How We Rate Brands
Make a positive impact and help end animal testing for cosmetics by choosing to support and buy from brands that don’t test on animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
I verify each brand’s animal testing policy using my Cruelty-Free Checklist to ensure approved brands do not commission, conduct, or condone any form of animal testing on their products or ingredients anywhere in the world. This includes confirming all approved brands:
- do not test their products or ingredients on animals
- do not commission or allow a third party to test on their behalf
- have verified their raw material suppliers do not test on animals
- do not sell their products in-stores in mainland China under conditions where post- or pre-market animal testing may be conducted
At least once a week. I am constantly adding and removing brands as I see fit. I also try my best to keep up with which cruelty-free brands get acquired by a non-cruelty-free parent corporation and which brands are now 100% vegan or no longer 100% vegan.
It is free for brands to be listed, just as long as brands are willing to answer all my questions and meet all the criteria in my Cruelty-Free Checklist.
Now that I’ve combined all my lists into one, you should be able to search cruelty-free brands, animal-tested brands, and grey area brands in the new brand directory. But if you still can’t find a particular brand, feel free to reach out, and I’ll look into the brand you’re requesting.
Brands noted as being 100% vegan mean they don’t use any animal-derived ingredients or by-products across their entire collection. I also make sure no animal hair is used for their makeup brushes and/or lashes.
It’s quite complicated, and I explain it all here.
TL;DR: As of May 1, 2021, China will allow some ordinary cosmetics to be imported and sold in stores in China without animal testing only if they meet a set of pre-conditions first. But those conditions aren’t easy or cheap to attain; therefore, there hasn’t yet been a brand that’s approved to export and sell their ordinary cosmetics in mainland China stores without animal testing. I will be following these new regulations and will provide an update as we learn more.
Only cosmetics imported and sold in mainland China require animal testing. Cosmetics can be made in China and be cruelty-free; just as long as brands don’t sell in physical stores in China, they are not required to test on animals.
Only cosmetics imported and sold in physical stores in mainland China (not including Hong Kong) must be tested on animals. All of the brands listed in our Cruelty-Free Directory do not sell their products in retail stores in China**
Some of the brands listed may be selling their products through cross-border e-commerce channels which do not require animal testing in China.
If that’s the case, they are selling direct-to-consumer where a Chinese customer can purchase products online, and then it gets shipped directly to them, which does not require animal testing.
**Exceptions for cruelty-free brands part of Leaping Bunny’s China Pilot Project.
Although these brands don’t test on animals, some cruelty-free consumers choose not to support brands affiliated or owned by a corporation that continues to test on animals. That’s why I made sure to note parent companies in the directory in (parenthesis) next to the brand name.
But I also recognize that some consumers don’t mind buying from these brands and would still consider them cruelty-free.
This is a personal preference, so I try my best to provide you with as much information as possible so you can decide for yourself.