Purchasing products from cruelty-free beauty brands is a conscious decision to support animal welfare. However, navigating the various cruelty-free certifications, labels and logos can be daunting if you're unfamiliar with them. Learn why you should use cruelty-free cosmetics, what certifications to look for and which brands are guaranteed to not test on animals.
Why Should You Switch to Cruelty-Free Beauty Products?
Beauty products should look great, feel great on hair and skin and be cruelty-free. Unfortunately, the cosmetic industry has a long history of animal testing. Each year, cosmetics brand manufacturers test chemicals on millions of animals. In fact, the Humane Society International in Australia estimates that 500,000 animals, including rabbits, mice, and guinea pigs, die from cosmetics testing annually.
In another study, Cruelty-Free Kitty found that 88% of the 50 largest cosmetic corporations fund animal testing globally. This is tragic, considering there are already 7,000 ingredients to choose from that have already been tested and deemed safe for consumers.
However, the demand for cruelty-free hair and makeup products is growing. One survey found that 36% of women preferred to buy cruelty-free cosmetics, and about 76.9% of women have indicated they are intentional about buying products labeled as cruelty-free.
Are All Cruelty-Free Claims Created Equal?
No. A beauty brand can claim it's cruelty-free or doesn't test on animals, but that doesn't mean animals weren't harmed during development and manufacturing. This is because the term "cruelty-free" doesn't have any legal definition, meaning companies can use it even if they tested on animals at some point.
Likewise, a brand might be cruelty-free, but its parent company could condone animal testing. For example, Estee Lauder is not cruelty-free, allowing it to sell its goods in China. As such, customers may be morally conflicted when purchasing beauty products from Too Faced and Smashbox despite their commitment to cruelty-free practices.
You can ensure products truly don't test on animals by looking for cruelty-free certifications from organizations like PETA, Leaping Bunny and The Vegan Society. However, each organization has different requirements brands must meet. Be sure to look up each organization's eligibility for certification to understand what companies must comply with.
Here’s a helpful video by YouTuber Romy Yang (@teawithromy) offering tips for shopping for cruelty-free cosmetics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzXUOV5BELk
Try These 5 Cruelty-Free Beauty Brands
Switching to cruelty-free products has many benefits, including safer ingredients and greater regard for animal welfare. If you're wondering where to start, try these five beauty brands that are committed to ending animal testing.
1. KVD Vegan Beauty
KVD Vegan Beauty, by renowned tattoo artist Kat Von D, has been cruelty-free since its 2008 launch. By 2016, KVD had reformulated all its products to use vegan ingredients.
According to its website, a team at KVD reviews each ingredient in every product to ensure it is 100% cruelty-free and vegan. The brand boasts it has never tested on animals and never will.
KVD carries many high-quality makeup products, such as lipsticks and glosses, eye palettes and mascara, face makeup, fragrances and brushes. Despite being vegan, KVD manufactures richly pigmented products made to last for extended wear.
2. Milani Cosmetics
Thankfully, several drugstore brands, such as Milani Cosmetics, are cruelty-free and cost-effective. Some of their products are also vegan.
Milani ensures its products are not tested on animals, nor do their suppliers test on animals — even if a country legally requires it. For example, Milani does not sell their products in China, where international beauty brands must test on animals before being imported and sold.
Milani is certified by Leaping Bunny and Peta and sells a wide range of makeup and skincare products at drugstores, grocery stores, beauty stores and online. The brand also has a vegan line without any animal ingredients. If the company can't confirm its synthetic beeswax is not animal-derived, it won't label the product as vegan.
3. Not Your Mother's
Not Your Mother's hair care products are cruelty-free, come from a cruelty-free supplier and do not undergo third-party animal testing.
Additionally, Not Your Mother's products are vegan, meaning they don't contain animal byproducts. The exception, however, is its Royal Honey & Kalahari Melon collection, which includes honey, and the All Eyes On Me line, which has keratin. The brand labels all its vegan products as such.
This drugstore brand aims to provide affordable, clean, salon-grade products for at-home use, from shampoos and conditioners to dry shampoos and special hair treatments.
4. e.l.f. Cosmetics
e.l.f. Cosmetics has become one of the most popular drugstore beauty brands known for its affordability and commitment to delivering quality, cruelty-free products.
The company is double-certified by PETA and Leaping Bunny. Therefore, consumers can rest assured their e.l.f. makeup has never been tested on animals. Leaping Bunny even requires suppliers to document their compliance with cruelty-free standards.
They're also 100% vegan, swapping beeswax ingredients for synthetic beeswax and lanolin with Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladinpale-2. The brand's makeup brushes and false eyelashes also use synthetic hair rather than animal hair.
5. Cake Beauty
Imagine lathering your hair in a clean, animal-friendly shampoo and conditioner that smells like vanilla cake right out of the oven.
Cake Beauty products aren't just cruelty-free and 100% vegan — they also smell delicious. This brand promises that each formula comes from a supplier that does not test on animals or use animal-derived ingredients. It also refuses to sell its products anywhere that requires animal testing.
Typically found at drugstores in the United States and Canada or online, Cake Beauty offers a collection of hair, body and skin care products.
Cruelty-Free Beauty Brands for a Kinder Future
As more consumers demand companies find cruelty-free solutions for their products, the cosmetic industry is more likely to show greater kindness to animals in the future. Vow only to purchase cruelty-free beauty products and let cosmetic brands know it's time to end animal testing worldwide.
Originally published April 29, 2022. Updated January 23, 2025.