The following list consists of companies that are not cruelty-free. Its main source is PETA, and we’ve supplemented it with our own research. These brands engage in animal testing OR fund animal testing in some capacity, the most common example being by testing on animals where the law requires it. Also note that some of the brands listed here misleadingly label themselves as “cruelty-free”, a term that is not regulated.
Big Corporations Who Test On Animals
Most of these brands are owned by a few giant corporations: L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble, Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, S.C. Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, Reckitt Benckiser, Church & Dwight, Unilever, and Henkel.
These companies own the majority of the brands we commonly find in most retailer stores and drugstores, and they’re making no real efforts to change their unethical policies.
There are however two exceptions, the first one being Colgate-Palmolive, which have agreed to gradually change their policy. PETA currently lists Colgate-Palmolive as “working toward regulatory changes to reduce the number of animals used for testing”. This does NOT mean the company is or will be cruelty-free in the near future! It’s only a small step in the right direction, and the company still DOES test on animals at this point.
The second exception consists of a few select brands. While in most cases, brands that are owned by companies that test on animals are not cruelty-free, L’Oreal is one of the few companies to own brands that have kept their ethical stances and have remained cruelty-free under the ownership. The same goes for Too Faced and Becca (now owned by Estee Lauder but still cruelty-free) and Tom’s of Maine (Colgate-Palmolive). All the brands mentioned on this list, however, do test on animals.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive. This list only includes companies that claimed they test on animals at some point, or sell in China; there are many other companies who remained silent about their animal testing policy.
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I am curious about Nivea. Does this refer to the Nivea products that are made in Mexico or the original products that are made in Germany? Thank you!!
L’occitane claims on their website that they do not test on animals nor support animal testing, I was wondering why it is on the list?
We are walking against the wind!!!
They will never stop!!!
Thanks for the research. Your list comes from PETA? Any comment on this: https://us.pg.com/sustainability/community-impact/policies-practices/animal-welfare-alternatives
I have just created a petition in regards to animal testing. I am also totally against this because the animal did not do anything wrong. We need to put an end to this, and soon. I’m not going to live my life knowing that this is going on and not doing anything about it.
I’m surprises to zee Yves Rocher on the list, as they explicitly claim they don’t test on animals…!
I think one of my biggest issues I’ve been running into is price. I don’t make a lot and I’m a vegetarian, however to find cruelty free products has been a real struggle. Does anyone have any cheap brands for beauty products/soaps and such? I’m not sure where to start.
I recently tweeted about La Roche Posay and their status as non-cruelty free and they replied saying L’oreal doesn’t test on animals and send me this link http://www.loreal.com/sustainability/l'or%C3%A9al-answers/the-question-of-animal-testing
Kinda unsure what to make of this.
Hi, a friend of mine is just starting a consulting business with Rodan + Fields and I’d love to support her by trying their products, however, I’m having a very hard time finding out if their ingredients are animal tested. They say the products are not and that their formulas are not animal tested but are not directly answering about the ingredients, which leads me to believe they may be altering the wording to lead people to believe they are safe. Does anyone here have any information? This is what they replied to my inquiry (and my friend who is joining their company) when we wrote to them separately:
“Rodan + Fields does not test its formulas on animals. We use alternate in-vitro methods, and voluntary compensated human subjects to verify the safety and efficacy of our formulations.”
That sounds to me like they are referring to the finished product and avoiding the question about the product ingredients.
Maybe a list of companies that DONT test on animals would be good to have. It might be shorter! Oh and how do pet food companies test on animals? Do they feed them pet food?
What does it mean when a brand is not on the cruelty free list or the list of brands that test on animals?
I’m looking for good eczema lotion that doesn’t test on animals and I stumbled upon Eucerin. They say they don’t test on animals..is this true? “Research without Animal Testing at Eucerin: Eucerin does not use animals to test cosmetic products. … Convinced that using animals to test cosmetic products in order to prove that they are safe and effective is not necessary, we have worked successfully for more than 20 years with in-vitro alternatives to animal testing.” https://int.eucerin.com/our-research/research-background/testing-of-efficacy-safety-and-tolerability
I really wish this would stop. If companies didn’t sell to China, maybe a lot of these companies wouldn’t show up on this list. Makes me sick to my stomach, they go to so many extremes all in the name of ‘science.’ It’s not science, it’s shameful. Animals and people are the same. We bleed, hurt, cry, reproduce, love and most importantly live. Nothing should be tested on living things, and especially not in the horrible ways they are. Do you have any good hair products (shampoo and conditioner) that are cruelty free in Canada?
Hi! I was wondering, I don’t see Violet Voss in neither lists (cruelty free and not). Anyone has info about the brand? Thanks x
L’Oreal is one of the few companies to own brands that have kept their ethical stances and have remained cruelty-free under the ownership.
L oreal does not test on animals? They were on the list so I wasn’t buying them…
L’Oreal does test on animals and is not a cruelty-free brand. They do own some brands that do not sell in China and are cruelty-free.
I’ve just been given this link on a facebook page for a product range called La Roche-Posay, I had asked if they were cruelty free, and they assured me with this that L’oreal DON’T test on animals… so now I’m confused, are they lying or has this page not been updated since they decided to stop, or are they not testing INGREDIENTS but testing the final product like the slippery little corporate weasels tend to do!?
Unfortunately, this is a misleading claim. While they may not conduct animal testing themselves, their products are sold in mainland China, where animal testing is required for foreign cosmetics. Therefore they are not a cruelty-free brand.
I am VERY Thankful for the list by the way.
I don’t understand how someone could test Clorox on animals, that is just horrible, matter of fact, I am horrified to see this list.
Is “Demeter” the same as “Demeter Fragrancce Library”? I have written to them (DFL) and they wrote back saying they do not test ingredients or finished products on animals and they do not commission any 3rd party to do so on their behalf”
Hi crueltyfreekitty I just wanna know if Hope Girl a korean brand is cruelty free? Thank you?
What about Youinque makeup brand? I heard that they don’t BUT the materials that they get are tested on animals… is that true?
chanel is listed in cosmetics as testing on animals but not in fragrance. does anyone know if chanel fragrances are tested on animals?
Loreal on both lists ? Wait …
Hi there! Great list!!! Do you perhaps know if Riemann P20 sunscreen products are cruelty free? I haven’t done much research on them yet
How is Sebastian on this list? Are they owned by an animal-testing company?
I would really like to find out what Davines Italy s status is as far as cruelty free is concerned as I was told they went through an 18 mnth process to get into China which meant they didnt have to test.Thoughts please.
Are you sure the brand FDS isn’t cruelty free? I looked on the back of one of their feminine washes and it states that it’s not tested on animals.
Just wanted to say that as of March 28th 2017, H2O plus updated their site saying that they do not test on animals or sell to countries that do
I’m trying to switch to 100% cruelty free and unfortunately my favorite shampoos were on the list. 🙁 Thank you so much for making it easier for us to quickly & easily see what brands we need to stop using. I had no idea. That’s what I get for assuming though. I’m so glad this resource exists.
had no idea febreze is on the list of bad products. also pantene. I always liked it. going to do my best not to buy products that are vegan but owned by companies that don’t practice cruelty free. like loreal and estee lauder.what a shame!!