I'm also worried about the direction the beauty industry is heading. Every successful independent cruelty-free brand is being acquired by giants like Estée Lauder and L'Oréal. I understand it's the way business works, just like every other industry.
The problem is that all these industry giants test on animals, either for new ingredients or because they sell cosmetics in mainland China. For one, this means there are less and less cruelty-free options. But most importantly, this translates to more animal testing being performed if the newly acquired companies start being sold in China.
Estée Lauder's official policy is to test on animals where required by law. Even though the cruelty-free brands they've acquired until now remained cruelty-free, there's no way of saying what's going to happen with Too Faced or BECCA (which was also newly acquired).
And even if Too Faced itself remains cruelty-free, every sale is going towards a company that funds animal testing in mainland China.
How do you feel about this acquisition? Will you continue to support Too Faced?
Which Brands Are Cruelty-Free?
Download our list of 600+ verified cruelty-free brands straight to your device. Bring it with you everywhere you go, and never worry about supporting animal testing again. Click here to download
I’m heavily disappointed by the fact that nobody did their research enough before creating this “hysteria” that Too Faced is just terrible for being acquired by Estee. Jerrod the founder made it very clear on his social media that when he sold the company to Estee that he fully upholds his ideal of not selling in countries like China that tests on animals and Estee had also signed agreement upon upholding that policy as well.
https://www.allure.com/story/too-faced-cruelty-free
Y’all need to do your damn homework before starting to make these claims slandering a brand that’s worked very hard to keep their names clean. Shame on you, Cruelty Free Kitty as well as everyone else here creating this hysteria. You should take this post down ASAP.
I will NOT support Too Faced any more. That is just low to be bought by a hideous company like Estée Lauder. After all these years of vegan bucks supporting the brand this is the thanks and appreciation we get! Screw you Too Faced and Jarod Blandino!!!
Cruelty free kitty please take Too Faced off the front and center list of cruelty free products and the “favorites” list etc bc they are JUST NOT! ??? they don’t deserve any more praise. I’M DONE W THEM! #toofacedistwofaced
I can here to look up MAC and you say stay away because they are not cruelty free as they are owned by estee lauder, but if too faced us the same, why do you seem less concerned about it?
In the case of MAC, they inherit the policy of their parent company which is to test on animals when required by law. Since they are sold in China where animal testing is mandatory for foreign cosmetics, they are not a cruelty-free brand. Too Faced on the other hand, does not inherit the same animal testing policy of its parent company and they do not test on animals where required by law and do not sell products in China. I hope this helps!
NOOO!!! Too Faced is my absolute favorite makeup brand 🙁 I love their blushes and their mascaras. Ugh. Why you do dis Estee Lauder??? I’m so upset.
I’m late to this news (I only recently started exploring CF & Vegan makeup options), but this news bums me out.
It’s a shame that’s Too Faced has been bought by a company that tests on animals. Heck, it’s a shame that it was bought PERIOD. Why are all the makeup companies being bought by L’Oreal & Estee Lauter?? Was Too Faced that greedy that it couldn’t resist the cash?? It’s so disappointing that the smaller companies keep getting bought 🙁
Hell no I won’t support! One Billion will make them feel “secure” but in they end they will still die, like all of us – no amount of money will delay the inevitable. Sleep well at night Due Face (2 face) as you truly are – it’s ALL about the $$$.
Well duh, of course it’s about the money it’s a business for gods sake.
Let’s be optimistic! We have the power to change through the power of our dollars. We put natural care industry on the map folks – we can change the “face” of beauty as well. We owe it to the newcomer to the cruelty free world to believe they can make a successful change and that life will in fact be better! I spend less! I find more joy in the products I use! I look great! I still find a sense of community, but a larger one that cross many generations! My purchase power matters!
This product line, as someone so eloquently put, is not the beginning or end of all. It’s so expensive, and it isn’t geared to be used by a full range of age of women (or men) anyway. There are so many better alternatives that don’t depend on blinding, maiming and torturing animals…it makes me sick that this is what the “face of beauty” has come to.
Nooooo! I only buy from brands with a parent company that isn’t cruelty-free when I have to! I loved that Too Faced was a brand I could always feel good about and recommend to others. Now I’ll have to try and find a new foundation AGAIN since that is one of my most purchased beauty staples.
Does this mean that Too Faced will start testing on animals? Surely Estee Lauder is a holding company for them but they still have autonomy? As long as Too Faced itself remains cruelty free – I will continue to support them. (I know that may not be a popular opinion.)
