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You can find Dermablend cruelty-free products on Amazon and at Ulta, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs.
Dermablend is *Cruelty-Free
Dermablend 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 Dermablend to be *Cruelty-Free.
*Dermablend is owned by L’Oreal, a corporation that is NOT cruelty-free because they allow some of their other brands to test on animals.
It’s your choice whether you want to support or boycott cruelty-free brands owned by a parent company that is not cruelty-free. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer to this. I encourage you to do what you’re comfortable with, but I think it’s important to disclose that L’Oreal owns Dermablend.
Below is what’s currently stated on Dermablend’s website:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
Dermablend has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are 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.
Dermablend 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 Dermablend, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.
The following is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Dermablend’s website about its vegan product offering:
How to know which of Dermablend products are vegan?
Dermablend clearly marks all of its vegan products on its website. See below for an example.
Dermablend Vegan Product List
As of 2021, I will no longer be regularly updating this list of Dermablend 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.
The following Dermablend products are suitable for vegans and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products. This vegan product list was provided by Dermablend.
- Banana Powder
- Compact Setting Powder
- Cover Care Full Coverage Concealer
- Flawless Creator Liquid Foundation Drops
- Glow Creator Highlighter Makeup
- Insta-Grip Jelly Primer
- Intense Powder Camo® Foundation
- Leg and Body Makeup
- Loose Setting Powder
- Makeup Dissolver
- Poresaver Matte Makeup Primer
- Powder-Setter Makeup Setting Spray
- Quick Fix™ Color Correcting Powder Pigments
- Smooth Liquid Camo Concealer
- Smooth Liquid Camo Foundation
Not Vegan – Dermablend
Below is a list of Dermablend products that contain beeswax and are not vegan:
- Cover Creme Foundation (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Quick-Fix Body (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Quick-Fix Concealer (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.
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 Dermablend if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“Mica is a mineral used across various industries, including to a small extent, in the cosmetics industry, where it can be used as an effect pigment. Dermablend, a division of L’Oréal USA, represents less than 0.05% of the worldwide mica market, 98% of these quantities come from secured sources.
Today, more than 60% of L’Oréal’s natural mica comes from the United States while the rest is from other countries, including India. In India, mica mainly originates from socially and economically challenged regions where there is a risk of child labor, unsafe working conditions, and where the supply chain involves multiple people. In spite of these challenges, L’Oréal has committed to remain in India and ensure the traceability and transparency of our supply chain. We believe that discontinuing the use of Indian mica would further weaken the situation in the region. In addition, local NGOs and expert organizations are supportive of efforts made to secure the mica supply chain and thus improve the living and working conditions in the region. You can read more about the actions we’ve taken here: http://www.lorealusa.com/csr-commitments/l%E2%80%99or%C3%A9al-answers/sustainable-sourcing-of-mica“
Dermablend replied back and stated its parent company, L’Oreal’s ethical mica policy. L’Oreal is a founding member of the Responsible Mica Initiative and claims they ensure the responsible sourcing of Indian mica.
I hope this article helped you to understand Dermablend’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
