I’m both a glitter lover and an animal lover, but it’s very important to me to use cruelty-free products on my nails, on my blog and in my shop. Cosmetics testing done on animals are cruel, unnecessary and just plain wrong. Be fabulous, not cruel! Support brands that don’t engage in animal testing or pay others to do so. Every dollar counts!
Personally, I avoid all companies that test and their subsidiaries, even if those subsidiaries do not engage directly in animal testing. It’s a personal choice, of course, but that’s the official NTMG stance.
My source for companies that test/don’t test is Caring Consumer, compiled and regularly updated by PeTA. While I don’t always agree 100% with them, I trust their data.
Brands that DO Test on Animals or Are Owned By Parent Companies who Test On Animals:
- Almay- Brand itself is cruelty-free but owned by Revlon, who does currently test on animals.
- Aussie
- Aveeno (Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Listerine, Lubriderm, Neutrogena, Rembrandt, ROC, tests cosmetic products in addition to their medical products)
- Avon. Avon was the first major cosmetics company to end animal testing on both on its finished product and ingredients in 1989, but appears to have re-started in 2012 to expand into the China market. What a joke.
- Bic
- Bobbi Brown- Allegedly not currently not testing on animals but parent company resumed in 2012.
- Borghese
- Chanel- check this link out: http://rswack.blogspot.sg/2011/07/does-chanel-animal-test.html
- Clairol
- Clean and Clear
- Clinique- owned by Estee Lauder, who has resumed testing in 2012.
- Coppertone
- Cover Girl (Proctor and Gamble)
- Dial
- Dolce & Gabana
- Dove
- Essie- used to be cruelty free as an independent brand but was acquired by L’Oreal, which is not cruelty free.
- Estee Lauder- unfortunately resumed animal testing in 2012 after a two decade moratorium. Boo! This affects Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Bumble + Bumble, La Mer, Prescriptives, Origins, Clinique, MAC and several other subsidiary companies.
- Garnier
- Gilette
- Hawaiian Tropic
- Head and Shoulders
- Johnson and Johnson
- Jovan
- JOOP
- Kiehl’s
- Lancome
- L’Oreal (Kérastase, Matrix, Mizani, Redken, L’Oréal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline New York, SoftSheen-Carson, Biotherm, The Body Shop, Cacharel, Diesel Perfumes, Giorgio Armani Parfums, Guy Laroche, Helena Rubinstein, Paloma Picasso, Ralph Lauren, Shu Uemura, Victor et Rolf parfum, Dermablend, La Roche-Posay, SkinCeuticals, Vichy Laboratoires.) L’Oreal says they don’t “generally” test but will not sign a statement confirming it, so for safety’s sake, they go on the Bad Guy list).
- Mary Kay. Resumed in 2012 in order to comply with Chinese regulations to sell in China. What a joke.
- Maybelline
- Marc Jacobs (perfumes and cosmetics)
- Max Factor
- NARS, owned by Shiseido*.
- Neutrogena
- Nicole by OPI
- NYC Cosmetics- owned by Coty
- Philopsophy
- Proctor and Gamble (Always, Aussie, Cover Girl, Clairol, Crest, Downey, Eukanuba, Febreze, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Iams, Infusium 23, Ivory, Joy, Max Factor, Mr. Clean, Olay, Pampers, Pantene, Physique, Puffs, Scope, Secret, Swiffer, Tampax, Tide, Zest, Old Spice)
- Pure Ice
- Revlon (Used to be one of the Bad Guys, then stopped testing, then resumed again in 2012 for overseas sales.)
- Rimmel
- Sally Hansen- Seems to have flip flopped, went to the dark side after being acquired by Del/Coty.
- Sephora by OPI
- Shiseido*. Shiseido says they’ve stopped animal testing. Mostly. Sort of. Under certain circumstances, kind of. http://www.lavieengreen.com/blog/shiseido-to-abolish-animal-testing-for-cosmetics
- St. Ives, after being purchased by Unilever.
- Unilever (Axe, Dove, Lux, Ponds, Suave, Sunsilk, Vaseline, Caress, Degree, Lever 2000.)
- Urban Decay is NO LONGER CRUELTY FREE. This has been a soap opera and a half. They were cruelty-free and for years, but in early 2012 decided to start selling cosmetics in China, which would likely require animal testing. (Animal testing is OK as long as it opens a new market?) As of July 2012, they have announced they WILL NOT be selling in China and thusly will not be conducting animal testing, so I suppose they’re still on the “good guy” list. UPDATE Q1 2013: UD is being purchased by L’Oreal, a company that does test on animals. This deal is currently pending regulatory approval so the status at the moment is not clear.
- Yves St Laurent, owned by L’Oreal.
Cruelty-Free Companies- Spend your $$$ Here
As mentioned above, these companies do not test on animals and have either sent me an email confiming it or signed a statement.
- American International Industries (China Glaze, Seche, 5 Second Nail Glue, ESN European Secret Nails)
- Barry M
- Bath and Body Works
- Bonnie Bell
- Butter London- also vegan
- Cleancolor
- Crabtree & Evelyn
- Color Club- not only cruelty free but vegan too!
- DuWop Cosmetics
- e.l.f
- FingerPaints
- Garden Botanika
- GOSH Cosmetics (vegan too)
- Hard Candy
- Jane Cosmetics
- Julep
- Kiss Products (nail glues, etc.)
