Did you know some cruelty-free brands are owned by a parent company that tests on animals?

As soon as cruelty-free consumers are made aware of this, they aren’t sure whether they should continue to support and buy from these brands or not.

In this post, I share some of the most common reasons why cruelty-free consumers may choose to support or boycott these cruelty-free brands that are owned by non-cruelty-free parent companies. Hopefully, this will give you some insight to consider when deciding for yourself if you should support or boycott these brands.

Non-Cruelty-Free Corporations Acquiring Cruelty-Free Brands

Throughout the years, multinational consumer goods & cosmetics companies like Unilever, L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Shiseido, and Procter & Gamble (P&G) have acquired and bought several cruelty-free brands.

These corporations admit to allowing their products, ingredients, or formulations to be tested on animals, and they also own other brands that test on animals.

So when these parent companies acquire a cruelty-free brand, that brand’s cruelty-free status is called into question on whether they’ll remain cruelty-free or if the parent company will influence them to no longer be cruelty-free.

The good news is many cruelty-free brands have remained to operate and stay cruelty-free after being acquired by a non-cruelty-free parent company.

The only exception was NARS after being acquired by Shiseido. The formerly cruelty-free brand decided to start selling in China, where all imported cosmetics are required by law to be tested on animals. As a result, NARS lost its cruelty-free status.

But now that these cruelty-free brands are owned by a parent company that does tests on animals, many cruelty-free consumers aren’t sure whether they want to continue to support and buy from them or not.

Now that you have a better understanding of which cruelty-free brands are owned by a parent company that tests on animals, here are some of the common reasons cruelty-free consumers choose to support or boycott these brands.

Reasons for Supporting

1. They’re still cruelty-free!

You’ll be happy to hear that after being acquired, many cruelty-free brands stay cruelty-free. Many are committed to never allowing their products or ingredients to be tested on animals while maintaining their no-animal testing policies.

Companies that are truly committed to staying and being a cruelty-free brand ensure this is part of the stipulations before signing their company over.

This was especially the case for the cruelty-free skincare brand Drunk Elephant.

During the announcement of Shiseido acquiring Drunk Elephant, the founder, Tiffany Masterson, explained, “We’ll remain cruelty-free. I wouldn’t have signed on for this unless both parties could agree. Fortunately, we wanted the same things; we share like values.”

In addition, some brands have maintained their cruelty-free certification with Leaping Bunny even after being bought out by a non-cruelty-free parent company. These certified cruelty-free brands must continue to meet Leaping Bunny’s standards and are required to show proof of documents that they don’t test on animals anywhere in their supply chain, even after being acquired.

Leaping Bunny certifies cruelty-free brands owned by a parent company that does test on animals but explains, “Leaping Bunny certified companies that were purchased by non-certified parent companies must promise to operate as stand-alone subsidiaries with their own supply chains and must continue to meet the requirements of the Leaping Bunny Standard in order to remain on our list.“

Some of these Leaping Bunny-certified brands include Drunk Elephant, Dermalogica, Hello Products, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day, Schmidt’s, Garnier, and Seventh Generation.

2. Sends a message to the parent company!

Some consumers believe that if we continue to buy from these cruelty-free brands, then it will hopefully send a message to their parent company that there is money to be made in owning and operating a cruelty-free brand.

If these large corporations see that their cruelty-free subsidiary brands are doing financially well, they might be inclined to market more cruelty-free products and brands and maybe just go completely 100% cruelty-free across the board. 

We’ve seen this happen with a few of Unilever’s subsidiary brands. Unilever is a corporation that admits to testing on animals when required by law, but they have acquired and owned a number of cruelty-free brands throughout the years, like Dermalogica, Hourglass, REN Skincare, Schmidt’s, and Seventh Generation. Since then, we’ve seen more Unilever brands claiming to be cruelty-free and are PETA-certified cruelty-free, including St. Ives, Dove, and Simple. 

This is somewhat similar to vegans buying their groceries at retail stores that also sell meat and dairy products or ordering vegan food at restaurants that are not 100% vegan.

If enough of us continue to buy vegan food products and order vegan dishes off the menu at these non-vegan establishments, we hope the business owners will see a rising demand for vegan options and, as a result, offer more and more vegan products and maybe eventually become 100% vegan.

Note that companies won’t know you’re supporting them because of their cruelty-free values unless you tell them, so send them an email, slide into their DMs, or leave a comment telling them you’re happy they’re cruelty-free and hope their parent corporation will follow suit.

