Cruelty-Free Kitty
Cruelty-Free Kitty
Cruelty-Free Kitty

Cruelty-Free Brands At Sephora: Makeup, Skincare, Nails, And Hair

Suzana Rose
by
Jul 20, 2014

Contrarily to what it might seem like, there’s a wide selection of cruelty-free makeup brands at Sephora, and some are even certified by the Leaping Bunny. Those that aren’t may be found on PETA, and I’ve personally verified their animal testing policies by e-mail to make sure they don’t test on animals at any point during production.

None of the companies below sell their products in China or test on animals where required by law. If a company starts selling in China, I cross it off the list, which means it lost its cruelty-free status. For the moment, only NARS has decided to expand to the Chinese market, which means NARS is no longer cruelty-free.

You’ll also find a handful of skincare brands, as well as some hair and nail polish brands. The reason why this list is so short is because I’m making sure to contact every company before adding it to the list. This list was recently updated to feature even more cruelty-free brands!

As for companies that do test on animals, the list is long: Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Benefit, Estée Lauder, Clinique, the Sephora brand, Bobbi Brown, Givenchy, Make Up For Ever, Marc Jacobs Fragrances — not to be confused with Marc Jacobs Beauty –, and more. Those are definitely not cruelty-free and they do test on animals, in most cases in China.

The list below is constantly updated. More brands will be added as I get in touch with the companies.

Click on your favorite brands to check out their new products. The links open in a new tab.

Cruelty-Free Makeup At Sephora

Cruelty-Free Skincare At Sephora

Cruelty-Free Nails At Sephora

Cruelty-Free Hair Care At Sephora

Is The Sephora Brand Cruelty-Free?

The Sephora makeup brand itself is NOT cruelty-free. Sephora doesn’t test on animals except when required by law, and their products are being sold in China, where animal testing is required by law.

Brands Owned By Non-Cruelty-Free Parent Companies

Some brands on the list above are owned by parent companies that test on animals. When this is the case, you’ll see a note next to the brand. For example, Hourglass is owned by Unilever and Urban Decay is owned by L’Oréal. Some people choose to support such companies and some don’t. There are pros and cons, and this is a personal decision you can make. It’s important to note that these cruelty-free brands are still cruelty-free, no matter their parent company. The brand that owns them doesn’t have an impact on their actual cruelty-free status.

Further Reading

Suzana Rose

Suzana Rose is the founder and editor-in-chief of Cruelty-Free Kitty. She loves using her creative energy to run her ethical businesses, and when she’s not working, you can find her thrifting cute clothes, listening to podcasts, or rewatching her favorite episodes of The Office.

View Comments (373)

  • Thank you for your information on cruelty-free!! I hope you don’t mind but I mentioned your blog in one of my youtube videos!! I want people to be aware that there are lots of great resources out on the internet that can help them go cruelty-free!! Thanks Becca

    Reply

  • Just thought i’d add:
    -Buxom is owned by BareMinerals, so it should also have an *
    -Sephora doesn’t carry The Balm or Dr. Hauschka any longer
    -Dr. Dennis Gross also is cruelty free and vegan

    Reply

    • Thanks! I was hoping Sephora might carry those brands again even though it’s not going to happen! I’m working on updating this whole page and adding newer brands. I added Dr. Dennis Gross, but not all their products are vegan.

      Reply

  • Great post, I just wish Sephora in Luxembourg would stock more cruelty-free products than they do in other countries 🙂 I am just wondering if bare escentuals is really cruelty free as I’ve been told that some of their brushes are made with real animal hair 🙁 do you know if this true? And regarding brands like Urban Decay and NARS… do you think we can trust them? I feel like indirectly funding for animal testing as their parent company does the testing… would be great to hear your opinion as I am in two minds about it. My blog is also about cruelty-free make-up but I find it so hard to find reliable sources because PETA can be really outdated at times :/ xxx

    Reply

    • Yep, I agree about PETA. I personally choose to support cruelty-free brands if they’re owned by non-cruelty-free parent companies as long as the brands themselves are totally cruelty-free, as it’s the case with NARS and Urban Decay (I share my opinion in this post:)).

      You raise a really good point with the makeup brushes, and it’s true that cruelty-free companies sometimes carry brushes made from animal hair. They’re still cruelty-free as they don’t test on animals, but I personally don’t see the brushes themselves as literally “cruelty-free” (even though those companies claim that the hair is obtained “in a cruelty-free way”). In short, a company can be cruelty-free and make brushes made from animal hair just like it can make makeup that uses animal ingredients. Some brushes made from animal hair really are harmless to the animals, while others are obtained in cruel conditions. Where you draw the “cruelty-free line” is therefore up to you! I simply choose not to buy animal hair brushes.

      Reply

  • Great post. I’ve been doing some research on the Balm as I wanted to buy several of their products on cyber Monday and I learned that they sell to China. It’s my understanding that any cosmetics company selling products in China is required to consent to have those products tested. Therefore, it seems that any company selling to China cannot be cruelty free.

    Reply

    • Thanks for letting me know; I’m definitely going to contact them again. This is the response I got from them last time: “Distributors of theBalm Cosmetics from all over the world do not test our products on animals.” It’s a shame if they started selling in China.

      Reply

    • Just to update: theBalm told me they’re NOT sold in China, and I couldn’t find anything about them being sold in China myself either.

      Reply

    • Hi there, I live in china, and the Balm does not sell in , china, it is in Hong Kong however, but brands in Hong Kong and Taiwan actually does not require animal testing, as animal testing is only required in Main Land China. the Balm does have an online store for Chinese customers, but it is shipped from Hong Kong as well, so there is nothing to be worried about. But I am not sure if the brand itself is crusty free or not, since I am not a big fan of them… Hope that answers your concern.

      Reply

  • I’m so glad this list was made! Unfortunately everything I’ve seen about the Korres brand is that they do test on animals. I couldn’t find anything on their website and all other blogs say they aren’t cruelty free. Also, Soap & Glory is cruelty free, as well as their parent company! And Ole Henriksen.

