WHEN I STARTED ECCO BELLA IN 1992, I TOOK A LONG, HARD LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS WOMEN WERE USING IN THEIR COMMERCIAL BODY CARE PRODUCTS. I FOUND MANY OF THE INGREDIENTS WERE POTENTIALLY TOXIC, INCLUDING TALC, MERCURY, SYNTHETIC COLORS, FRAGRANCE, FORMALDEHYDE RELEASING PRESERVATIVES, AND A WIDE RANGE OF INGREDIENTS DERIVED FROM PETROLEUM. AS BAD AS THIS WAS, I WAS ALSO HORRIFIED BY THE CRUELTY OF ANIMAL TESTING, WHICH ALL THE MAJOR COSMETIC COMPANIES PARTICIPATED IN. MANY STILL DO. THE FDA DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT INGREDIENTS BE TESTED ON ANIMALS. YET, THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT ANIMALS ARE MAIMED AND KILLED EVERY YEAR IN THE NAME OF BEAUTY.