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You can find Illamasqua cruelty-free products at illamasqua.com, Beauty Bay, Beautylish, and Dermstore.
Illamasqua is Cruelty-Free
Illamasqua 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 Illamasqua to be Cruelty-Free.
Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Illamasqua’s website about its animal testing policy:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
Illamasqua 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, or any third parties.
Also, note that Cruelty-Free and Vegan don’t always mean the same thing.
Illamasqua 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 Illamasqua, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.
How to know which of Illamasqua products are vegan?
All of Illamasqua’s vegan products are clearly marked on their website. Or, browse their Vegan Makeup page. See below for an example.
Illamasqua Vegan Product List
As of 2021, I will no longer be regularly updating this list of Illamasqua 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 Illamasqua products are suitable for vegans and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products. This vegan product list was provided by Illamasqua.
Base
- Beyond Foundation
- Beyond Veil Primer
- Hydra Veil Primer
- Loose Powder – 010
- Skin Base Concealer Pen
- Skin Base Foundation
Highlight & Contour
- Beyond Liquid Highlighter – Daze, Epic, OMG
- Beyond Powder – Deity, Dare, Daze, Epic, OMG, Risque
- Gel Sculpt
Eyes
Eyeshadow Palettes
- Electrify Artistry Palette
- Elemental Artistry Palette
- Experimental Artistry Palette
- Expressionist Artistry Palette
- Movement Artistry Palette
- Unveiled Artistry Palette
Lips
- Antimatter Lipstick – excluding the shades Btch, Energy and Techno
- Loaded Lip Polish – all shades
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 Illamasqua’s products made?
I asked Illamasqua where their products are manufactured but they wanted to which products I was referring to. So I asked them about their Hydra Veil Primer, Unveiled Artistry palette, and Gel Liner. They responded back saying, “they are manufactured in the UK.”
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 Illamasqua if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor, but they never responded to any of my emails or messages.
I hope this article helped you to understand Illamasqua’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
