Rimmel London is NOT cruelty-free.
This means that this brand tests on animals or finances animal testing. Some brands that fall under this category test on animals where required by law, which means they're not cruelty-free.
Rimmel London is owned by Coty, a company that tests on animals.
At a Glance
| Finished products tested on animals | Yes, where required by law |
| Ingredients tested on animals | Uncertain |
| Suppliers test on animals | Uncertain |
| Third party animal testing | Yes, where required by law |
| Sold in mainland China | Yes |
| Certifications | None (on PETA's "do test" list) |
| Parent company | Coty (not cruelty-free) |
Rimmel London's Official Animal Testing Policy
“At Coty, we do not test our products on animals and are committed to ending animal testing across our industry.
All our products are safe and have been developed, manufactured and packaged in compliance with the laws, regulations and guidelines that are applicable in each country in which they are sold.
Coty’s human safety experts review our ingredients, as well as the finished products, by applying the best science, based on the use of recognized alternatives to animal testing, existing safety data and, increasingly, the sharing of such data with other parties and industries.
Some governments or agencies stipulate the testing of finished products on animals in accordance with local legal and regulatory requirements. An example is China, where we continue to be involved in the dialogue with the Chinese authorities, including through our active membership of industry groups, to find alternatives to their use of animal testing.”
What This Means
Rimmel inherits the animal testing policy of their parent company, which is Coty. They confirm that they don’t test finished products on animals themselves, however they also mention that they test on animals where required by law in mainland China. There’s also no mention of their suppliers or ingredients.
First and foremost, Rimmel’s policy is to comply with safety regulations around the world, even if it means losing their cruelty-free status in order to sell in China.
From Their Website
On their official site, there’s a link called “Animal Testing” in the footer. When we click this link, we’re shown the following page which includes Rimmel’s official animal testing policy (listed above):
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About Rimmel London
Rimmel is a British brand owned by Coty. Their makeup products are available in drugstores worldwide. Their motto is “Live the London look”.
Why We Classify Brands Like Rimmel London As “Not Cruelty-Free”
The term “cruelty-free” is unregulated. This means any brand can claim to be cruelty-free without breaking the law, even if they test on animals.
Because of this, we communicate with brands directly to gather information about their full animal testing policy.
Brands who are classified as “not cruelty-free” break one or more of the Cruelty-Free 5:
- Their company engages in animal testing
- Their suppliers engage in animal testing
- They allow third-parties to test on animals on their behalf
- They test on animals where required by law
- They knowingly sell cosmetics in stores in mainland China, where animal testing could be performed
A supplier is any company that sells the brand raw materials, ingredients, or finished products. A third-party is an outside company or entity, whether or not it’s hired by the brand.
What’s The Deal With China?
Many beauty brands choose to sell their products in China. It’s important to note that these companies can not be considered cruelty-free.
As of 2020, China still requires most cosmetics to be tested on animals in order to be sold in the country.
As for products which can bypass these mandatory tests, the Chinese authorities may still pull these products from the shelves and have them tested on animals. Although the chance is small, we believe that companies can not be considered “cruelty-free” while taking this risk.
