L’Oreal is going to acquire cruelty-free brand IT Cosmetics for 1.2 Billion in cash.
L’Oreal stated that IT Cosmetics will continue to operate under the same leadership team from its current headquarters in New Jersey.
What does this mean about their cruelty-free status? IT Cosmetics is PETA-certified and should remain cruelty-free, but it will be owned by a company that tests on animals.
Other cruelty-free brands owned by L’Oreal include NYX, Urban Decay, and The Body Shop.
It’s important to note that IT Cosmetics is not a vegan company, as they use animal ingredients such as snail secretion filtrate.
How do you feel about this acquisition?
Photo: @makeupsessions
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It doesn’t change my opinion of the brand: I still won’t buy it, since I refuse to buy from companies which use snail secretions.
Thank you for your updated information. I did shop in the It cosmetic section at Ulta but didn’t purchase any items from this brand. And now I refuse to purchase any L’Oreal owned cosmetics. So many wonderful vegan products exist for all of our usage in all price ranges. I’ve begun grocery shopping at Fresh Thymes, and their vegan cosmetic aisles are outstanding!
Thanks Carol! I’ll check out Fresh Thymes, too.
Thank you, Suzi!
Fresh Thymes is a grocery store specializing in non-GMO produce and groceries. Only cruelty-free cleaning products are stocked for sale. Their organic vegetables and fruit are wonderful! I was overjoyed – and I mean this fact – to be able to purchase all of your suggested cruelty-free soap as well as Nubian and Jason Body Lotions. I searched your best cosmetics list generated from 2015 and was pleased to read both Nubian soap and body wash listed as favorite products. Both the inexpensive and higher end “drugstore” brands are available along with a new brand (new to me) “Nourish Organic.”
I was really bummed about this. I love IT Cosmetics, especially the Illumination Celebration Foundation because it is the BEST powder foundation I’ve ever used. I’m probably going to have to do a switch to BECCA foundation, which is also great, and they’re completely cruelty free.
Thanks Megan. Definitely, I love everything I’ve tried from IT, but there’s other great products out there. 🙂
Oh, I totally agree! It’s hard to find a really great powder foundation. Do you have any recommendations? I know I mentioned BECCA, but I wasn’t sure if you had heard good things about another brand as well.
I really like the tarte powders!
I believe BECCA Cosmetics was acquired by Estee Lauder recently :/ and as for IT Cosmetics goes, I’m pretty disappointed as I was looking into buying one of their products. But, I am definitely taking my business elsewhere now.
I totally understand from a business perspective if you’re a smaller cosmetics company how being bought by L’Oreal would be very beneficial to help grow your company. Still, I can’t help but feel disappointed over this. I do buy from brands like Urban Decay because in my opinion they are cruelty free and all cruelty free brands should be supported (I know this approach to parent companies is different for everyone) but I would be much happier if they weren’t owned by a company like L’Oreal that tests. Uch, it’s just frustrating.
http://www.clearconsciencebeauty.com
Thanks Jordana! It really is all business.
I have a similar view Jordana. Boycotting is not the most effective way to promote veganism in my opinion. It’s like saying you won’t buy from a supermarket because they sell meat but they also sell vegan alternatives and those are the things we should be buying. These companies work off demand so we need to show them where the demand is. If that means supporting companies that are based on vegan morals then we should always chose that as the first option but I have a feeling that corporations like L’oreal won’t change unless we the people show them… Read more »
Yeah, I just heard about it today. It’s definitely a shame L’Oreal tests on animals.
Totally agree. It is really bad news……
It’s disappointing when so many CF companies get bought out by L’oreal, a company who’s ethical practices on this issue are so misleading. It honestly makes me want to start a new hashtag like #rathergobarefaced or something because it’s stupid for consumers to feel guilty or misled for buying a freaking lipstick. I like IT cosmetics, but this is a real shame that this keeps happening to so many makeup brands that I felt safe using at one point.
Thanks s0fa, good points here!
Me too! I’m really upset about this because this was the best cc cream ever.
I recently decided to try to only buy products made in USA or Europe. Now I’ve started to look more at buying cruelty-free products. I now have a very small list of brands that fit into these categories and it’s really frustrating. I LOVE LaRoche Posay but to find out that they test on animals sucks. Most of the brands listed on this website as cruelty-free produce their products in Taiwan or other countries, IT Cosmetics is a perfect example of that.
Good idea, I’m definitely going to try to put together a list of cruelty-free makeup made in the US or Europe. I know Illamasqua and NYX make some of their products in Europe (but some are still made in Taiwan).
What a disappointment! I have loved using several IT Cosmetics products and will use up what I currently have. But once they are gone, I will be moving on to something else. Thanks so much for providing a site that will help me in the search for cruelty-free replacements!
I second your opinion! I absolutely LOVE the CC cream and their face cream. Once I use what I have, I will move on to another brand. Would sure appreciate some suggestions because I am really happy with the performance of IT cosmetics and would love to find something comparable.
Hi Ladies,I hope I can help in some way. I am part of a new high end natural based skincare and cosmetics line called Maëlle, which is PETA certified and they will also have the leaping bunny logo by 2017. This company which has been brought together by some of the top professionals in the industry who have a wealth of knowledge and experience and have worked with the likes of Sir Richard Branson. I am learning more every day about these amazing new products and I’m totally blown away. Link below please do have a look and see what… Read more »
How sad. I was a big fan of their brushes, but I’m not going to support L’Oreal.