    Reply

    • Hi Grace, thanks for the feedback! Korres is cruelty-free as of recently, and they pulled out of China for animal testing reasons. You can take a look at the correspondence and links in that post if you want; it took some digging to get that info.

      Reply

      • I’m glad to hear Korres is cruelty free! I was totally bummed when I got a free sample from Sephora that I loved and it said Johnson & Johnson on the back. I thought that I was going to have to stop buying their facial products!!

        Reply

  • Hi Suzi! I just discovered your blog and love the fact that you feature cruelty-free products in here. I’d just like to add that I believe Kat Von D is also cruelty-free. I think she has a contract with a different production company and her products are only sold at Sephora. 🙂

    Reply

    • I love your name! 🙂 I’m also fairly confident that Kat Von D is cruelty-free but I’ve been waiting for confirmation! Will add as soon as I know for sure.

      Reply

      • Thanks Suzi! 🙂 I’ve made the conscious effort to buy cruelty-free makeup products as well. Not everything in my collection is cruelty-free because I wasn’t aware of how bad some brands are early on, but ever since learning about these things, I’ve chosen to go in this direction as much as I can. I love your blog because it allows those of us who refuse to support companies that test on animals to see that going cruelty-free doesn’t have to mean we’d have to limit ourselves as far as quality goes. I look forward to reading more posts from you. 🙂

        Reply

  • Does anyone know if the brand FRESH is cruelty free? I’ve had a hard time finding info on this brand. Sorry if anyone has asked about this already! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Kaeley! Unfortunately they’re not cruelty-free. They opened a store in Shanghai in 2013 and sell in China. They’re also owned by a company that isn’t cruelty-free (LVMH).

      Reply

  • I didn’t realize until I saw this post that Tarte was owned by an animal testing company. SO disappointing. I’ve had a hard time finding a great cruelty free mascara and thought I finally had with Tarte, but I’ll have to keep looking!!

    Reply

    • Kat Von D herself claims that her makeup is cruelty-free, but the company that actually makes it can’t back that up. They’re owned by Kendo/Sephora, which aren’t cruelty-free, too.

      Reply

  • I went into sephora yesterday looking for a new foundation. My requests- cruelty free and medium coverage. The employee informed me the sephora brand was cruelty free!!
    I’m so upset I purchased it ignorantly believing her!!!!!
    What a horrible thing to lie about.
    Shame on her

    Reply

    • Definitely return it! Even if it’s open, they’ll accept it. It’s been my experience too that most Sephora employees don’t know which brands are cruelty-free.

      Reply

    • They’re a grey area brand on my list. They’re owned by Kendo (which also owns Kat Von D, Marc Jacobs, and Bite). I know they’re not sold in China at the moment, but I can’t vouch for their ingredients being 100% cruelty-free.

      Reply

  • Don’t know if you are still updating this but Sephora carries a new skin care line, Ole Henrickson, that is great AND cruelty free 🙂

    Reply

  • I just went to Sephora and bought 2 Givenchy items (one lipstick and one foundation). I specifically asked the man helping me if they test on animals and he said no, they do NOT test on animals. After spending over $200 on products I feel very upset and deceived!!

    Reply

    • Return them!! There’s so many better cruelty free brands available + givenchy contains ingredients that are not good!!

      Reply

  • Hi! On the Marc Jacobs site it says very clearly everything is cruelty free. This is a newer brand only sold at Sephora and Marc Jacobs stores. So, is it cruelty free? It is listed on Paula’s site as being so.

    Reply

  • Laura Mercier’s website states “We do not, nor have we ever, tested our products on animals. We also do not contract outside companies to test on animals for us.” Last accessed 26 of May 2015.

    So how did LM come to be part of your list of companies that DO test on animals? Just curious because I currently use Laura Mercier.

    Reply

  • Clinique actually doesn’t test on animals. They say so on their FAQ page. They may not be cruelty-free, but it’s misrepresentation to say they do test on animals just because they’re not cruelty-free. I think you need a separate list for brands that don’t test on animals but aren’t cruelty-free or at least only list brands to still test on animals.

    Reply

  • Hello,

    Thanks for posting this! Glad to see there are so many compassionate people willing to steer clear from cruelty brands. One thing: Laura Mercier’s website says that they do not test on animals (not now, not ever). Check it out FAQ #17 here: https://www.lauramercier.com/faqs.html. You listed the brand as Not being cruelty-free. How did you come to this conclusion? Just wondering. Thanks again for post!

    Reply

    • Very simply, they sell their products in China! And China requires mandatory animal testing. Technically they do not test on animals “unless required by law”.

      Reply

      • Suzi, I sent into Laura Mercier the other day and they replied today with:

        “Good morning and thank you for contacting us.
        No, we do not sell our products in China.”

        Reply

      • Suzi, In light of the email correspondence to adrie182, do you plan to update your information, or at least further investigate it yourself? Until you do, I am finding it hard to give validity every time you say “they sell their products in China.” Thank you.

        Reply

        • Amelia, I can assure I’m looking into it, but I haven’t heard anything official yet. It does look like Laura Mercier stopped selling in China, and I’m trying to look into the possible reasons.

          I’m taking your comment into consideration and I’ll post about it very soon.

          Reply

  • Kat Von D is owned by LVMH. It’s a sephora original brand. It cracks me up when people won’t buy Sephora brand stuff but they will buy Kat. Same pocket, people. Her boxes even say Sephora on the side.

    I’m surprised to not see Jack Black on this list. Going to have to research that a little more.

    Reply

  • Do you personally use products by brands that are owned by a company that aren’t cruelty free but the brand them self are?

