Boutique at R-Studio of Omotesando Hills on November 6, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images for NARS) Credit: Getty Images for NARS

People are getting pretty pissed off at Nars.

The popular makeup brand is facing a wave of backlash, after it revealed that it began selling its products in China earlier this month -- a country where animal testing is compulsory.

Nars Cosmetics had previously heavily marketed its cruelty-free practices. The company was acquired by Shiseido in 2000.

Nars later issued a statement to shoppers, saying that it believed that the "elimination" of animal testing needed to happen, but that it had to "comply with the local laws."

Basically, that means it won't stop animal testing anytime soon.

However, customers left behind a slew of negative comments on Nars' Instagram post, with the majority saying that they "weren't buying" Nars' explanation.

"No one is buying what you are saying. You care more about profits than animal welfare," said one comment on Instagram.

"You wanna work toward a cruelty-free world but you're still testing on animals? This is called hypocrisy," another said.

Mashable Image
GUANGZHOU, CHINA - NOVEMBER 25: (CHINA OUT) A Chinese salesgirl waits for customers at Chanel cosmetics counter in the Friendship Shopping Mall on November 25, 2005 in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China. Currently, China is the world's third largest consumer of luxury goods, accounting for 12 percent of global sales, behind Japan, which accounts for 41 percent, and the United States, 17 percent. Reportedly, in 10 years China may rival Japan as the world top consumer of luxury items, according to state media. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images

Some users in China acknowledged on social media platform Weibo, that they felt "more assured" of quality after products were tested.

According to a report, China is projected to become the largest market in the world for the cosmetics industry -- one that Nars couldn't ignore.

China had an estimated $50 billion in domestic sales of beauty products in 2015 alone.

Currently, brands like L'Oreal, Rimmel and Maybelline are among the many cosmetic products sold in China.

As of 2013, the EU has banned the sale of any cosmetics or cosmetics ingredients that have been tested on animals.

In the U.S., it's not illegal to test cosmetic products on animals, and is left up to the company's discretion.

Topics Activism Animals

Mashable Image
Yvette Tan

Yvette is a Viral Content Reporter at Mashable Asia. She was previously reporting for BBC's Singapore bureau and Channel NewsAsia.

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