The beauty industry has an overwhelming number of brands and products to choose from, and it can often be difficult to narrow down your choices. If you’re an animal lover or an advocate for ethical product testing, cruelty-free brands should be at the top of your list.
A brand can earn its cruelty-free status from PETA or Leaping Bunny. Companies “must complete a short questionnaire and sign a statement of assurance verifying that they do not conduct, commission, or pay for any tests on animals for ingredients, formulations, or finished products and that they pledge not to do so in the future” to earn a cruelty-free certification from PETA. Leaping Bunny’s certification program “requires companies to implement a ‘Supplier Monitoring System’ and allow independent audits of their business” in addition to what PETA stipulates in the statement of assurance they ask companies to sign.
Now that you know a bit more about what it means for a brand to be cruelty-free, here are 8 cruelty-free brands that you can find at Vitacost:
1. Pacifica
Brooke Harvey and Billy Taylor founded Pacifica in 1997 with the shared goal of making a cruelty-free, vegan brand. Since then, the brand has transformed into a global success story that features a full-range of perfumes, cosmetics, and natural skin care products. Pacifica is proudly able to conduct product testing without animals, and none of their products contain any animal-derived ingredients.
Try it: This Natural Kale Detox Deep Cleaning Face Wash cleanses and tones skin with coconut water, clay and super greens.
2. Acure
Acure was founded with the goal of using the power of purity to uplift the way people feel. As a Leaping Bunny certified brand, Acure’s full line of facial, body, and hair care products and ingredients are not tested on animals. None of their products contain parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde, paraffin or mineral oil.
Try it: Their Ultra Hydrating 12 Hour Facial Moisturizer is formulated with kale, spinach, and other supergreens to provide intense hydration for your skin.
3. Beauty Without Cruelty
This brand was originally founded as a charity in 1959 by Lady Muriel Dowding with an initial focus on animal testing, fur and ivory. Since then, it has expanded into a company that produces vegan cosmetics. Beauty Without Cruelty’s products are free of parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates and are not tested on animals.
Try it: This Vitamin C With CoQ10 Facial Cleanser is a 100 percent vegan vitamin C cleanser that refreshes, balances and revitalizes skin.
4. Sukin
Sukin believes that everything needed to nourish our bodies can be found in nature, so all of its products’ ingredients are completely natural. In addition to not testing on animals, their entire product line is completely free of animal derivatives and byproducts.
Try it: Infused with lime and coconut, this cleansing hand wash purifies, hydrates and softens skin while cleansing. It contains aloe vera, chamomile and rosehip and is free of synthetic fragrances and animal derivatives.
5. Giovanni
Recognizing that salon products were causing adverse reactions to his skin, Arthur Giudotti founded Giovanni in 1979 with the goal of creating salon-inspired natural hair care products. Giovanni has been manufacturing high-quality natural products since its founding, becoming a leader in the natural beauty industry.
Try it: 2chic™ Ultra-Sleek Leave-In Conditioning and Styling Elixir is formulated with keratin, argan oil and a plant-sourced protein to eliminate frizz and make hair shinier, softer and smoother. It is cruelty-free and does not contain parabens or dyes.
6. Weleda
Founded by a Dutch doctor, an Austrian philosopher and a chemist and pharmacist from Munich in 1921, Weleda has since become a leading manufacturer of natural, organic, cruelty-free cosmetics. Its motto is “in harmony with nature and the human being.” Weleda does not test finished products or ingredients on any animals and takes pride in its high ethical standards.
Try it: Free of synthetic preservatives and fragrances, Weleda Revitalizing Body & Beauty Oil is made with organic evening primrose oil to help firm, strengthen and increase skin’s moisture and radiance.
7. Andalou Naturals
Andalou Naturals is 98 percent nature-derived, Non-GMO Project Verified and cruelty-free. Stacey Kelly Egide founded the brand in 2010 “with a mission to influence the beauty industry to do better.” The brand sets itself apart from natural skincare competitors with its PhytoCellTec Fruit Stem Cell Science technology, which features a blend of bioactive stem cells from the heirloom apple, grape, Swiss Alpine rose, argan and hemp plants.
Try it: Andalou Naturals Age Defying Probiotic Cleansing Milk is made with a fruit stem cell complex and apricot oils. This gentle face cleanser helps remove makeup and impurities and leaves you with a fresh, clean glow. It’s a cleansing milk is pH balanced, hypoallergenic and targeted toward those with dry or very dry skin.
8. Derma E
Derma E was founded in 1984 with the belief “that skin health can be visibly improved through the right combination of potent vitamins, wholesome nutrients and exceptional ingredients.” It is one of the largest natural, clean beauty skincare brands in the U.S. and is 100% vegan and cruelty-free. Derma E’s “Refuse to Use” list features over 2700 common ingredients that have been found to be toxic to both people and the environment. Each ingredient on this list is banned from being used in Derma E’s products.
Try it: Derma E Hydrating Eye Cream is formulated with hyaluronic acid, green tea, jojoba oil, and vitamins A, C and E. It’s a hydrating eye cream that nourishes your delicate eye area and helps keep it looking youthful and radiant.