Is Cetaphil Cruelty-Free? (in 2024)

Does Cetaphil test on animals or sell in China?

Cetaphil is a well-known skincare company that can be found all over the world. But is Cetaphil 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 Cetaphil doesn’t meet the above cruelty-free requirements and is not considered to be a cruelty-free skincare brand.

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

Is Cetaphil 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.

Cetaphil is not found on any of these organizations’ cruelty-free lists.

Does Cetaphil Test on Animals?

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

“No, Cetaphil does not test any of its products on animals.”

Cetaphil’s animal testing policy is very short and to the point. However, it doesn’t answer my questions on their cruelty-free status. I can either contact them or dig a bit deeper to see I can find if they sell in China. I’m going to choose the latter.

Is Cetaphil Sold in China?

Yes, Cetaphil does sell in China. After doing a quick Google search I was able to locate Cetaphil’s Chinese website. A brand doesn’t create a website for another country unless it is serving those customers. 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, Cetaphil 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 Cetaphil Owned By a Parent Company?

Yes, Cetaphil is owned by Galderma, a pharmaceutical company.

Is Cetaphil Vegan?

Cetaphil 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 Cetaphil?

There are several cruelty-free skincare alternatives to Cetaphil. Check out the list below:

Wrap Up: Is Cetaphil Cruelty-Free?

No, Cetaphil is not a cruelty-free skincare 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, Cetaphil 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 Cetaphil? Please leave your comments below!