The Truth About L’Oreal INOA

The L’Oreal INOA (named INOA for “Innovative No Ammonia”) line is advertised as a revolutionary new breakthrough in hair color that does not contain any ammonia.  A simple read of the ingredients of several products in the line, including their pre and post shampoo, reveals that the line actually contains very high levels of “Ammonia Hydroxide”.  If you look “Ammonia Hydroxide” up on Wikipedia, the first line explains that this is simply ammonia water.

This is an inexcusable irresponsible act of false advertising that puts salon professionals in the culpable predicament of unwittingly putting their clients at great personal health risk.  Many people are allergic to ammonia and would have severe allergic reactions if exposed to it.  L’Oreal does not demonstrate any care for such clients because they know that they are not responsible, the hairdresser is.  A hair stylist, as a licensed professional, is responsible for the products they chose to use on their clients regardless of what the product manufacturer claims.  This, quite simply, is L’Oreal’s way to make money off of feeble minded hair stylists during an otherwise slow recession.

It should not be surprising that the French Company L’Oreal announced INOA was a major catalyst to its success in 2010 (http://www.loreal-finance.com/eng/news-release/sales-at-september-30-2010-724.htm).  This should be an embarrassment to all salon professionals as a shinning example of big beauty taking advantage of us!

L’Oreal should be held accountable for their inexcusable lack of integrity.  However, in the United States, neither the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) or OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulate cosmetics or hair care products.  The only way to hold them accountable is if enough salon professionals stop using their products.

L’Oreal’s Cruel Animal Testing Practices

In the name of vanity, animals are subjected to painful and cruel ingredient testing by L’Oreal. The L’Oreal company does not want to share the fact that thousands of animals are needlessly tortured each and every day in the name of vanity and profit. The L’Oreal company is among the world’s largest beauty companies, but is the worldwide leader in animal cruelty.

Although many of the animals testes by L’Oreal are rabbits, dogs, and cats; they are very much an equal opportunity torturer. L’Oreal seems to have a special preference for rabbits because they are the only animal who can not flush chemicals out of their eyes without using aids like water or their paws. However, dogs and cats that are used often tortured by L’Oreal research as they are taken out of animal shelters. These animals would otherwise be euthanized. Their number comes to approximately 1.1% of dogs and cats euthanized in shelters. It is estimated that in 2010 alone, almost 2.5 million animals were tested in France.

L’Oreal regularly conducts disgraceful eye irritation tests by securing rabbits so they are immobile while substances are dropped into their eyes (rabbits are used because they have no tear ducts and therefore can’t relieve the stinging and pain). Poisoning takes place whereby groups of animals are continually force-fed an ingredient until half of the group dies. Other animals have their skin shaved and scraped until it’s super-sensitive, then the particular chemical is applied to test skin while L’Real researchers make sure that the animal cannot scratch or remove the substance.

It is hard to imagine the pain suffered by these beings. But we all know how sore it can be when we get something in our eye or our skin is scraped – at least we can immediately do something to relieve the pain. Think of what it would be like, if we were unable to touch or stop the pain, not just for a minute or two, but for hours running into days.

It’s simply disgraceful! And I have only briefly mentioned a couple tests – there are a further six animal tests commonly used by L’Oreal.

Thankfully, some countries, such as the United Kingdom, have banned cometic ingredients testing, so L’Oréal had to go elsewhere, such as Japan or the U.S. where animal testing is allowed. However, the sale of products developed via animal testing is NOT banned. So, despite overwhelming public disapproval, L’Oréal continues new product developments via animal testing.

L’Oréal is pretty much the single biggest obstacle to ending cosmetic testing on animals within the United States and the European Union.

Although L’Oreal has vowed to eliminate animal testing by 2013, they seem to simply be undergoing a corporate restructuring so as to contract out their animal testing to subsidiary or contract companies that they control.

Only you can stop L’Oreal from exercising these unnecessary and cruel animal testing practices by:

1. Stop buying their products, especially from L’Oreal Professional.
2. Sign the Petition to Stop L’Oreal Professional’s Cruel Exccessive Animal Testing.
3. Send this post to every salon professional you know and urge them to take the above two actions.
4. Only purchase hair color, cosmetics, or other salon products that are certified as cruelty-free by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

L’Oreal Product Diversion

According to a recent article in Bella Sugar (one of Sugar Inc.’s beauty publications), L’Oreal has recently re-released a permanent natural hair color product as a professional only salon product whose predecessor was previously sold for many years “over the counter” at retail stores everywhere.  The L’oreal product formerly known as Natural Match was pulled off the shelves within weeks of L’oreal beginning marketing its “Salon Exclusive” and “Professional Only” product called INOA (Innovative No ammonia).

This is just another example of Salon Product Diversion by L’Oreal. We have seen it before. We will no doubt see it again. We just have to wonder how long Salon Professionals in the United States of America will allow this French company to continually take advantage of them?