3. Limited Cruelty-Free Options

Cruelty-free consumers in some parts of the world don’t have access to the wide selection of cruelty-free and vegan brands to choose from.

As a result, their local stores may only stock a range of cruelty-free products and brands that are owned by a parent company that tests on animals. 

It’s better we buy from one of these cruelty-free brands than from another that consents and pays to have their products or ingredients tested on animals. 

We’re always encouraging caring consumers to do their best with what they have. If the best they can do is buy from these cruelty-free brands, then that’s far better than buying from a brand that admits to testing on animals or doing nothing at all.

Reasons for Boycotting

1. Our money is financially supporting the parent company! 

When purchasing from these cruelty-free brands, the money from our purchases is essentially going into the pockets of their parent company and financially supporting them.

Some cruelty-free customers have shared their personal shopping experience of how they bought something from NYX Cosmetics and noticed on their bank statements, it said the transaction was to L’Oreal.

Cruelty-free consumers want to make sure they’re supporting and buying from ethical companies, but it can be hard to separate subsidiary brands from their parent companies when they appear to operate under one umbrella. 

2. We are indirectly funding animal testing! 

Some people feel when we buy from any of a corporation’s subsidiary brands that, the money from our purchases will get funneled back to the parent corporation, and then we don’t know where or how that money is being spent by the parent company.

And if the parent company tests on animals, that implies our purchases from one of their cruelty-free brands are indirectly funding more animal tests commissioned by the parent company.

3. Support more independent cruelty-free brands!

Some of these cosmetic corporations have large amounts of resources and marketing budgets, and they’ll manage to do just fine with or without our support. 

So instead, we should really buy from independent cruelty-free brands that need our continued support to stay and strive in business.

4. They’re sell-outs!

Some believe these brands are sell-outs because they sold their company to a corporation that goes against their values and ethics in exchange for a big payday.

Some have expressed that if these brands did truly care about animals and being cruelty-free, then they wouldn’t have sold their company to a non-cruelty-free parent corporation.

And by doing so, we shouldn’t continue to support these brands, and hopefully, it will also discourage other cruelty-free brands from selling out too. 

Ultimately, It’s Your Decision

We want to encourage you to make your own decision on whether you want to support these brands or not. Consider which of these points speak to you and are aligned with your beliefs. Also, know that it’s okay if you change your mind as you continue on your cruelty-free journey. We’re all just learning and trying our best here.

More Resources:

• Know The Diff: Cruelty-Free vs. Vegan
• Who To Trust? PETA or Leaping Bunny
• Beginner’s Guide: Vegan Beauty Basics
• To Know: Understanding China’s Animal Testing Laws
• Use This: Checklist To Know When A Brand is Truly Cruelty-Free

The post Buy or Boycott? Cruelty-Free Brands Owned by Parent Companies That Test on Animals appeared first on ethical elephant.

On May 1, 2021, China implemented updates and changes to its animal testing laws. Under the new regulations, some cosmetics may qualify for an exemption and potentially avoid animal testing while selling in China.

Note that the changes do not apply to all cosmetics. Companies also must jump through hoops while meeting specific criteria before being exempt from China’s animal testing requirements.

This can be confusing to understand from a consumer standpoint. So, I’ve created an infographic to help illustrate and navigate through China’s latest animal testing laws.

You’re welcome to share the infographic, but please do not edit, crop, translate, or modify the original image in any form.

China & Animal Testing FAQs

See below for a list of frequently asked questions I get about China’s animal testing laws:

What’s the difference between General Cosmetics vs. Special Cosmetics?

Special Cosmetics (or Special-Use Cosmetics) are products that make a functional claim, like hair dyes, hair perming products, sunscreens, whitening products, anti-hair loss, and cosmetics claiming new efficacy.

General Cosmetics (or Ordinary Cosmetics or Non-Special-Use Cosmetics) are pretty much everything else and include makeup, skincare, hair care products, nail polish, and perfumes.

Are cosmetics ‘Made in China’ required to be tested on animals?

No. If a company manufactures its cosmetics in China, it does not mean they are required to test on animals.

In fact, since 2014, general cosmetics that are manufactured and sold in China do not require pre-market animal testing if reliable safety assessment reports are provided.

Animal tests are required for some cosmetics that are imported and sold in China.