    Reply

  • Marc Jacobs is sold in China in Sephora stores according to this list: http://www.sephora.cn/brand.html

    It’s still unclear whether or not they’re cruelty-free for that reason. They’ve recently joined PETA (along with all Kendo brands) but PETA tends to be unreliable. I’ll look into it. 🙂

    Reply

  • I heard today that Estee Lauder is acquiring Perricone MD and Murad. =[

    Also, according to my Coola brand rep, she thinks everything is vegan, gluten free, cruelty free and organic. She’s coming back with more info for me.

    Reply

      • Hahah, technically yes. I work in skincare at Sephora and work with the brand reps a lot. Google Murad Estee Lauder and there are a handful of articles talking about Estee weighing the pros and cons on the deal from June 4th. Until I see an official press release or talk to my rep, I will assume the deal hasn’t gone through, but it looks like they already bought Perricone and are picking up several new brands. Their last sweep was in December/January, when they acquired GlamGlow.

        Reply

        • Estée Lauder has not acquired Murad nor Perricone. Murad was acquired by Unilever in September 2015, but continues to be cruelty free.

          Reply

          • At the time of my comment, Dr. Murad had not cancelled the deal with Estee Lauder yet. Yes, he pulled out and went with Unilever instead (thank goodness). I’m glad he is still a cruelty free brand, I do wish his parent company was, though. I do understand why he sold though, and I hope not dealing with the retail side of things gives him more time to spend with his family and his clients.

  • Hi does anyone know if Murad or Clinique are cruelty-free? I’ve been seeing on the Sephora website that Murad said some of their products were tested on humans and not animals. I’ve been really looking into cruelty-free makeup and skin products 🙂

    Reply

    • Thanks for dropping by. They still sell fragrance in China! I’m trying to figure out the deets and I’ll have an update on MJ, KDV, and all Kendo brands soon!

      Reply

  • I appreciate all the information! But china does NOT require animal testing anymore, so are these once cruelty free make up brands cruelty free again? any information would be appreciated! thanks!

    Reply

    • Danielle: China still requires mandatory animal testing for all imported cosmetics, so sadly nothing had changed. The lift only applies to some domestic brands and products.

      Reply

  • I’ve noticed within the last 6 months or more than Anastasia Beverly Hills and daughter have been taking business trips to Shanghai… So they may not be a cruelty free brand much longer

    Reply

  • So you’ll be happy to know that yesterday I walked up to a client who was just staring down this list while looking around skincare. I was like, “Oh! Cruelty Free Kitty! Fear not, I’m here! What can I help you find?!” She is switching back to vegan and cruelty free products and had all of your lists printed off. =] She said she kept finding conflicting info online and I told her that I 100% trust your lists and updated hers (she had printed it off a few weeks ago so it still had Kate & Murad on it).

    Reply

  • Thank you for this great list! After reading it yesterday and feeling bummed because I just bought some Kat Von D eye products, I decided to google a bit. Now the Kat Von D topic might have been overdone now, but interestingly Paula Begoun’s list of companies that do/don’t test on animals has Kat’s products on the Don’t list and Sephora on the Do list. The site does mention that they’ve categorized companies who don’t test but are owned by companies that do test on the “Don’t” list (excuse the confusing sentence there!!). I also found this recent post: http://www.logicalharmony.net/kat-von-d-beauty-is-now-certified-as-cruelty-free-by-logical-harmony/

    Reply

  • Thank you so much for this list. I really appreciate it and it makes it much easier for anyone not willing to put in the effort. Ths allowed me to try new brands wouldn’t have normally even thought to look at!

    Reply

  • I was told that Illamasqua weren’t cruelty free, is that the case or have they recently made the jump to cruelty free?

    Reply

  • FYI, I just saw Wen on the sephora, China website. I’m guessing the market was just too tempting 🙁 However, Ole Henriksen is not listed on that website 🙂

    Reply

  • Philosophy is also an awesome cruelty free company! And most of their products are vegan as well, the ones that are not are listed on the FAQ on their website 🙂

    Reply

  • Bite is still on the Leaping Bunny’s list thus far. I’m also looking into brands owned by Kendo as they’re on PETA’s list and for some reason claim to be cruelty-free, so maybe there’s truth to that — but Marc Jacobs doesn’t deny selling fragrances in China. I’ll post my Kendo update soon! It’s a bit shady if you ask me.

    Reply

  • laura mercier is cruelty free, it states on their site, they also state some products are vegan, and some are not.

    Reply

  • Hi, Bobbi Brownand MAC are both companies that are owned by Estee Lauder and they are not cruelty-free. They test on animals and they fund animal testing in China, in order to sell their products there. They are more interested in profit than morals. I believe you should update this blog as it is misleading. Thanks x

    Reply

    • I don’t think many brands sold at Sephora are 100% vegan, but do check out my full list of cruelty-free brands for vegan ones. 🙂

      Reply

  • Thank you for all the information! I’ve been trying to find out if Dr, Brand skincare is cruelty free. Do you know if they are?

    Reply

  • Yep, you’re right about the second part. But the companies themselves claim to be cruelty-free even if they sell in China, so it’s understandable that the Sephora staff is a bit confused. Smashbox did pull out of China months ago, but Estee Lauder brands are mostly never cruelty-free so it’s dubious IMO.

    Reply

  • thanks so much for your hard work in having this page. this has helped alot. i was starting to think i couldnt get cruetly free makeup. we did have “She” cosmetics in priceline, but they have stopped selling it 🙁 Jo – Perth WA

    Reply

  • I agree with you, she has personally stated while she gets multiple requests to have her products sell in China, she will not because they do test on animals, ALSO Marlena (MUG) also knows the lab which Kat uses to make her products and KAT IS 100% Vegan

    Reply

  • Thank you for the detailed information! Its time consuming when looking for cruelty-free products. I just went to Sephora last night and bought the Ralph men fragrance by Ralph Lauren. Now I have to let it go since I found out that Ralph tests on all of their fragrances although I adore the scent.