I’d like to say I’ll focus on boutique brands but I’m from Ireland where my options are very limited in that regard – I still have options outside Estee Lauder and L’Oreal themselves but if I didn’t buy from every company that was owned by either conglomerate I wouldn’t be able to wear any makeup.
Side Question: Does this mean Kat Von D is owned by Estee Lauder by proxy now?
Too Faced went Two Faced…so very sad….especially for the animals…
I will not support them any longer. So sad.
Nope
Ah well, bye bye Too Faced. They were cute but there are a lot of other sweet brands!
http://orcmilk.org
Such a shame and too faced was my favorite cruelty free brand too
Fuck them, Makeup Revolution makes perfect dupes of their overpriced shit anyway.
Right then!
Just a quick question, on the 100% cruelty free list on here it says IT cosmetics is PETA certified but it does not mention that it is owned by L’Oreal? Just wondered if everyone was aware about this as well? it was a few months back in July but I just wanted to make sure as it does not say on http://www.crueltyfreekitty.com from what I can see. It’s not a dig at anyone as I can tell the owner works so hard to provide correct and informative information which I really appreciate, but I just wanted to make sure it’s up to date as possible. Thank you xxx
http://www.allure.com/story/loreal-buys-it-cosmetics
Thanks for noticing! I posted about this but somehow didn’t update it here until now.
🙂 thank you <3
That’s so frustrating to hear! I was hoping that the success of these independent cruelty free brands would give the bigger brands a sign to rethink their animal testing policies but I see that my thinking was too naive. Personally I try to buy from brands that are not owned by the non cruelty free companies but sometimes I buy from Urban Decay or Nars because I don’t have access to all independent make-up brands from where I live. It’s still better than nothing I guess 🙁
I quit my job sadly. I work as one of their freelance brand vendors. I am finishing my calendar for 2016 out of respect to my boss, but I am done. It’s heartbreaking. I have nothing bad to say about the quality of the products I own, and I will use up what I own. But I can’t work for a company owned by Estee Lauder (or L’Oreal, or any of the other giants for that matter). As you know, I used to work for Sephora, and when I left there, I made the conscious decision to not work anywhere that supports animal testing. I am so sad. I really loved and believed in Too Faced, as a company, and truly believed we would never sell. I don’t know what to say. I feel like my time in the cosmetics industry is up. I’ve all but quit youtube as well. It’s been months since I’ve made a video because I’m just so disappointed in all of it.
I’m so sad to hear this, Beth. 🙁 I didn’t know you worked for Too Faced now. Props to you for sticking to your principles, and I hope you don’t give up on the whole beauty industry.
I have the greatest amount of respect for you.
THEY JUST RELEASED A COLLECTION WITH KVD TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY ARE CRUELTY FREE BEAUTY
this is really upsetting because a lot of their products are my absolute favourites that I can’t imagine finding a better replacement. I really don’t know how to feel.
Well, recently I became a 100% cruelty free supporter and wanted to update my makeup collection with either Too faced or Illamasqua…. Guess that Too faced made that decision for me…. Illamasqua it is!!!
Illamasqua is great though! 🙂
Hi Suzi, how are you?
It’s always sad to hear that some companies decide to sacrifice their ethical values for the sake of money. Would you personally still buy from Too Faced? I’m thinking of going complete cruelty free and stop buying from companies who are owned by non cruelty free parent-companies, so I would be happy if you could post a full face products recommendation from 100% cruelty free brands. Love your blog xx
Hi Katya! It really depends on how you see it. For me, I decided to favor brands that aren’t owned by non-cruelty-free parent companies. Not because I don’t see them as “cruelty-free” but because I’d rather support the smaller brands. I’m thinking of doing a “best of” post with 100% cruelty-free brands so we’ll see!
Nope – this is so sad. I guess I’ll have to find a new foundation and mascara! 🙁
Too Faced, why would you sell out like this? :'(
Sadly I will not be using their product anymore. I understand the big guys want to promote cruelty free but they are still torturing animals…Please bye only 100% cruelty free products..
There’s a lot of comments, on their latest Instagram post and YouTube video where it was announced, from people who are saying they’re no longer going to be buying Too Faced (or Two Faced). I’ll be one of them. There was one reply from them saying we vow never to test.
They’ve lost their USP which attracted a lot of people.
this sucks! how is Estee Lauder going to feel when Australia implements their no animal testing laws and no one has any makeup left to buy? they could end up the sole reason for the entire collapse of the industry.
eh. probably not true. I’m just really upset.
… I really love Too Faced…. loved.