A cosmetic company says they only sell online to China, are they required to test on animals?

No. As long as the company is only selling its cosmetics online and then shipping directly to its customers in China, they are not required to test on animals. The same goes for cosmetics sold on online Chinese shopping websites like Tmall, Taobao, or JD, which do not require animal testing.

Animal tests are only required for cosmetics that are sold in physical stores (and not online) in mainland China.

Do cosmetics sold in Hong Kong require animal testing?

No. Since Hong Kong is not part of mainland China, they don’t have the same animal testing laws. Cosmetic companies can choose to only sell in Hong Kong stores and will not be required to test on animals.

What is post-market animal testing?

Post-market testing is conducted after the cosmetic product is sold in China. It’s the opposite of Pre-market testing, where tests are conducted before the products are available for sale.

Post-market testing in China may be conducted in the event of a customer complaint or safety concern, but experts say post-market testing on animals is uncommon and highly unlikely.

In the unlikely event that post-market testing is required, some authorities and companies claim they will be notified and have the opportunity to recall their products rather than have them tested on animals.

Are sunscreens and hair dyes sold in China required to be tested on animals?

Yes. Sunscreens and hair dyes are considered ‘Special-Use Cosmetics,’ if they’re sold in China, they are still required by law to be tested on animals.

So, does that mean a brand’s ‘General Cosmetics’ can be considered cruelty-free but not their sunscreens and hair dyes?

When we evaluate brands to determine if they’re cruelty-free or not, we generally look at the overall brand and not individual products. If a brand sells some of its ‘Special-Use Cosmetics’ in China, they choose to engage and pay to have those products tested on animals. Therefore, we wouldn’t consider the brand to be cruelty-free even if they sell some General Cosmetics that may be exempt from animal testing. Brands can’t be 78% cruelty-free. It’s either 100% or not.

A ‘cruelty-free’ brand selling in China also sells ‘Special-Use’ products like sunscreen; how can they be cruelty-free then?

To remain cruelty-free, companies must agree not to sell any products in China that may trigger animal tests, like sunscreens, hair dyes, products marketed to children or breastfeeding parents, or products containing a ‘new cosmetic ingredient.’

That means companies selling in China must be selective about what types of products they choose to sell there and must refrain from offering other products that could trigger animal testing.

For example, Dove sells its products in China. If they want to remain cruelty-free, then they are not allowed to sell their deodorants that claim to be “antiperspirant” as this would be considered a ‘Special-Use Cosmetic’ and will require animal testing.

Another cruelty-free brand selling in China is Aesop, they claim that due to China’s animal testing laws, only some of their products are available in China. And some of their other products that are not available for sale in China did not qualify for exemption from animal testing, and therefore, they made the conscious decision not to sell those products there.

Does this mean a lot of brands are now considered cruelty-free that have been selling in China all these years (like MAC Cosmetics, L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Aveeno)?

No. Companies must obtain and submit the proper certificates and documents from specific authorities to be exempt from China’s animal testing requirements.

In other words, companies will need to jump through hoops and hurdles before they can export and sell their cosmetics in China while avoiding new animal tests.

Only cosmetic companies that are willing and able to go through the proper process will be considered cruelty-free in the future.

Is animal testing for cosmetics in China banned in 2023?

No. China has not banned or made it illegal to test cosmetics or their ingredients on animals. These new changes have only lifted the requirement for some (not all) cosmetics imported and sold in their country.

Although it’s not required, it’s still not illegal if companies or suppliers choose to conduct animal tests in China.

How do we know if brands selling in China are being truthful about being cruelty-free?

Leaping Bunny recently announced its China Qualification Program, where brands can go through the process of selling in China under their supervision while remaining cruelty-free. You can follow them to discover which brands are part of this China program. Since their announcement, they’ve only stated Burt’s Bees was one of the brands on board. I’m not sure if they’ll provide a public list of brands in the program.

Other than taking the company’s word, there’s no ‘true’ way to know with certainty which brands are being honest and have avoided all of China’s animal testing requirements.

My takeaway is that the only way through this is by asking brands to be more transparent about the steps they’ve taken to avoid animal testing while selling in China.

So, how do we know if brands are cruelty-free if they’re sold in China?

With the recent changes to China’s animal testing laws, I have decided to include some brands that are selling in China in our Cruelty-Free Brand Directory. Only if they are transparent about the steps, they’ve taken to ensure none of their products or ingredients are required by law to be tested on animals while selling in China.

