is coty cruelty free

Is Coty Cruelty-Free?

Does Coty test on animals or sell in China?

Coty is an international beauty company that owns some of the most popular cosmetics brands like CoverGirl and OPI. But is Coty cruelty-free or do they test on animals?

For a company to be considered cruelty-free they have to meet all of the following criteria:

  • Do not test any of their products or ingredients on animals
  • Don’t allow others to test on their behalf 
  • Do not sell in a country where animal testing is required. 

After doing a bit of research, I found that Coty doesn’t meet the above cruelty-free requirements and is not considered to be a cruelty-free parent company. 

Let’s look into what all of that really means and what you can do about it.

Is Coty Certified Cruelty-Free?

When researching a brand’s cruelty-free status my first stop is the certified cruelty-free list. There are three organizations that give official certifications to brands around the world; Leaping Bunny, Peta, and Choose Cruelty-Free.

Coty is not found on any of these organizations’ cruelty-free lists. However, they are found on Peta’s list of brands to avoid. 

coty peta

Does Coty Test on Animals?

The next step in my research is going directly to the company’s animal testing policy to see where they stand. Coty’s policy can be found in the ‘FAQ’ section of their website. Here is an excerpt of what it states:

“At Coty, we do not test our products on animals and are committed to ending animal testing across our industry.

All our products are safe and have been developed, manufactured and packaged in compliance with the laws, regulations and guidelines that are applicable in each country in which they are sold.

Coty’s human safety experts review our ingredients, as well as the finished products, by applying the best science, based on the use of recognized alternatives to animal testing, existing safety data and, increasingly, the sharing of such data with other parties and industries.

Some governments or agencies stipulate the testing of finished products on animals in accordance with local legal and regulatory requirements. An example is China, where we continue to be involved in the dialogue with the Chinese authorities, including through our active membership of industry groups, to find alternatives to their use of animal testing.”

coty animal policy

Coty’s animal testing policy contradicts itself. It states that they do not test on animals and use scientific alternatives instead. However, they choose to sell in China where animal testing is required for imported cosmetics. Therefore, Coty does allow animal testing on their products.

What About China’s New Animal Testing Laws?

China has announced that as of May 1, 2021, general cosmetics such as shampoo, body wash, lipstick, lotion, and makeup can be sold without being tested on animals. However, a company is required to jump through various hoops for this to happen. As of now, Coty has not been exempt and their products can still be tested on animals by the Chinese health authority. Even if an exemption happens it is still possible that the products can be subjected to post-market testing

What Brands Does Coty Own?

Coty is a multinational beauty company that owns several popular cosmetics brands. Below is a list of all the brands owned by them. 

Many people in the cruelty-free community choose to completely boycott any brand owned by a non-cruelty-free parent company. So, I try to provide as much information as possible so that you have the resources to make your own decision. 

So, I’ve indicated which brands are sold in China or are certified cruelty-free. I would err on the side of caution for any of the companies that don’t have additional information.

  • Adidas Fragrances
  • Alexander McQueen Fragrance
  • Balenciaga – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Bio Color
  • Boss by Hugo Boss – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Bottega Veneta – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Bourjois Paris
  • Bozzano
  • Bruno Banani 
  • Burberry – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Calvin Klein Fragrances – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Cenour & Bronze
  • Chloe – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Clairol
  • CoverGirl – Leaping Bunny Certified
  • Davidoff Parfums
  • Escada
  • GHD
  • Gucci – SOLD IN CHINA
  • James Bond 007
  • Jill Sander
  • Joop!
  • Kadus Professional
  • Katy Perry Parfum
  • Lacoste
  • Lancaster – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Londa Professional
  • Marc Jacobs Fragrances – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Max Factor X
  • Mexx
  • Miu Miu – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Monange
  • Nautica Fragrances
  • Nioxin
  • OPI – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Paixao
  • Philosophy
  • Rimmel London
  • Risque
  • Roberto Cavalli
  • Sally Hansen
  • Sasson Professional
  • Sebastian Professional – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Stella McCartney
  • System Professional – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Tiffany & Co. – SOLD IN CHINA
  • Wella – SOLD IN CHINA

Wrap Up: Is Coty Cruelty-Free?

No, Coty is not a cruelty-free cosmetics company. Even though they claim to not test on animals, they choose to sell in a country that requires imported cosmetics to be tested on animals.

Therefore, Coty is not considered to be cruelty-free. They will be added to my list of brands that test on animals. 

However, they do own CoverGirl, a Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free brand. But the choice is yours on whether you feel comfortable using them.

Now I’d like to hear from you…What are your thoughts about Coty? Will you boycott them completely or use some of their cruelty-free brands? Please leave your comments below!

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0 Comments

  1. I just got an email from OPI saying that they were cruelty free?
    Hello Amy,
    Thank you for contacting OPI Professional, we value your brand loyalty.Yes, we are pleased to announce OPI is cruelty free!
    Warm regards,
    NASP | Consumer Relations
    T 800-935-5273 | E [email protected]
    coty.com
    opi.com

    1. Nikki Flowers says:

      Hello Amy,
      For a brand to be considered cruelty-free they have to meet the following criteria:
      * Have not been tested on animals
      * Have ingredients and formulations that have not been tested on animals
      * A cosmetic product that is not sold in mainland China.
      OPI and all of Coty. Inc products are not considered to be cruelty-free because they sell in China where testing on animals is required by law. When you go to http://www.sephora.cn/ you can see OPI as one of the many brands listed that are sold in China.
      It just sucks because OPI was my FAVORITE nail polish but luckily there are a ton of cruelty-free nail polishes available.
      I hope this helps!

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