    Reply

  • hi! lately i have been getting into makeup more and i was given a gift card to sephora for Christmas. i wanted to buy a foundation that is medium coverage and cruelty free but i dont know which is the best. do you have any suggestions? also i would like to buy Kat Von Ds Shade + Light palette and i was wondering if that is a good cruelty free option also. thanks!

    Reply

    • The contour or the eye palette? They’re both great palettes! I have the Shade + Light eye palette and I’ll post a review soon. For foundation, definitely ask for a few samples at Sephora. Look into brands like Tarte, UD, and bare minerals (their liquid one).

      Reply

  • Do Nars or Urban Decay sell to China? I know that animal testing is required by law in China, but on their websites they say they are cruelty free (albeit, not entirely vegan). It’s so confusing!

    Reply

  • If a company tests in China, it isnt’t cruelty-free! Organizations like PETA and the Leaping Bunny do not perceive these compnies as cruelty-free, and most bloggers wouldn’t either. The animal tests performed in China are as cruel as any animal tests can be, and if a company finances those tests, they can’t be cruelty-free!

    I hope this helps. The only advocates of still being cruelty-free while selling in China are the companies that do so. They claim to be cruelty-free because the don’t test on animals here, but omit to say they do so in China.

    Reply

  • How is Kat Von D still CF? I thought they were owned by Sephora who you state is not CF? Also, I absolutely love your site! It is super helpful and has opened my eyes. I was so proud to buy Tarte because I knew (or so I thought) I was buying CF, but now I know my purchase was ultimately benefiting animal testing. 🙁

    Reply

    • Hi Megan! Kat Von D is actually owned by Kendo, which is cruelty-free. All Kendo brands except Marc Jacobs are cruelty-free, and as far as I know they’re making a true effort. Kendo is then owned by LVMH, which doesn’t test on animals either (but owns Sephora, which does). Hope this is helpful and not confusing! 🙂

      Reply

      • Oh that is very helpful! Thank you so much! I’m planning to go make-up shopping this weekend and I’ve heard great things about Kat Von D, but I wanted to make sure they were truly cruelty free. Thanks for all your helpful information. 🙂

        Reply

  • I did a lot of research about Tarte and it seems like although it’s Acquired by Kose, their products are going to remain cruelty-free

    Reply

  • Is Too Faced still cruelty-free? I read in another blog post that they lost the Leaping Bunny, but on their FAQs they still say that they do not test on animals.

    I’m looking for a great setting powder to complement my Josie Maran Protect + Perfect!

    Reply

  • Thanks so much for this great database of information. Bummed to hear that Fresh is not CF. Have you heard of Farmhouse Fresh? They have some wonderful vegan products and claim to be CF. I hooe you havent you heard otherwise? Thanks again,

    Reply

  • thank you so much for the updated list! it is greatly appreciated. any chance on getting a list for fragrances? i’ve called the company nest to ask about their cruelty-free status and they say they are, but i’m suspect.

    Reply

    • Please let us know what they tell you. For the life of me I cannot find that e-mail. I should have found it before I commented…

      I did find a letter from a Too Faced:
      ———-
      Good afternoon Brandy,

      Thank you for your message. Too Faced Cosmetics is proud to be 100% cruelty-free, right down to our Teddy Bear hair make-up brushes. We have never and will never test our products on animals. Whereas we do not test any of the materials within our products on animals, I cannot speak for any other companies in regards to their cruelty free status. I can tell you that Too Faced is very careful in deciding where our products are manufactured and where they are sold in order to ensure that our products are not tested on animals. In fact, we are not sold in some large markets because they require animal testing in order to even sell products there. I hope you find this information to be helpful!

      Have a great day!
      Sincerely,
      Aun’JenelleWebsite Customer Relations Coordinator
      ——-

      In response I asked them if they were considering rejoining the leaping bunny program and they said they were “exploring opportunities with Leaping Bunny”, but that was it.

      At any rate, thank you for keeping this site!

      Reply

  • You’re very welcome. Companies that choose to sell in China also choose to have their products tested on animals and finance those tests. This means that these companies are NOT cruelty-free as far as I’m concerned. Let me know if you have more questions!

    Reply

  • Hi Vick- I get where you’re coming from, but Kendo itself is considered a cruelty-free parent company. LVMH hasn’t tested on animals in 2 decades, except of course in China. So while LVMH isn’t cruelty-free, the direct parent company of KVD is. I believe LVMH made this change specifically to have a cruelty-free branch.

    Reply

        • Hi Lena,

          While Benefit’s company may not test ingredients or finished products on animals, they must approve their products to be tested on animals in order to be sold in mainland China. By law, any cosmetic companies importing their products to sell in China must sign off on and follow their regulations (ie. any products being imported into the country need to be tested on animals before being sold). Therefore, any companies willing to have their products tested on animals in order to sell their products in mainland China cannot be considered cruelty free.

          Hope this helps!

          Reply

  • Thank you for this information but I just want to inform the publisher, of this article, that Urban Decay Cosmetics is a cruelty-free company even though they were acquired by L’Oreal in 2012. It would be very useful if the information on Urban Decay to be changed. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Hi, I had heard Murad was recently bought by Unilever. Though they might not test on animals Unilever is one of the biggest testers on animals. If Kate S was scratch from the list above then I will assume Murad should be too.

    Reply

  • would you be able to let us know which cruelty-free brands are also vegan. I heard that just because they’re not testing on animals the products might still be made with animal derived ingredients especially when it comes to making pigment colors for cosmetics

    Reply

  • I wish I could get ahold of cruelty free make up where I live, but I can’t. The only brand that doesn’t test on animals that I can buy off is Too Faced, but we don’t even have everything they sell, just some eyeshadow palettes (I bought one yesterday instead of buying from Urban Decay) and powder. I really feel guilty of using products tested on animals, even more now that I own a rabbit, and he’s the cutest animal I’ve ever seen. I’d die if I had to watch how someone tortured one, but my parents don’t allow me to buy online 🙁

    Reply

  • I thought Urban Decay did not test on animals!! I switched from using Mac to Urban decay for that reason!! What happened?

