Is Maybelline Cruelty-Free?
Does Maybelline test on animals or sell in China?
Maybelline is a popular beauty brand that’s been around since the early 1900s. I’m sure you’ve heard their old slogan, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” But is Maybelline 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 Maybelline 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 Maybelline 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.
Maybelline is not found on any of these organization’s cruelty-free lists. However, they are found on Peta’s list of brands to avoid.
Does Maybelline Test on Animals?
The next step in my research is going directly to the company’s animal testing policy to see where they stand. Maybelline’s policy can be found in the FAQ section of their website. Here is what it states:
“Thank you for your interest in Maybelline, a brand of L’Oréal USA, Inc.
L’Oréal no longer tests any of its products or any of its ingredients on animals, anywhere in the world nor does L’Oréal delegate this task to others. An exception could only be made if regulatory authorities demanded it for safety or regulatory purposes.”
Maybelline’s animal testing policy contradicts itself. It states that they do not test on animals. However, they will make an exception to satisfy a country’s regulatory authorities. Therefore, Maybelline does allow animal testing on their products.
Is Maybelline Sold in China?
Yes, Maybelline does sell in China. After doing a quick Google search I was able to locate Maybelline’s Chinese website. A brand doesn’t create a website for another country unless they are 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, Maybelline 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 Maybelline Owned By a Parent Company?
Yes, Maybelline 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 {bMaybelline Vegan?
Maybelline 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 Maybelline?
There are several cruelty-free makeup alternatives to Maybelline. Check out the list below:
Wrap Up: Is Maybelline Cruelty-Free?
No, Maybelline is not a cruelty-free makeup brand. Even though they claim to not test on animals, they will make an exception to satisfy regulatory authorities.
Therefore, Maybelline 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 Maybelline? Please leave your comments below!
📌 Save this for later
It’s all very confusing one paragraph says no they don’t test on animals but another paragraph says they do. . Still non the wiser
I’m sorry for the confusion. I’ve since updated the post with a better explanation that should clarify everything for you.
Could a brand like Maybeline be considered cruelty-free (in the hypothetical case it was) while being owned by a bigger company that it is clearly not cruelty-free?
I would not make sense for me… either you are cruelty-free or you are asociated with a company that it is not. I consider they disclaimer “L’Oréal no longer tests any of its products or any of its ingredients on animals, anywhere in the world nor does L’Oréal delegate this task to others. An exception could only be made if regulatory authorities demanded it for safety or regulatory purposes.” as a (poor) way of washing their image while not compromising with anything.
Yes, a brand can be considered cruelty-free even if its parent company is not. A good example of this is CoverGirl. They are Leaping Bunny certified but are owned by Coty, a company that is not cruelty-free.