system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How are cosmetics and skincare products tested for safety if they don't use animal testing?

Do they just use humans which are taking a risk? Even if theoretically something is safe and effective, you need to actually test it to verify.
gpt
Almost all chemicals used in cosmetics have been extensively tested over the last 60 years or so. However, even when a company explicitly states they do not use animal testing on products, that does not necessarily mean they do not use chemicals that the provider at some point in the past (or present) did not test on animals at some point. And yes, most cosmetics are tested on human volunteers; most actively state that they have tested under dermatological support, or have in-vitro results on human cells.