    Reply

  • Marc Jacobs beauty website FAQ says they DO NOT test on animals and that most of their cosmetics are devoid of animal by-products. However, you stated on this list that they DO test on animals… I’m now confused about where you’re getting your source of information from. If you are wrong about Marc Jacobs beauty, you may want to re-evaluate all the other companies since there may be errors as well.

    Here is the link to their FAQ page:
    http://www.marcjacobsbeauty.com/category/customer+service/faqs.do

    Reply

  • Hi! I just wanted to let you know that urban decay is not actually cruelty free 🙁 based on what I have researched they either associate with or are owned by companies that do conduct animal testing

    Reply

    • They are owned by Loreal, which conducts animal testing, but as a part of their buy out agreement, none of Urban Decay’s products may be used for animal testing.

      Reply

  • Thank you for the updated list. This needs to get out to the Sephora consumers. Sadly, one of my favorites is not on the cruelty free list and I will find cruelty free alternatives. If I am understanding correctly a company may be cruelty free ,but if they sell their products in China there are not because China requires them to test on animals before they can sell in China? So the list that are cruelty free do not sell there?

    Reply

  • Hi! I see your list is updated for 2016, but when did Givenchy start testing on animals? I wrote to them a bit ago to ask if 1, they test, and 2, do they use fur in their clothing line. The answer to 1 was an emphatic NO they do not. The answer to 2 was, unfortunately, yes. Are they testing the products that are shipped to China because the Chinese are insisting on it? And their products to everyone else are not tested?

    Reply

  • I thought I saw Dior listed as cruelty free on a PETA writeup about fragrance.. did it change or is there another reason why you don’t consider it cruelty free? Or maybe I misread it, I was trying to find a high end fragrance that was cruelty free.

    Reply

  • I went to my local Sephora yesterday to browse and pick up my birthday freebie, and got sidetracked by an employee trying to sell me stuff. I specifically told her I was only interested in cruelty-free products, and she gave me samples of Caudalie, telling me she knew ‘for a fact’ that it was a CF brand. I was pretty sure that I remembered seeing that they weren’t, but didn’t have the nerve to correct her at the time. In hindsight, I really wish I could have spoken up, and now I want to write an email to send to that store’s management. I’d like to tell them to educate their employees, so others won’t make the same mistake; but I have no idea how to word it so that it comes across as informative, yet polite, so that my email isn’t just ignored.

    Reply

    • I had the same experience at Ulta on Monday. I was searching for good products within the First Aid Beauty cosmetic line. Another cosmetic sales rep asked me to check out their products instead. I inquired about CF, and I was told “of course.”

      Reply

    • This may help: I recently went to a Sephora and voiced similar concerns, and the girl went and got a clipboard with different lists. One was CF brands. I didn’t see them differentiating between CF, 100% CF and vegan, but otherwise it was accurate. Maybe (hopefully) this is newly distributed to all stores?

      Reply

    • Sephora is amazing at educating their employees, but the fact is, there are so many brands sold there that it’s impossible for employees to have lists memorized of which brands are cruelty free, or vegan, or gluten free etc. People have all sorts of stipulations for their products and a lot of times employees have to look at the packaging for that type of information, and it does say on Caudalie’s packaging that they are against animal testing. I’ve worked there as a skincare consultant for 3 years and the list of CF brands is constantly changing – so even if I did have it memorized or even printed out to look at, it still might not be totally up to date. I try my hardest to keep up because I’m an animal lover, but when I’m out on the sales floor and have nothing to reference except the box, it’s very hard to be 100 percent sure about things like this.

      Reply

      • You’re right, it is hard to be 100% sure and there’s no way employees can be expected to remember what brands are/aren’t CF at a retailer carrying as many lines as they do. AND: that particular staffer really ought not have claimed she knew Caudalie was for-sure CF. An honest answer, “To my best recollection, I believe they are, but that would have to be confirmed.” would have been a better approach.

        That’s something Sephora employees should be better educated on in general: when to admit you do not have an answer, checking for one if possible, and/or asking another staffer if they know. I’ve had a few experiences at Sephora where someone clearly did not have an answer to something and talked out their a** instead of being honest. Big factor in why I pretty much only shop online from those guys now. 😉

        Reply

  • I personally still buy NARS, Bare Minerals, and Buxom. I want to let Shishedo know (with my money) that I value their CF brands and hopefully the rest of their brands will follow suit. I wobble on this a bit. Does anyone else feel the same?

    Reply

    • I feel the same and I also wobble on it. I generally try to find a completely cruelty free brand, but if that isn’t an option, then I’ll go for a brand owned by a parent company. You can definitely argue that it’s bad to support a parent company that tests on animals, but what about supporting a store that also sells products that are tested on animals? Or a mall that allows stores that sell makeup tested on animals? At some point it clearly becomes ridiculous, but I think it’s a line everyone has to draw for themselves. Like you, I hope that purchasing from cruelty free brands, their non-cruelty free parent companies will realize CF is profitable. Or, alternatively, that cruelty free brands will see that a certain product or shade sells well and will make their own version. But I’d much rather that all brands would just stop animal testing and I wouldn’t have to go through all this research just to buy makeup.

      Reply

  • Hi Suzi! I love your blog – Thank you so much for this info! BTW do you know if Surratt Beauty is cruelty free? I bought their lipstick from Sephora but I can’t find their animal testing policy and they never replied my email. Should I return this? 🙁

    Reply

    • Benefit does not test their products on animals, however they are owned by a non-cruelty free parent company and have not disclosed the testing of their ingredients pre-production.

      Reply

  • I’ve heard multiple things regarding whether or not Smashbox is cruelty free. Do you know if they are CF??

    Reply

  • Hey Claire- Yes, they do. Urban Decay is cruelty-free, but they’re owned by a company that isn’t. Some people choose to support UD since the brand is still cruelty-free, and some don’t because the profits will go to L’Oreal.

