While I don't actually wear makeup often, I sure do like to buy it. I like to browse the aisles of Sephora or even Longs to look at all the pretty colors. Part of what holds me back (in addition to wasted money) is that many of these companies test their products on animals. I've felt limited to a few brands that I know are cruelty free because their packaging says so: Urban Decay and Smashbox. Both companies post the PETA cruelty-free bunny logo. While I love Urban Decay, they don't always have everything I want.
On a recent trip to Sephora, I asked an employee if she knew of any other cruelty-free brands. I was basically given a blank look. Scouring package after package, I didn't find the answer I was looking for. If it doesn't say "not tested on animals," I have to assume they do test.
I decided on a whim to look at PETA's Caring Consumer database. It's a handy tool--you can search by product type. The resulting list of cosmetics companies was far longer than I expected.
I found that MAC Cosmetics makes the cruelty free list, as do many others. I love MAC for their incredible variety of colors, but I'd been forcing myself not to go. They're not perfect--some of their cosmetic brushes are made of animal hair.
What I don't understand is why many of these companies fail to let the consumer know that they do not test on animals. It's not on their packaging, and in MAC's case, I just scoured their website and found no mention of it. I would think companies would want to advertise this. Maybe it's become common enough that they don't think of it? Maybe their target market doesn't care? I would hope the consumers care. There's no need to test cosmetics on bunny rabbits.
Not a ton of drugstore brands made the list, but there are more than I expected: Almay, Bonne Bell, Jane, Physician's Formula, Prestige, Revlon (that surprised me!), and Wet n' Wild.
Quite a few more high end brands make the list, but many of them have animal-hair brushes (Stila's squirrel-hair brushes? eww!). I like Urban Decay's synthetic Taklon brushes, but they are pricey. I picked up a set of Taklon brushes at Walgreens for $10. They're not as fancy, but I think they're okay.
I'm pleasantly surprised at the number of cosmetics companies on the cruelty-free list. I just wish they'd market it more. Until then, check out caringconsumer.com to make your own list.
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I don't buy or own any products that are tested on animals and I'm always looking for new products to try from companies who make the choice to be kind rather than cruel. Here's a list I got from a Sephora Customer Service employee online. It doesn't have all of the companies listed because MAC is missing from it but I did do a survey and suggested that they have a cruelty free section on their front page thats very visible. Maybe right beside their "Natural & Organic" section and put all the companies who do not engage in cruelty in it so they are easy to find. I would think they would be proud to honor the companies that make the choice to be cruelty free. Their own Sephora line is also cruelty free. Hopefully some of you who read this might suggest the same thing and that would be great.
Anyway here's a partial list of cruelty free companies at Sephora:
Amazing Cosmetics
Anthony Logistics
B. Kamins Chemist
Balmshell
Bare Escentuals
Benefit Cosmetics
Blinc
Bliss
Boscia
Bourjois Cosmetics
Bremenn Research Labs
CARE by Stella McCartney
CARGO
Carol's Daughter
Caudalie
Clarins
Clean
Cosmedicine
DDF
Decleor
Dermadoctor
Dr. Brandt Skincare
DuWop
Frederic Fekkai
Hard Candy
Jack Black
Jonathan Products
Juice Beauty
Korres Natural Products
L'Occitane
Laura Geller
Laura Mercier
LaVanila Laboratories
Murad
Mustella
Ojon
Ole Henriksen
NARS
Nude
Ojon
Ole Henriksen
Perfekt
Perricone MD
Peter Thomas Roth
Philosophy
Phyto
REN Clean Skincare
René Furterer
Rosebud Perfume Co.
Skyn Iceland
Smashbox
Stila Cosmetics
Tarte
TheBalm
Too Faced Cosmetics
Urban Decay
Vincent Longo
Zirh
Don't mean to be a downer but PETA's list is not correct . Most of the companies that are on their list do not test final products on animals but get ingredients from suppliers that test on animals. CCIC has a list of 100% cruelty free cosmetics. Their list is correct since they are strict with companies unlike PETA.
http://www.leapingbunny.org/
The reality is most cosmetic companies are cruel sadly.
What I don't understand is why people consider products made with animal-derived ingredients cruelty-free. Animal-derived ingredients come from animals. How do you think they get these ingredients? How is that cruelty-free? I've never found anyone that would properly explain themselves on this matter.
Hi, I need to inform you that many of these companies use chemicals that were tested on animals somewhere along the line. And many of these companies are owned by a larger 'parent' company who also owns brands that do test, or use ingredients that have been tested on animals. The money you spend on, say St. Ives ultimately goes to Unilever, who conduct / condone / pay for animal testing. Research every company and chemical before buying. I do not want to support cruelty from being ignorant to the flow of my money.
Also: Chemicals / cosmetics sold in china need to be tested, it's the law. So if the company is based out of China (buying ingredients in china)..or if they sell product in china, chances are they are not cruelty free (100% positive on the second). Also. Philosophy got bought out and is now made in china.
I have wondered the same thing! I didn't buy Revlon for sooo long because I assumed that they tested on animals. When I found them on the cruelty free list I was shocked and wrote to them, informing them that they had missed out in my custom for many year due to the lack of stating on their packaging that they are cruelty free. I asked them why they didn't advertise the fact when it would give them an edge over competitors that are not cruelty free - especially in magazines like Cleo and Dolly that are aimed at a younger demographic that are likely to care about this.
They wrote back and said that they had been cruelty free for about 15 years at that time and most of their regular customers were aware of this. This surprised me seeing as though surely they would still like to attract as many customers as possible outside their regular customers.
I also said that by advertising the fact in their packaging sets a standard am precedent that competitors would feel compelled to meet to compete.
Very confusing - since when do brands not take every opportunity to highlight positives and sell themselves?
You may want to recheck PETA's recent list. Some companies you have on here DO test including MAC.
Peter Thomas Roth does test on animals. Also, any company, even if they say they are cruelty free, that ships products to China is participating in animal testing. Unfortunately, any product sold in China has to be tested on animals before being approved for sale.
Although I love shopping so many different fantastic product but I stick to the Bodyshop just to be safe
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