- Kleancolor. http://www.kleancolor.com/nav/faq.html
- LA Girl
- LUSH
- Milani
- Nubar- Not only formaldehyde, DBP and tolulene free, but vegan and with an awesome formula
- NYX- New York Cosmetics
- Physician’s Formula
- OCC Cosmetics (vegan too) If you love crazy colors, check these guys out.
- Orly
- Sally Beauty Supply House Brand Nail Polish
- Smashbox
- Spa Ritual- vegan too!
- TooFaced- http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/690.aspx
- Wet N Wild. http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/wet-n-wild.aspx
- Zoya
Here are two printable sheets from Caring Consumer detailing Companies That Do Test On Animals (boo! hiss!) and Companies That Don’t Test On Animals (yay!). Pass it on!
I just found your blog and I love it, you’re so creative!
I’m with Mary Kay and I wanted to let you know that as a whole MK does not do animal and does not agree with it at all. Yes by Chinese law they are required to submit products for testing, but the company itself does not do the actual testing. In response to this law and because MK has a new plant in China (to service only China) they said “We hope our efforts as the first cosmetics company to join the International Outreach Consortium of the IIVS, along with our long track record of past and present activities, will be instrumental in the Chinese regulatory authority’s evaluation, validation and eventual acceptance and adoption of alternative testing methods.”
I don’t agree with animal testing either and I’m so glad you posted the list of the companies that support animal testing. I’ll have to change up my hair products now : )
Thanks for your comment and some inside info from Mary Kay! It’s a joke that China requires animal testing when *their* adulterated products regularly cause death to humans and animals around the globe.
im very confused about the makeup brand clinique
on there website it says they stopped animal testing
othet websites like the list similiar to this one on PEETA comfirms that too
then i come here and i see they do im just realy confused and if the truth is they do i will stop using there products
please help me decide
Hi there,
Yes, it can be very confusing! Thanks for trying to figure it out even though sometimes it’s very difficult.
Clinique is no longer on PETA’s latest “Do Not Test” List as of June 2012. Clinique was formerly cruelty-free BUT their parent company, Estee Lauder, decided to re-start animal testing so they could sell their product lines in China, which requires animal testing. They are now listed as a “Does Test on Animals” company. http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/search.aspx?Testing=1&Range=2
That’s why they stated they were cruelty-free in the past, and were allowed to be listed as “cruelty free” on websites like PETA’s. However, they are no longer cruelty-free. They may not conduct animal testing in the US, but they are OK with animal testing on their products so they can sell in China.
Hope that clears it up a bit! This is a pretty new development, so that might be part of the confusion.
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Urban Decay isn’t on the good guy list. Latest episode of the drama: they’ve been bought by L’Oreal =/
The deal hasn’t been approved yet, but yes, once it goes through and they are purchased by L’Oreal, I will update the list accordingly. I’ll make a note for now though.
great list! if you have anything to add or discuss in mine please do, as i have just decided to go polish vegan. i’d be glad if u joined my willing to be growing community of consciouss friends in laquer helping each other improving in nail art and consciouss beauty. ur blog is lovely.
Yes, how can I forget about Barry M? Thanks for the heads up!
Physician’s Formula has color cosmetics and facial care products. They do not test on animals.
Thanks for the info, I did confirm they are cruelty free and have added them to the list.
Physicians Formula has been making good products for years. I hope they always remain cruelty free, no matter what the market. I just today received some samples from EcoGlo Minerals, which is a cruelty free cosmetics company. But, as I educate myself further, as a vegan who is striving for an eco-friendly and sustainable life on this our only planet, I have learned there is more to the story of ethical consumerism. Please, also be aware of product source, direct or peripheral impact on the environment and wild species, fair trade practices and workers’ conditions, etc.. For instance, no animal testing doesn’t necessarily mean no animal product in the merchandise. Deforestation is a major contributor to climate change, diminishing resources and biodiversity, with the extinction of flora and fauna species. The palm oil industry is a major culprit in such deforestation. Read labels and do research. It’s not easy, but we can drive the market with our conscience, if we don’t give up.
Isn’t Almay owned by Revlon, which tests on animals? I could be mistaken, but I think that’s what I read on another site. Other than that, the list is great and helpful! Thanks!
You are correct, Revlon went back to testing to sell in China and are the current parent company of Almay, so I’ll update the list. Thanks so much!
This list has helped me alot:) But what about Too Faced? They do not test on animals, right? And do you know who owns Too Faced?
Hi there, TooFaced is cruelty-free, according to PeTA. http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/690.aspx So go ahead and enjoy! I think it’s an independent company as of April , but many smaller companies do get bought out by larger ones who do test so I’ll keep an eye on that in the future.
Hi there,
Do you mind if I link this page on my blog?
Also, I think Tarte can be added to the cruelty free list!
hello! I’d be very happy if you shared the page- it’s great to get the word out about animal welfare issues!
I will check into Tarte as I’m not familiar with it. I’ve heard the name but it’s not big here in Asia, so don’t know much about it. Do you have any further info?
Ah yes I didn’t realize you were in Asia! All I know is that I buy it at Sephora here in Canada. from what I can remember, they don’t have a parent company and they don’t sell in China. And they don’t test on animals in any way:)
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A few products I have researched and do not seem to do animal testing:
Australis
Natio
Face of Australia
Innoxa
SHE
Youngblood