    Reply

  • I totally agree and that’s what I’ve been trying to do…up until now. The amount of CF brands being eaten up by non CF brands is ever growing (tarte, nyx, Nars, UD to name a few) and it’s becoming more limited and difficult to find brands (and therefore products!) that work.
    Either the brands products are not good, or they are ridiculously expensive. And it’s sort of “forced” (because I know no one is holding an axe to my head but…) me into looking at CF brands owned by non CF parents.

    Reply

  • Thank you for this incredible list! It has saved me from a lot of research. I just found another hair care brand that is sold at Sephora and is cruelty-free: devacurl! I checked both on their website and the PETA website. It has the PETA label and does not test.

    Reply

  • suzi, been recently looking at jack black because they’re CF, vegan and don’t sell in china. any idea who their parent company is and if they are CF?

    Reply

  • I read Sephora is not cruelty free themselves so I refuse to shop at their locations. I’d rather buy online directly from the company or shop at Ulta

    Reply

  • Thank you so much for this, I’ve been trying to figure out and reading labels doesn’t alway give the information easily, this is a huge help!!!!!

    Reply

  • Not to be a pain, but did Butter London finally get certified; I remember reading a previous article and was just curious. Thank you for your hard work.

    Reply

  • Hi Sarah- Philosophy’s policy is to test on animals where required by law. They’re not sold in China right now, but their policy opens themselves up for it. All other brands claim not to test on animals where required by law.

    Reply

  • I think you are missing the point on the brands that are sold in China. The Chinese government reserves the right to test on animals if it passes through the borders but the brands sold there do not test on animals on their own. You should be more clear. It is not the fault of the brands if the government chooses to do this. Asian beauty trends are one of the main driving forces in the industry today brands that elect to sell there can be both ethically and business conscious. You must clarify this. You are sending clients into Sephora under the impression that over half the present brands are not mindful when many of them contribute more to the environment and cruelty free laws than brands sold in China. Additionally, most of the brands you have listed are small companies that can’t yet afford to put their products in China and if they had the resources I am confident that most of them would.

    Reply

  • thank you for an amazingly comprehensive list. We have Beauty without Cruelty in South Africa who also have a very informative website. Are Clarins not on the cruelty free list due to testing in China?

    Reply

  • Thanks you for bringing up this point. It is so important for people to realize that not testing on animals and cruelty free are really two different things. However, making the switch to “cruelty free” brands is an amazing thing for everyone to do, even if it is just a start. It makes the transition to supporting vegan and not tested on animal products much easier! So please if you are reading this and considering making the switch, dont be discouraged by the lack of clarity in the definition.. switching to cruelty free is the right thing to do!!

    Reply

  • Hello, I love your site. Do you have any information about Glamglow? I received a sample of their product in my sephora play box but haven’t been able to find any information and their animal testing status.

    Reply

  • This is what their site says: “We do not test our products on animals nor do we permit others to do
    so except where it is required by law. We are deeply committed to the
    elimination of animal testing and we are playing a leading role in
    developing alternative methods through our support of the “Fund for
    Alternatives to Animal Testing” in the United States and the Opal
    Program in France. Additionally, we are one of only a few companies to
    have invested in creating our own internal department to test raw
    materials and ingredients to further ensure the quality of our products
    and the satisfaction of our customers, which is our foremost priority.
    We are hopeful that alternative testing methods will be adopted
    worldwide and we will see an end to animal testing.”
    I’m hoping they stop selling in areas where it’s required by law then

    Reply

  • Thank you so much for keeping this list updated, it’s worth its weight in gold when I am standing in Sephora! I’m wondering about Laura Mercier and two brands not sold at Sephora: By Terry, as well as CHANTECAILLE. I’ve read several places that they’re both committed cruelty free brands — do you have any confirmation about this? THANK YOU!!!!

    Reply

  • I read that in October of 2016 you stated Laura Mercier was cruelty free but on here I don’t see it on either the cruelty free or non cruelty free categories. I was wondering what is the final position of the brand?

    Reply

  • I don’t know if this was already asked… but why is First Aid Beauty not guaranteed to be cruelty free?

    Reply

  • I was going to make a list like yours, but I saw your website and I realized you already had this beautiful idea!! 🙂 So THANK YOU for this useful information!

    Reply

  • Suzi, my friend just received a response from Stila’s social media stating that they don’t sell in China and are on PETA’s cruelty free list – can you confirm if they’re telling the truth? I’ve checked the Chinese Sephora site and although Stila is still listed as one of their stocked brands, the only product showing is an empty powder compact… so I’m tentatively hopeful!!

    Reply

  • I thought I read somewhere that Urban Decay is no longer cruelty free due to selling in China , is that true?

    Reply

  • Do you know if belif is cf? I thought I saw on another bloggers page that they were, but, I think you have the most updated accurate list. I got a sample of their aqua bomb, and I kinda love it. But before I purchase I want to make sure it is.

    Reply

  • PETA’s website states that Stila is in fact a cruelty free brand, yet you have them listed as a brand that tests on animals…

    Reply

  • Thank you for putting together this list! I know you specify that the companies don’t test the ingredients or products on animals but do they contract out the testing to a different (3rd party) company, in which case I wouldn’t classify them cruelty free?

    Reply

  • Smashbox is cruelty free. It states on PETA they even recommend there products and it is stated on Smashbox website. I’m glad I did more research then going off of your list.

    Reply

  • Didn’t omorovicza just decide to remove their products from China to regain cruelty free status in January? I remember reading it somewhere.

    Reply

  • Hi I am wondering if Laura Mercier is CF? Also are the brands in the list that don’t test on animals but are owned by companies that do, still good to buy? Thanks!

    Reply

  • Hi Suzi, I just came across two cruelty free haircare brands from Sephora (though they’re mostly online exclusive for now) that I’m loving! Briogeo and Captain Blankenship (how cool is that name!?). I’m not sure where it would go, makeup vs. skincare, but there’s also Supergoop, which is primarily a sunscreen brand that has a great CC cream and moisturizers!