Argh, another company bought out my L’Oreal.
As long as certain company’s are cruelty free I will still buy from companies like Bare Minerals, IT cosmetics and Urban decay, even though their sister companies do test on animals. I’ve only recently started making the transition though, so maybe in the long-run I will re-consider it.
I just cant believe it though… It’s a real shame that some of the most powerful companies like L’Oreal and Estee Lauder still test.
Thanks for posting!
ployvarn.com
This really sucks. I don’t buy from companies owned by L’Oreal because they help fund the Israeli Defense Forces and their occupation of Palestine.
I DO purchase from L’ Oreal because they HELP FUND IDF!!!
Ditto helloyou27. IDF is horrible.
Why does L’Oreal have to buy out all the good CF brands? Ugh!
It is a shame when a huge money maker buys another company and probably changes their formulations. I have been using safe, healthy products without toxic chemicals or tested on animals for almost 25 years. My favorite company is certified organic, made in Rhode Island (USA) not tested on animals, afe, healthy effective and affordable. http://www.PureHavenEssentials.com/ShelleyKramer, knowing you will be safe.
I am NOT happy about this at all!
I just found about this today. I am very disappointed and conflicted about weather I will continue to purchase It Cosmetics. I don’t want to have to constantly check the ingredients and read up online about weather the products remain the same and if they are continuing the no-testing-on-animals policy.
Bye Bye it cosmetics.
Smash box has a new customer!
Extremely disappointed!!?
Not happy about this. It seems to always come down to the money. People just never seem to have enough! I will not be buying these products anymore. There are many other companies that are still cruelty free.
Allowing these mega companies to grow and grow is the grave danger of our economy and world. So many wonderful companies start out with ethics as their priority only to sell out to greed when they succeed. IT and L’Oreal will get none of my money.
I think it will boil down to how much freedom the founders have in ultimate decision making. In addition to the in animal testing issue, for me their products to me are superior to L’Oreal. I hope this acquisition won’t taint their innovative products – ones that really help and pretty much do what they say they do. i dont want the bottom focus lto harm their original intent of supplying top quality products for the everyday woman who wants to look their best.
Honestly, I am a bit confused as to how a product with snail secretions would be CF as to produce large amounts don’t the Snails have to be stressed into doing so as well as farming? I always cringe when a CF company sells to a non-CF company. Though it would be nice if the non-CF company would become CF, however they usually don’t and then the CF company usually ends up selling in China, ugh!
Have been an IT girl since its inception. Now sadly need to find another brand. I actually use Bye Bye concealer as a foundation. Anyone know of another foundation (cream/not liquid) that has this kind of coverage? Sad, sad, sad
If they test on it cosmetics they probably wouldn’t even give u your most beautiful skin anymore. And people wouldn’t buy it it all. Disappointed ??
I’m kind of new to the game, but L’Oreal, Shiseido or Estee Lauder are all companies that allow testing on animals for some of their products, correct? I am not vegan myself, although animal cruelty practices are very concerning to me. I’m trying to find products that are as kind to animals as possible; if I can narrow the list down, I’m all for it. Thanks for continuing to post and helping your readers be informed. I echo the voice of another poster–I don’t want to have to constantly check brands and ingredients, but vigilance is necessary to hold to… Read more »
There’s no doubt U can figure out a way to test these products without torturing animals. Just stop it are you crazy?
This makes me sick! I will have to really think before purchasing from IT again. I cannot understand why IT would sell out to a company that tortures animals.
I love IT cosmetics, but now will NOT purchase any more!! I always knew L’Oréal rested on animals and never purchased their products, so now I have another product on my “do not buy” list. How dare they!! All for the sake of the almighty dollar. Shame on Jamie!!!?
IT Cosmetics are the best I’ve found in years and I’ve, happily,invested heavily in their products. However, if they ever go to animal testing, I will drop them, immediately.
Lancôme is a sister company to Loreal. I love the coverage of Lancôme but won’t use it due to animal cruelty.
They also use collagen in several products and when asked what it was made from, they said it was marine collagen but wouldn’t specify the source saying it was “proprietary information.” That mean it’s made with fish, am I right?
The body shop is no longer ownded by L’Oréal. Their parent is now totally cruelty free
This is such a bummer! I was just about to reorder my primer and found this. IT Cosmetics is now off my list. Boo! Thanks so much for keeping us up to date. 🙂
It cosmetics will do animal testing. Dont be fooled. Money over precious lives. I hope they rot in hell!!!!!
Knowing they are changing ownership, I will discontinue buying IT brand cosmetics. Shame as I really liked the brand…it is getting harder and harder to find cruelty free or natural products in today’s world. I was not happy when I learned that IT brand also was not vegan…
I was told by a makeup artist that although L’Oreal sells products in mainland China (a country that demands animal testing), the company is in fact pushing and instructing the Chinese authorities on the benefits of in vitro testing. If this was to be embraced by China, that would be great! I am not ok with animal testing and avoid companies that conduct this practice. ~Margie