Cruelty-Free Makeup & Skincare Brands

*For a list of CLEAN and cruelty-free brands, please view this page instead.

Cruelty-Free Beauty Brands

Last Updated 10/28/21

Knowing which beauty brands are cruelty-free can be a bit tricky. American brands can state whatever they want on their packaging in regards to animal testing. Unfortunately, these claims are rarely verified and there’s no legal way to reprimand a brand for misleading consumers. Until laws are in place to prevent this, we (the consumers) have to do our own research. Talk about time-consuming, huh?

Before you fret, there’s good news! We’ve taken all of the legwork out for you, and comprised a list of cruelty-free makeup and skincare brands. We’ve verified that these brands and their suppliers do not test ingredients nor finished products on animals and do not sell their products in areas where animal testing is required.

We update and audit this list regularly so be sure to bookmark this page! 🙂

How We Determine Cruelty-Free Brands

Our cruelty-free list only includes brands that meet at least one of the following criteria:

1. They are listed in the Leaping Bunny Program database

2. They’ve confirmed with our team via email that:

   • They themselves do not test individual ingredients nor finished products on animals
   • Their suppliers &/or third-party affiliates do not test individual ingredients nor finished products on animals
   • They do not sell their products in mainland China or other places where animal testing is required
   • Their products do not contain animal-derived ingredients that are harnessed in an inhumane manner (if they use honey, milk, beeswax, etc.).

Cruelty-Free Makeup & Skin Care Brands List

= Vegan
= Leaping Bunny Program Certified
= Owned by a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free
= Assumed to be cruelty-free but not 100% clear

Did we miss a brand? Let us know here and we’ll happily reach out to them!

You Should Also Know…

• In the United States, there are currently no regulations limiting what a brand can say about their animal testing policies. This gives brands the power to put just about anything on their labels, even if it is misleading to consumers. Having a random image of a bunny or the words “not tested on animals” on the packaging does not always mean the brand is cruelty-free. This is why conducting your own research is vital.
• PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies is not a great resource. It is out of date and nearly anyone can be put on the list with little to no verification of cruelty-free claims. All PETA requires is a questionnaire and a promissory note.
• A great way to tell if a brand is NOT cruelty-free is to see if they sell their product in mainland China. Regardless of what their website may say, animal testing is required in order to sell beauty products in China unless sold exclusively in Hong Kong. On the other hand, just because a company does not sell their product in China does not automatically mean they are cruelty-free.

Disclaimer: Contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own. This post is not sponsored. Nothing stated above should be used in lieu of professional medical advice. Please consult a doctor or dermatologist with questions.