    Reply

    • Thanks Dani! I actually reached out to Captain Blankenship and they’re cruelty-free, so I’ll be adding them. I’ll look into Briogeo!

      Reply

  • What is the best product or products that will remove sun damage, acne scars, even skin tone, smooth skin and remove open pores. Thank you

    Reply

  • Hi! I was wondering if you had spoken to anyone at Belif about their skincare? I heard they were cruelty free some time ago, fell in love with the range, but now when doing my own research I’m not finding anything really convincing or definitive… which makes me suspicious! Also totally gutted about First Aid Beauty, their moisturiser was my fave 🙁

    Reply

      • Thats a shame, I really did love their skincare, but I think no answer is bad news. Thanks for checking and thank you for all the effort you put into researching cruelty free brands in general – I recommend this site whenever I can, as you make it so easy!

        Reply

  • Someone might have already covered this, but I used to use Wen by Chad Dean until it dawned on me that it is sold/owned by Gunthy Renker who is a giant in the animal testing practice. 🙁 Just wanted to pass it along in the chance it might spare someone else some grief. Thanks for all the great info!

    Reply

  • Something’s just occurred to me that may seem absurdly obvious to everyone else.. Sephora buys wholesale stock from some cruelty-free brands and then sells said stock in its stores for a considerably higher price to make a profit. So, basically, even if we only buy from the cruelty-free brands at Sephora, we are still directly contributing to the non cruelty-free practices of Sephora itself. Sephora is basically like a giant non cruelty-free parent company! Huh. Well that sucks.

    Reply

  • Hey! Im obsessed with this list and go back to it all the time! Especially as a Sephora employee who tries incredibly hard to be cruelty-free! We also carry Devacurl, a hair care brand, and it is cruelty-free!

    Reply

    • Liz, Thanks so much for your kind words! I’m so glad it’s helpful to you, and congrats on being cruelty-free!

      Reply

  • Hi, i just purchased Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and noticed the bunny isn’t on the packaging or the bottle. Has something changed with their animal testing policies?

    Reply

  • Hello, I have a doubt… does Elf tests on animals or is it cruelty free? Because it is not on the list. Thank you so much!

    Reply

    • Hi Daiana! e.l.f. is cruelty-free! 🙂 It is not available at Sephora, but can be found at Ulta, drugstores and online. Hope this helps!

      Reply

      • Hello Daiana,

        I recently ordered e.l.f products from iHerb. All the products to my surprise was made in China. Does that mean they test on animals?

        Reply

  • I don’t think that Stila is cruelty-free, unfortunately. They may not test on animals but in their lipsticks they still use carmine, which is crushed up beetles.

    Reply

    • Yes, of course, everyone has different definitions of what cruelty-free means to them! While Stila doesn’t conduct any animal testing, they do use non-vegan ingredients in their products (as do many other cruelty-free brands) so there is definitely a gray area there! I also personally choose to buy products with vegan-friendly ingredients. 🙂

      Reply

  • Hello ! Thanks for your post, I’ve been looking for it for so long !
    What about Rituals ? I read that they are completely cruelty free ..
    Sorry for the spelling errors, I come from France :))

    Reply

  • Hi, Thank you so much for putting in such a great amount of time and effort to inform others of which companies are cruelty free! It is very appreciated 🙂
    Ps, just to let you know that smashbox is also a cruelty free brand at sephora!

    Reply

  • Thank you for this information. I can’t believe so many still do. I’m so bummed. Brands I buy and didn’t realize. Grrr.

    Reply

  • You forgot to include Korres Skincare (exclusive to Sephora, don’t sell in China and follows strict EU guidelines!

    Reply

  • Dr. Brandt Skincare is another cruelty-free skincare brand according to their website. I like their Glow retinol eye cream (despite the price tag), although I haven’t seen it at Sephora in the past couple of months.

    This list is really helpful! Hope we see more companies go cruelty-free!

    Reply

  • I’m so sorry I posted earlier today recommending Dr. Brandt Skincare as a cruelty-free option but I just read elsewhere on your sight that, although the company may advertise itself as cruelty-free, it sells its product in China which means that it is tested on animals there (very disappointing, and I will not be purchasing again). Please disregard my earlier comment…Thank you for your website and doing this research for us!

    Reply

  • Do you know if the Estee Edit tests on animals? I know they’re under Estee Lauder but they’re shutting the line down and while getting a bunch of high end makeup for dirt cheap would be nice, I’m trying to turn my makeup collection cruelty free. Thanks!

    Reply

    • As far as I am aware Estee Edit shares the same animal testing policy as their parent company. However, if you want to be sure I would definitely recommend reaching out to them directly! Make sure to ask them about their finished products, ingredients, suppliers, as well as third party testing. Another thing to consider is whether or not they sell in mainland China, where animal testing is mandatory by law.

      Reply

  • Hi Suzi! Thanks so much for all the wonderful info on your site! Just wondering, Sephora have just stated on their Instagram (in a comment) that their brand is cruelty free and their products “have never been tested on animals”. I’m wondering if you’ve heard anything about them recently ceasing selling their Collection in China (yay!) or if (unfortunately more likely) they’re kinda misrepresenting themselves on social media (not so yay). Thanks!

    Reply

  • Hi there, I really find this blog very informative and helpful when shopping to avoid companies who test on animals. One thing that strikes me odd as I scroll through your website is a recurring ad the pops up for L’Oreal mascara. Why does this ad keep popping up as they are not cruelty free??? Also what is confusing is parent companies that own all kinds of brand names like the Body Shop I believe is owned by a bigger company (may even be L’Oreal? Do you have a list of parent companies or sister companies?? Thanks.

    Reply

  • Hi! I saw on some other website that mentioned Viseart, It cosmetics, Smashbox, Kevyn Aucoin are cruelty-free brands too!!

