Is Neutrogena Cruelty-Free?
Does Neutrogena Test On Animals Or Sell In China?
Neutrogena is a well-known skincare brand that can be found all over the world. But is Neutrogena 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 Neutrogena 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 Neutrogena 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.
Neutrogena is not found on any of these organizations’ cruelty-free lists. However, they are found on Peta’s list of brands to avoid.
Does Neutrogena Test on Animals?
The next step in my research is going directly to the company’s animal testing policy to see where they stand. Neutrogena’s policy can be found in the ‘Product Testing’ section of their website. Here is an excerpt:
“Neutrogena does not conduct animal testing on our cosmetic products anywhere in the world, except in the rare instance where governments require it. We actively partner with research and advocacy organizations to advance alternative testing methods to ensure a new global standard can be met.”
Neutrogena’s animal testing policy contradicts itself. It states that they do not test on animals. However, they will make an exception to satisfy a countries laws. Therefore, Neutrogena does allow animal testing on their products.
Is Neutrogena Sold in China?
Yes, Neutrogena does sell in China. After doing a quick Google search I was able to locate Neutrogena’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, Neutrogena 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 Neutrogena Owned By a Parent Company?
Yes, Neutrogena is owned by Johnson & Johnson, 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 Neutrogena Vegan?
Neutrogena 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 Neutrogena?
There are several cruelty-free skincare alternatives to Neutrogena. Check out the list below:
Wrap Up: Is Neutrogena Cruelty-Free?
No, Neutrogena 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, Neutrogena 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 Neutrogena? Please leave your comments below!
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