Animal rights advocate Santosh Krinsky says irony is nothing new in the beauty industry. "Most women are aware that animals have been used to test products," Krinsky admits.

"But many may not realize that their current favorite makeup played a role in the torture of rabbits or mice, or that their favorite conditioner is not as 'organic' as packaging would have consumers believe," the expert warned.

Santosh Krinsky is head of the international personal-care brand Beauty Without Cruelty -- the first to ban animal testing for its products in 1963. BWC's products are produced with zero animal testing and contain no animal ingredients.

While vegetarianism, veganism and an overall concern for the ethical treatment of animals have experienced a welcome boom in recent years, animal rights advocacy has had a long history, Krinsky explained.

"They helped change the course of how we see other living things and ourselves, pointing out the cruel irony of animal torture as a means to feel beautiful," he noted.

Krinsky has given us three key tips to keep in mind as beauty consumers who want to support cosmetics manufacturers with shared values.

Labels can be misleading, such as "not tested on animals." Krinsky stressed that while there are multiple organizations dedicated to the well being of animals, there is no strict set of rules governing product labels that read, 'not tested on animals' or 'we are against animal testing.'

"The claims may simply mean that a third party does the testing, or they acquire raw materials that are being actively tested on animals by the raw material vendor to supply to the manufacturer. Or, companies may have a loose interpretation of 'cruelty-free.'"

Look out for additional ways you can be a conscientious beauty shopper tomorrow.