LUSH Donates Nearly $500K to End Animal Testing

Vegan-friendly beauty brand LUSH Cosmetics (in partnership with non-profit organization Ethical Consumer) will award $445,000 in grants to innovators working toward ending or replacing animal testing. In its sixth year, the Lush Prize will be presented to individuals working in the field of toxicology research in five categories: science, training, young researchers, lobbying, and public awareness. This year, an additional $75,000 will be given to a scientist in the Americas who is under the age of 35 and wishes to pursue or continue a career in cruelty-free research. “With science advancing at a rate previous generations could never have imagined and Lush Prize innovations including an in-vitro 3D brain model and organ-on-a-chip,” LUSH’s Director of Brand Communication Brandi Halls tells VegNews, “we are closer than ever before to finding the alternatives necessary to eliminate the use of animals in toxicology testing.” LUSH has fought animal cruelty in the cosmetics industry since its launch in 1995 and continues to support animal-friendly causes. Earlier this month, the beauty brand awarded vegan media brand Our Hen House $16,000 to support its work in animal-rights. Nominations for the 2017 Lush Prize are open until July 24.