    Reply

  • Hello,

    I want to say THANK YOU with all my heart! Thank you for taking the time to research diligently AND share this valuable information with everyone.
    It’s people like you that also have a huge heart, filled with kindness, and pay it forward.
    I truly appreciate all the work,dedication,devotion, and knowledge that you share with those of us who are also compassionate and love animals.
    <3 Ever so grateful! 🙂
    Huge hugs to you,
    K. – Another animal lover in LV

    Reply

  • Hi cruelty free kitty,

    Just reading up on cruelty products that I will hope to be an ultimate goal! Anyway I got a question, some of the list eg tarte is said to be cruelty however some of their products are made in china? How is that considered cruelty free when that country by law requires animal testing? Any insight would be helpful thanks 🙂

    Reply

  • Hi Suzi! I have a question about Perricone Md. This is what it says on their website:

    Does Perricone MD test products on animals?
    Perricone MD does not test on animals nor do we believe in the practice. We are one of many beauty brands that are sold internationally including in China and you may be aware that the Chinese government tests imported wholesale cosmetics by law, but products ordered from Perricone MD and shipped directly from us to our customers throughout the world are not tested on animals. Some of the products’ ingredients are not considered vegan in case this is a related concern.

    So are they basically saying that even though they’re sold in China and know that China probably tests their products on animals, products shipped directly from them aren’t tested on animals so that’s okay? I think I read that you cross off any products that are sold in China. Thanks 🙂

    Reply

  • Hello, I love your website and find it more thorough than any other I’ve seen, including peta which is often lagging. I did want to get your input into nudestix. They say they have gone into China and bypassed animal testing therefore remaining cruelty free. What do you think about this?

    Reply

  • I didn’t see Laura Mercier or Stellar Cosmetics on your list and when I did some research i found that both of these brands sold at Sephora are Cruelty -free, am i mistaken?

    Reply

  • This site has quickly become my favorite site! I’m always torn by I purchase a product that I don’t know for sure that is cruelty free or vegan, whether that is beauty products or household products. Thank you for spreading the word! Animal testing shouldn’t be allowed

    Reply

  • I’m finding that cosmeticians in drugstores strongly believe that L’Oréal Brands that are from France (like Lancôme) do not test on animals because it is illegal in Europe to test on animals. Twice now I’ve gotten in “arguments” with these people that are told this in trainings I guess… As you mention in this post, if the brand sells in China, they do test on animals… Cosmeticians are being “brainwashed” by these big companies and misinforming customers….

    Reply

  • Sephora has provided a list of cruelty free which is not accurate. Many of these product lines are manufactured using animal testing because these products are sold in Mainland China, which demands animal testing be done on any products sold in the country. For those of you who have not done your research, don’t immediately take the word of an entity whose interests are served through deceptive practices.

    Reply

  • Can u also do a list on Make Up brands that are vegan, but have been tested on animals pls ? Since I live in China, all brands here are unfortunately not cruelty free, but I would still like to know what brands are vegan,, so I can feel better when buying makeups. Thanks !!

    Reply

  • This site has been extremely impactful and impressive. I will recommend this to anyone. I look forward to adhering this site. I will be transitioning into cruelty free cosmetics and skin immediately.
    Vegans unite?

    Reply

  • Nars is not cruelty free, not sure on the others but I’m assuming they are not as well. Just thought you’d want the vegans to know the truth

    Reply

  • Still though, by purchasing cruelty free brands at Sephora you’re still supporting a company that, itself , is not cruelty free. Kind of a double edged sword. ?

    Reply

  • This is such a wonderful source of information! I just wanted to mention though that you still have NARS listed as cruelty-free under the section “owned by Shiseido”, which you mentioned in another post has started selling in China.

    Reply

  • Bumble and bumble is shown to be cruelty free and is sold at Sephora. Can you add it to the hair care category? Thanks for providing these great guides!

    Reply

  • Hi Suzana! I wanted to know what your opinion was if we bought cruelty-free products from Sephora even if the Sephora brand itself is not cruelty-free?

    Reply

  • What is a better and or safer or better brand Sunday Riley dr gross or Tatyana I stopped using Clarins and need good replacement for Clarins double serium and regeneration line

    Reply

  • Hello! I just looked it up and Fresh Beauty IS cruelty-free! Here is an excerpt for their website.

    Q: WHAT IS FRESH’S POSITION ON ANIMAL TESTING?

    A: Fresh does not test our products on animals.

    We are deeply committed to the elimination of animal testing. We actively participate in validation studies of new alternative tests in the framework of the European cosmetics association, Cosmetics Europe.

    We are one of only a few companies to have invested in creating our own internal department specifically dedicated to alternative methods applicable to the safety evaluation of raw materials and cosmetic products, in order to ensure both total control over raw materials and complete security of cosmetic products for consumers, which is our top priority.

    As a result, all Fresh products undergo very strict tolerance tests using non-animal methods during the development of each product to ensure quality and safety prior to market.

    Reply

  • Help pretty please! I’m trying to figure out the status on Huda Beauty. I’m guessing Huda was originally left off the list because of the mink lashes but I can’t find any real mink lashes on her website anymore. Do you know if she has removed them from her line and would now be considered truly cruelty free?

    Reply

  • I have found that some of the Sephora collections are cruelty free, you just have to click on the Description On the product

    Reply

  • Hi. I just stumbled upon your page. The information provided is extensive and very helpful! I was wondering if Surratt Beauty is completely cruelty free. They state on their website:

    “OUR BRUSHES
    Surratt brushes are handmade in Japan and contain natural goat, Blue Squirrel, or sable hair. Please note that no animals are harmed in the process of making our brushes.

    ANIMAL TESTING
    Surratt does not, and will never, test on animals. We also do not work with any manufacturers that do animal testing.”

    I’m relatively new to this so I would really appreciate your input. Thank you!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Cruelty-Free Kitty

© 2014-2019 Cruelty-Free Kitty. Disclaimer. Privacy policy.

Scroll To Top