If you love animals, the idea of them suffering tugs at your heart strings. That’s exactly how we feel and is one of the many reasons why we love Paul Mitchell. Besides offering fabulous products, the company is committed to supporting many important philanthropic causes, including animal advocacy.

Did you know Paul Mitchell was one of the first brands to take a stand against testing on animals? In fact, the brand launched in 1980 without testing any products on animals, and has stuck to that commitment for nearly 40 years! Besides Social Compassion in Legislation, some of the many animal-focused nonprofits Paul Mitchell actively supports include Sea Shepherd, California Wildlife Center, Elephant Action League, and Beequilibrium.

We were thrilled to join Paul Mitchell at Social Compassion in Legislation’s Event Honoring Animal-Rights Pioneers and landmark legislative wins. Paul Mitchell Co-Founder John Paul DeJoria was honored as a champion of critical legislation, along with Senator Nancy Skinner, Maggie Q, Joanna Krupa, Linda Middlesworth and Genesis Butler. Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL) has been a voice sponsoring landmark legislation since its founding in 2007. Whether local, state, or federal, its mission is saving and protecting animals.

We had the chance to catch up with John Paul DeJoria who shared a little of the history of the brand’s commitment to animal rights: “When I started Paul Mitchell in 1980, we had no money. All of our main competitors said this company would never make it past a year and, 'by the way they don’t test on animals, their products are dangerous'. We said they are wrong, we are never going to do it.”

Fast-forward to almost 40 years later and not only is Paul Mitchell a top brand that still doesn’t test on animals, but more and more beauty brands are finally following in Paul Mitchell’s cruelty-free footsteps. DeJoria shared that while things have come a long way, there are still important issues that continuously need awareness: “The biggest challenge is to keep people aware. They are still testing on animals. They’re killing dolphins. They’re needlessly slaughtering sharks.”

For more information visit socialcompassioninlegislation.org or PaulMitchell.com.