In europe we already have a no testing on animals law, but big companies get around this because they often don’t actually produce the product in the country
Gutted about this 🙁 I’m down to just using Illamasqua now.
And I have a horrible feeling that Charlotte Tilbury will be next.
There’ll soon be no high end brands in the UK that are alright.
It’s frustrating because as much as I love smaller brands, I’m all about finding cruelty-free options that are accessible. This won’t be possible if L’Oreal and Estee Lauder practically own every brand sold in stores.
I have only one Too Faced product as honestly, I can’t afford it, but it breaks my heart that both Becca and Too Faced have sold out to Estee Lauder. When is this monopoly by them and L’Oreal going to end?
I cant’t belive it! I’m really upset to read this… 🙁 I was planning to buy a lot of products of thus brand but now I won’t do it…
Oh yeah, this is definitely a tough one, even if the brand itself won’t switch to animal testing…
This makes me so sad. I went cruelty free pretty recently. I’m a huge makeup junkie, and some of my favorite brands are not cruelty free, but I stopped buying them anyway because, ultimately, it’s not worth the guilt, and it’s definitely not worth allowing animals to be harmed. I was so happy that Too Faced and BECCA were cruelty free.
Now I’m really worried I might have to stop using their products. I still use cruelty free products that are owned by parent companies, as long as the brand itself remains cruelty free because I think it sends a message that more people are buying their cruelty free products. But if they start animal testing, there’s no way in hell I’m buying any more of their products.
I just can’t believe they sold out like that! I really thought that animal rights (and ethics in general) were important to them.
Is there anything we can do to stop animal testing? I just really wish cruelty free would become the norm (or even the law).
Nope – the cruelty free community is going to lose its collective mascara mind trying to find a replacement for Better Than Sex
Lol, one of the first things I thought of is finding a replacement for BTS.
BTS is my absolute favorite mascara. I’m heart broken by this news.
Oh man, that’s exactly what I thought just now when I read this. Bummed. Seriously!
This just blew me away 🙁 Why ?
First Becca and now Too Faced! I was so sad to see this. I work in the industry and was happy that so many nice boutique brands were cruelty free and independently owned. Too Faced was especially surprising to me because I thought they had been offered a deal in the past to sell out and had turned it down. I guess, time will tell on what happens but it’s still sad to see the industry going in the direction. I know that Estee Lauder is trying to gain more of the millennial buyers which I assume is why they have Kendall Jenner as the face of their company as well as scooping up all of our favorite boutique brands. Maybe, the company will turn over a new leaf and listen to it’s customers. Fingers crossed!
They finally offered them enough money. 🙁 You’re right Kalai, I didn’t notice but Estee Lauder is definitely trying to go for a younger image.
I’ve never been a fan of Too Faced, but after I heard BECCA was bought by Estee Lauder, I knew it was only a matter of time before others gave up and sold to the highest bidder. Pretty disappointing.
Not going to happen Miss C.F Kitty.
I was so upset. Too Faced has been my premier brand for all my work, all my clients, and myself, so this has me so sad 🙁
I have read all your posts on the other brands I can use so I’g going to switch to Hourglass I think.
I just hope Jerrod realises how painful this has been for everyone.
I am honestly so heart broken by this news. As one of the standout cruelty free cosmetic companies, it blows my mind that he would even sell to someone who test on animals. It goes to show just what money can do to peoples decisions. I’m so torn as to whether I want to continue buying their products, but honestly I haven’t bought anything too faced in a very long time, because they seem to be giving us the same things over and over again in different packaging. At this point, I will be solely buying from indie makeup brands online.
Damn, Too Faced was my favorite and was one of the only brands left that I knew of that was cruelty-free. I won’t continue to buy their products since, like you said, the sales still go to a company that funds testing in China. It’s so disappointing when these brands are so vocally cruelty-free and then they sell out. Have any suggestions of a good replacement?
Am I the only one who’s NOT surprised? I mean, just by the name “Too Faced”, I got bad vibes from the brand. I know it sounds silly, but that’s how I also felt with Lime Crime. I mean, hello? “Lime CRIME”. Not to mention the ingredients in their products. SMH. BTW, did you get my late reply from the Bésame article about Lush and mica and more?
“Will you continue to support Too Faced?
Nope.
No! I purchased a Too Faced blush in June! Of course, the Too Faced company was still cruelty-free. I will use up this blush and then research another cruelty-free brand to replace this product. Who will sell their independent companies next? I stocked up on moisturizers, etc. just this past Monday because I wanted to take advantage of Sephora’s 20% coupon.