These are the things I look for when verifying a brand is ‘cruelty-free’ while selling in China:

So far, I have concluded the following brands that are selling in China to be cruelty-free: Aussie, Burt’s Bees, Charlotte Tilbury, Davines, Dove, and First Aid Beauty.

Physicians Formula and Wet n Wild NOT be relisted as cruelty-free because of their lack of transparency and shady past of lying about selling in China in the first place.

Summary:

China’s animal testing regulations are changing. Before, it was very simple, if a brand sold any of its products in China, it couldn’t be considered cruelty-free as they were required by law to test on animals in China.

Now, it’s a little more complicated with China’s recent changes to its animal testing laws. Companies can now sell some cosmetics (but not all) in China without having to test on animals.

But companies will need to follow specific criteria to qualify for an exemption. Therefore, many brands that have been selling in China this entire time are not quite cruelty-free yet. Brands must prove all their products (not just some) meet the criteria for an exemption while providing the proper safety certificates from specific authorities.

Currently, Leaping Bunny is the only third party that offers a program where companies can sell in China under their supervision (where companies must go undergo a series of pre-market and post-market audits.)

Other than that, it’s ultimately left to cruelty-free and ethical consumers to ask companies how they can sell in China without testing on animals and hope brands are telling the truth.

Further Reading on China’s Animal Testing Laws:

• What’s Going On With China’s Animal Testing Laws
• The Truth About Post-Market Animal Testing in China
• ChemLinked is a great resource for staying on top of China’s new regulations, this article breaks down China’s pre-conditions and exceptions

*Important Note: We can address China’s animal testing laws and regulations without criticizing the country, its culture, or its people. Or bring up the virus. I will not tolerate any comments that have racist or xenophobic undertones and will delete such comments from my site.

The post China’s Animal Testing Laws in 2023 – Everything You Need To Know appeared first on ethical elephant.

Animal ‘Cruelty-Free’ is a term used to describe cosmetics, personal care, and household cleaning products as not tested on animals. 

‘Vegan’ is defined as products that do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.

Therefore, ‘Cruelty-Free’ does not always mean ‘Vegan.’ And vice versa.

Examples:

It might be easier to understand the difference between Cruelty-Free and Vegan cosmetics if I provided some real-life examples.

Examples of Cruelty-Free cosmetics that are NOT Vegan:

Burt’s Bees is cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified) and has been verified as not allowing any of its products or ingredients to be tested on animals. However, most of their products, like their Lip Balms, contain beeswax and lanolin, which are derived from animals. Making their products NOT vegan.

Glossier doesn’t test on animals (Leaping Bunny certified), but some of their products, like the Cloud Paint, contain carmine, which is derived from crushed-up beetles. Collagen is also listed as an ingredient, but the source is not disclosed, so it can possibly be from animal sources. This means Glossier’s Cloud Paint is cruelty-free, but not vegan.

Tatcha is another brand that claims to be cruelty-free while selling some products that contain animal-derived ingredients, including their best-selling Dewy Skin Cream, which contains sericin derived from silkworms.

Examples of Vegan cosmetics that are NOT Cruelty-Free:

NARS is not a cruelty-free brand since they announced their products are for sale in China, and they consented to have their products tested on animals as required by China’s animal testing laws. But that hasn’t stopped NARS from marketing and labeling some of its product offerings as ‘Vegan Formula’, including its best-selling foundation. This is an example of a ‘vegan’ cosmetic product that is NOT cruelty-free.

Algenist has a line of skincare products that are marketed as containing Vegan Collagen. However, Algenist’s animal testing policy states they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law, regulation, or a governmental authority. Although Algenist offers a collection of vegan skincare made from a plant-based alternative to animal-derived collagen, Algenist is NOT a cruelty-free brand.

Caudalie claims most of its products are vegan except for some containing beeswax or honey. However, Caudalie admits it sells its products in China, where as they put it, “authorities may impose random animal testing.” Caudalie products may be Vegan, but they’re not Cruelty-free.

Maybelline recently launched a vegan makeup line called Green Edition, where they claim none of their formulas from this line contain animal-derived ingredients. But Maybelline is not a cruelty-free brand because they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law.

