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We Removed First Aid Beauty From Our Cruelty-Free List After This Announcement

by Suzana Rose

Jul 16, 2020

Today, skincare brand First Aid Beauty announced that they will start selling their products in stores, in mainland China. Although First Aid Beauty will do so in a way that bypasses any mandatory pre-market animal testing, their products might still be tested on animals as part of post-market surveillance under Chinese regulations.

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The brand will still be approved by PETA, who made the following statement:

“PETA is very pleased to have First Aid Beauty on our Cruelty-Free list, and we are happy to report that the brand will maintain its no animal test status as it expands to China. We’ve worked with the company to ensure that the products as manufactured and sold will not require tests on animals under Chinese government regulations.”

Although PETA works with brands such as First Aid Beauty to ensure that no pre-market animal testing needs to be performed, there is no guarantee when it comes to post-market animal testing.

Post-market animal testing occurs in China if the authorities want to perform addition safety tests on products, for example in case of a consumer complaint. Animal testing is still listed as a safety testing method in these cases.

Unfortunately, PETA's solution when it comes to the possibility of post-market animal testing is not enough to guarantee that products will not be tested on animals. They claim that in case of a consumer complaint, the Chinese authorities will alert PETA, and the brand will then cease to sell in China.

Our concern is that post-market animal testing is written in China's laws, which means that the authorities are highly unlikely to alert PETA in case of a complaint. Most likely, they would follow the protocol.

Although I appreciate First Aid Beauty's transparency regarding entering the Chinese market, I no longer view this brand as cruelty-free, and I have removed them from Cruelty-Free Kitty's list of cruelty-free brands.

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+ Show Comments (9) - Hide Comments (9)
  • Julia says:

    Super useful, thanks!

  • Gabi says:

    I would recommend using elf happy hydration cream, i have really dry cheeks and live in a dry environment.

  • Eli says:

    Thank you for continuing to bring transparency and high standards to this industry. Really sad to see this news as they are a favorite in my skincare routine. I hope FAB sees that this move isn’t authentically cruelty free and that they are losing customers with this latest course of action.
    Krista, I’ve just seen a new line called Alpyn Beauty marketed to high altitude living sold at Sephora. I don’t think Suzana has rated them yet but if she looks into it and finds out they are what they say they are might be one to try.

  • Kelleyann says:

    Isn’t American cosmetics never apply animal tested? The EU has done a good job, and it takes a long time after the market and enterprises have matured. Why should we specially emphasis China here? A lot big brands made there though. Is it going to be a shell for big companies to open up the Chinese market? I learned that earlier this year, China issued new regulations to abandon animal testing to imported cosmetics. This is a achievement while rarely to see reports. When we talk about others, can we also consider from his standpoint? It’s like letting African countries treat workers well, but you have to make sure that their economies have improved.

    • Anne says:

      China is a huge, huge market which is why brands who were previously cruelty-free have decided to sell there. The reason it needs to be highlighted as an issue is because companies are lying to their customers when they say their products will remain cruelty-free, because at any point the Chinese gov’t can require the products to be tested and the companies can’t stop it from happening. That is not an issue in America , nor is it an issue in the EU. There are so many methods to determine safety that are better than animal testing. China could choose to use those methods, too, but they do not. That’s why there’s a spotlight on China right now. I hope they change, because I know there are locals there who also don’t like testing.

      • Danielle says:

        Klairs moisturising cream is really nice and good for sensitive skin, you could give that a try x

  • Sarah says:

    I just bought a new bottle of ultra repair cream and didn’t think to check because I’ve been using their brand for years…how disappointing because it took me a long time to find a face cream that I liked. Back to the drawing board 🙁

  • Krista says:

    This is such a bummer. Living in a dry climate my skin goes nuts with out their cleanser and ultra repair cream. And I’ve recently started loving their sunscreen. Any suggestions for alternatives?

    • Beatriz says:

      Coola is amazing if you have dry skin! They’re on the pricier side but it’s worth it. Plus, THEY’RE CRUELTY FREE! 🙂

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