Is Mary Kay Cruelty-Free?
Does Mary Kay test on animals or sell in China?
Mary Kay is a well-known beauty company that can be found all over the world. But is Mary Kay cruelty-free?
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 Mary Kay doesn’t meet the above cruelty-free requirements and is not considered to be a cruelty-free makeup brand.
Let’s look into what all of that really means and what you can do about it.
Is Mary Kay 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.
Mary Kay is not found on any of these organizations’ cruelty-free lists. However, they are found on Peta’s list of brands to avoid.
Does Mary Kay Test on Animals?
The next step in my research is going directly to the company’s animal testing policy to see where they stand. Mary Kay’s policy can be found in the ‘Our Product Promise’ section of their website. Here is what it states:
“No product sold or manufactured in the United States is tested on animals. Mary Kay does not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients. Nevertheless, there are still some governments that conduct animal testing before they will allow certain products to be sold in their country. Mary Kay is committed to the elimination of animal testing and is a strong advocate of utilizing alternative methods to substantiate the safety of our ingredients and products. For more than three decades, we have been a global leader in helping to develop alternative testing methods to ensure product safety, and we will not rest until we convince all governments that alternative methods are a better way to ensure cosmetic product safety.”
Mary Kay’s animal testing policy contradicts itself. It states that they do not test their products or ingredients on animals However, they choose to sell in China where animal testing is required for imported cosmetics. Therefore, Mary Kay does allow animal testing on its products.
Is Mary Kay Sold in China?
Yes, Mary Kay does sell in China. After doing a quick Google search I was able to locate Mary Kay 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, Mary Kay 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 Mary Kay Owned By a Parent Company?
No, Mary Kay does not have a parent company.
Is Mary Kay Vegan?
Mary Kay 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 Mary Kay?
There are several cruelty-free beauty alternatives to Mary Kay. Check out the list below:
Wrap Up: Is Mary Kay Cruelty-Free?
No, Mary Kay 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, Mary Kay 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 Mary Kay? Please leave your comments below!
📌 Save this for later
