Blistex is NOT Cruelty-Free!

Blistex allows its products or ingredients to be tested on animals when required by law including when selling in stores in mainland China.

Blistex’s Animal Testing Policy

On Blistex’s website, they claim they verify the safety of their products on human volunteers and via in-vitro means, except in cases where another government’s regulators mandate animal testing during the registration process.

See below for a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Blistex’s website:

Policies stating, “unless required by law,” usually imply the company is selling its products in mainland China. That’s because cosmetics sold in stores in mainland China are required by law to be tested on animals.

Is Blistex Sold in China?

In my research, I discovered that Blistex products are indeed sold in stores in mainland China.

Below is a screenshot of a statement made on Blistex’s Chinese website. It reads, “Blistex is honored to have the opportunity to serve the Chinese consumer with the current products for sale.”

But Doesn’t China No Longer Tests on Animals?

Companies can bypass China’s pre-market animal testing by choosing to manufacture their ordinary or general cosmetics in China, but it’s not stated anywhere that Blistex has taken this route.

Additionally, the possibility of post-market animal testing is not completely ruled out and may be conducted on some cosmetics sold in physical stores in China.

As of May 1, 2021, cosmetic companies can also export and sell their ordinary or general cosmetics in China without animal testing only if they meet a set of preconditions first. However, meeting these conditions has proven difficult, and it’s still unclear what exactly is accepted according to the new regulations. So there’s no word yet of any company that has successfully done so.

Follow the highlighted lines in the graphic below to see why most cosmetics sold in China (like Blistex) are still required by law to be tested on animals in 2022.

Because Blistex has decided to sell in mainland China stores, they must consent and pay to have their products tested on animals. That’s why most cosmetics brands selling in mainland China cannot be considered cruelty-free in 2022.

Although Blistex may not be conducting these animal tests themselves, they knowingly allow Chinese authorities to test their products on animals to sell in China.

For those reasons, we would not consider Blistex to be cruelty-free by our standards.

Cruelty-Free Policies

Many truly cruelty-free brands have chosen not to sell their products in China because of its animal testing laws. Unfortunately, Blistex refuses to do the same and therefore cannot be considered cruelty-free.

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, including when required by law.

See below for our complete cruelty-free checklist. Since Blistex already does not meet the last two, we cannot classify the brand as being cruelty-free.

Is Blistex Certified Cruelty-Free?

Blistex is not certified cruelty-free by any third-party cruelty-free certifications like Leaping Bunny or PETA.

Because Blistex is not certified cruelty-free by a third party, no one is looking into or substantiating Blistex’s cruelty-free commitments and claims.

Is Blistex Cruelty-Free?

To sum up, by choosing to sell in mainland China, Blistex must have its products tested on animals. Therefore, we would NOT consider Blistex to be a cruelty-free brand.

Currently, Blistex is on our List of Brands to Avoid – Animal Tested.

Is Blistex Vegan?

Blistex does not claim or market itself to offer any vegan-friendly options. And since Blistex engages in animal testing, we wouldn’t consider anything sold or produced by Blistex to be vegan anyways.

In order for products to be considered vegan by ethical elephant’s standards, the products and their ingredients must not be tested on animals anywhere in the world. Also, they must not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.

Cruelty-Free Alternatives to Blistex:

• Hurraw! Lip Balms – 100% Vegan
• Crazy Rumors –100% Vegan
• Ellovi – 100% Vegan
• Pacifica Lip Balms – 100% Vegan
• Meow Meow Tweet – 100% Vegan

or check out our list of cruelty-free and vegan lip balms!