This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
You can find cruelty-free products at Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Dermstore, and on Amazon.
Coola is Cruelty-Free
Coola has confirmed they do not test their products or ingredients on animals or ask others to test on their behalf. Their suppliers also do not test on animals, nor do they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law. And finally, their products are not sold in stores in mainland China or any other country that may require animal testing.
By our standards, we would consider Coola to be Cruelty-Free.
Below is a screenshot of COOLA’s official animal testing statement:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
Coola has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
“We are available in Hong Kong where animal-testing is not required.“
Hong Kong is not part of mainland China so, they don’t have the same animal testing laws as mainland China. Therefore, Coola is not required to test on animals.
As of May 1, 2021, some imported ordinary cosmetics can be exempt from animal testing under certain conditions. However, for the most part, animal testing is still legally required for most imported cosmetics in 2022.
Cruelty-Free Policies
Note that there is no legal definition for the label ‘Cruelty-Free.’ It can mean different things to different people. But Cruelty-Free is generally used to imply no animal testing. More specifically, the ingredients, formulation, or finished product are not tested on animals at any stage of product development.
At ethical elephant, we always assess a company’s cruelty-free policy using our Cruelty-Free Checklist. This ensures no animal testing was performed by the brand itself, its suppliers, and by any third parties.
Also, note that Cruelty-Free and Vegan don’t always mean the same thing.
Coola is Not 100% Vegan
‘Vegan’ in cosmetics can refer to an entire brand that is 100% Vegan or a specific product is vegan.
In the case of Coola, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.
How to know which of Coola products are vegan?
All of Coola’s vegan products are clearly marked on their website.
In addition, the following is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on COOLA’s official website about its vegan products:
COOLA Vegan Product List
The following COOLA products are suitable for vegans and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
As of 2021, I will no longer be regularly updating this list of Coola’s vegan products as all of their vegan products are now clearly marked. Check their website for the most up-to-date and accurate information on which products are vegan or not.
Sunscreen – COOLA Vegan
Face
- Classic Face Cucumber Moisturizer SPF30
- Classic Face Unscented Moisturizer SPF30
- Classic Face Sport White Tea Sport Moisturizer SPF50
- Full Spectrum 360° Mineral Sun Silk Crème Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
- Full Spectrum 360° Sun Silk Drops Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
- Mineral Face Matte Untinted Moisturizer SPF 30 – Cucumber
- Mineral Face Unscented Matte Tint SPF30
- Organic Sunless Tan Luminizing Face Compact
Body
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 – Tropical Coconut
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 – Fragrance-Free
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 – Guava Mango
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 – Fragrance-Free
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 – Pina Colada
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 – Tropical Coconut
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 – Fragrance-Free
- Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 – Guava Mango
- Mineral Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 – Fragrance-Free
- Mineral Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 – Fragrance-Free
- Mineral Body Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 – Tropical Coconut
- Mineral Body Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 – Fragrance-Free
- Radical Recovery Eco-Cert Organic After Sun Lotion
Beauty & Hair – COOLA Vegan
- Daydream Mineral Makeup Primer Sunscreen SPF 30
- Dawn Patrol Makeup Primer Sunscreen SPF 30
- Full Spectrum 360° Mineral Sun Silk Crème Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
- Full Spectrum 360° Sun Silk Drops Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
- Makeup Setting Spray Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
- Rosilliance Mineral BB+ Cream Tinted Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
- Scalp & Hair Mist Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
Self-Tanners – COOLA Vegan
- Organic Gradual Sunless Tan Firming Lotion
- Organic Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum
- Organic Sunless Tan Dry Oil Mist
- Organic Sunless Tan Express Sculpting Mousse
- Organic Sunless Tan Kabuki Body Brush
- Organic Sunless Tan Luminizing Body Serum
Not Vegan – COOLA
The following products from COOLA are not considered to be vegan as they contain some animal-derived ingredients or by-products:
- Classic Liplux Organic Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 30 (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Mineral Baby Organic Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Mineral Baby Organic Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Mineral Liplux Organic Tinted Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 30 (contains beeswax) – not vegan
Vegan Policies
Similar to ‘Cruelty-Free,’ there is no standard or legal definition for the label ‘Vegan.’ But it’s usually used in the context to describe something that doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Some common animal products used in cosmetics include carmine, lanolin, snail mucus, beeswax, honey, pearl or silk-derived ingredients, animal-based glycerin, keratin, and squalene.
There are plant-based and synthetic alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. But it’s sometimes difficult to know with certainty whether a product is vegan just by reading the ingredient list.
So it’s best to ask the company and manufacturers to ensure the ingredients they’ve chosen to use were from non-animal sources.
Where are Coola’s products made?
Coola states on its website,
“All of our products are made in the USA!”
Ethical Mica Mining Policy
Mica is a mineral that’s used in cosmetics to add a shimmery effect. But the mining of natural mica has been linked to child labor and human rights violations.
Unless the company discloses its mica mining policy, we have no way of knowing whether its mica is ethically sourced without child or forced labor.
So I asked Coola if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“Thank you for contacting us at COOLA! We only use natural micas in cases when we can ensure they are mined responsibly, and we require full documentation verifying the sourcing and sustainability of our micas.“
I hope this article helped you to understand Coola’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
