Is Atelier Cologne Cruelty-Free? (in 2024)

Does Atelier Cologne test on animals or sell in China?

Atelier Cologne is a French perfume company that was founded in 2009. Their product line includes perfumes, body care, and candles. But is Atelier Cologne cruelty-free or do they test their products 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 Atelier Cologne doesn’t meet the above cruelty-free requirements and is not considered to be a cruelty-free perfume brand.

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

Is Atelier Cologne 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.

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

Does Atelier Cologne Test on Animals?

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

“Atelier Cologne is a part of L’Oréal since 2016. Our consumers’ health and safety have always been an absolute priority for us and L’Oréal. As is the support of animal welfare.
L’Oréal has been committed to new methods of assessing safety that don’t involve animals. Today, L’Oréal no longer tests its ingredients on animals and no longer tolerates any exception to this rule.
Atelier Cologne is a French brand and all our products are made in France with natural ingredients and are not tested on animals.
However, certain health authorities may nevertheless decide to conduct animal tests themselves for certain cosmetic products, as it is still the case in China. L’Oréal has been the most active company working alongside the Chinese authorities and scientists for over 10 years to have alternative testing methods recognized, and permit the cosmetic regulation to evolve towards a total and definite elimination of animal testing. Thanks to this, since 2014, certain products manufactured and sold in China like shampoo, body wash or certain make-up are no longer tested on animals.”

Atelier Cologne’s animal testing policy contradicts itself. It states that they do not test on animals and don’t tolerate exceptions. However, they choose to sell in China where animal testing is required by health authorities. Therefore, Atelier Cologne does allow animal testing on its products.

Is Atelier Cologne Sold in China?

Yes, Atelier Cologne does sell in China. After doing a quick Google search I was able to locate Atelier Cologne being sold on Sephora’s Chinese website. I’ve included an image of the website below.

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, Atelier Cologne 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.

Is Atelier Cologne Owned By a Parent Company?

Yes, Atelier Cologne is owned by L’Oreal, a company that tests on animals. You can view a full list of brands that they own to see which other companies you should avoid.

Is Atelier Cologne Vegan?

Atelier Cologne is not considered to be vegan because they test their products or ingredients on animals or allow others to do so on their behalf. So, until this changes, we choose not to look into whether they may or may not have products that don’t contain animal ingredients.

What are Cruelty-Free Alternatives to Atelier Cologne?

There are several cruelty-free perfume alternatives to Atelier Cologne. Check out the list below:

Wrap Up: Is Atelier Cologne Cruelty-Free?

No, Atelier Cologne is not a cruelty-free fragrance brand. 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, Atelier Cologne is not considered to be cruelty-free. They will be added to my list of brands that test on animals.

Now I’d like to hear from you…What are your thoughts about Atelier Cologne? Please leave your comments below!