Examples of Vegan AND Cruelty-Free Cosmetics:

Biossance, The Ordinary, Milk Makeup, and Merit are all cruelty-free brands where none of their products or ingredients are tested on animals. And all of these brands are 100% vegan, meaning none of their product offerings contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products. These brands are both Cruelty-Free AND Vegan.

Let’s Dig Deeper:

Now you know the main difference between products labeled as Cruelty-Free and Vegan.

Here are some commonly asked questions I get when I mention something is Cruelty-Free or Vegan. 

But how can something be called cruelty-free but contains animal ingredients?

Because there’s no legal or standard definition for using the term Cruelty-Free, according to the FDA, “The unrestricted use of these phrases by cosmetic companies is possible because there are no legal definitions for these terms.”

The explanation I’ve provided above is how the label ‘Cruelty-Free’ is generally used by companies, manufacturers, and consumers, based on my research in the field for the past 8 years. 

But I understand why some ethical consumers are confused and frustrated when brands call themselves cruelty-free but use animal products.

It seems counterintuitive that these two terms, Cruelty-Free and Vegan, can be mutually exclusive. 

Know that, at the end of the day; companies are using these labels as marketing terms. Without a standard or legal definition of the terms, they can use them in whichever way they like to get you to buy their products.

Cruelty-Free Certifications and Vegan Brands

A common misunderstanding I get from readers is assuming Leaping Bunny-certified brands are vegan. This is not the case. 

Leaping Bunny investigates only the brand’s animal testing policy. It’s thorough and can be a lengthy process. But they don’t look into whether brands use vegan or animal-derived ingredients. As a result, many Leaping Bunny-certified brands are not vegan. 

Vegan ≠ Clean, Sustainable, Ethical Products

Another misconception I hear is Vegan products mean it’s clean, sustainable, or ethically made. This is only sometimes true. 

As an alternative to animal ingredients, companies can choose from various components obtained from plants, minerals, or synthetically. 

The term ‘Vegan’ does not specify the type of non-animal-derived ingredients brands choose to use. It also says nothing about how they were made, grown, extracted, or mined. In addition, other factors like environmental impact, sustainable manufacturing, and ethical working conditions are not factored into the umbrella term for ‘Vegan’ cosmetics.

Vegan Brand vs. a Vegan Product

Some consumers also get mixed up between an entirely vegan brand and one offering some vegan options. 

It also doesn’t help that some brands claim to be 100% vegan but then sell a one-off item that isn’t. 

For example, many household cleaning brands claim their formulas are 100% vegan but sell wool dryer balls. Or haircare brands state they’re 100% vegan but then offer hair brushes made with animal bristles.

Here’s a tip, if you see a brand advertise its products as Vegan, don’t assume all of its products are vegan. It may be that one item that is vegan. 

If you wish only to support entirely vegan and cruelty-free brands, check out this list.

Cruelty-Free Brands and Parent Companies

Another note I ought to mention is the discussion on whether brands that are owned by an animal-tested parent company should still be considered cruelty-free or not.

For example, NYX and Urban Decay are owned by L’Oreal, a parent company that is not cruelty-free. Some cruelty-free consumers may choose to continue to purchase from NYX and Urban Decay as they hope it will convince the parent company, L’Oreal, to stop testing on animals.

Even though NYX and Urban Decay may not test on animals, some ethical consumers may not consider them cruelty-free because of their affiliation with animal-testing L’Oreal. And believe that the money spent on those brands will go into the pockets of L’Oreal, and, therefore, indirectly fund more animal tests administered by L’Oreal.

This is always a touchy subject, and I feel there’s no right or wrong way to go about this. There are many different factors to consider when deciding which ethical brand to support and buy from. I always encourage others to do what feels right to them.

Summary

To bring it all together, although there is no legal or standard definition for the terms ‘Cruelty-Free’ and ‘Vegan’ in cosmetics, personal care, and household cleaning products, the two terms are generally used as follows:

‘Cruelty-Free’ = Not tested on Animals.

‘Vegan’ = No animal-derived ingredients or by-products.

It’s possible for a product to be cruelty-free but not vegan or the other way around.

While it’s important to know the differences between the terms, you’ll also want to know the difference between Cruelty-Free Certifications, Parent Company Animal Testing, and other Clean, Sustainable, Ethical marketing claims to make the best informed and ethical choice that fits your values and ethics.

The post Cruelty-Free vs. Vegan: Understanding the Differences and Why They Matter appeared first on ethical elephant.