elle polish

Last Updated: January 13, 2022

How Ethical Is elle polish?

Make a positive impact by supporting companies with the same values and ethics as what matters most to you. To navigate and find ethical brands, here's a summary of elle polish's ethics and initiatives.

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Ethical Analysis

Is elle polish cruelty-free, vegan, or sustainable? We’ve got the answers here! Read below for more details on elle polish’s policies.
elle polish is cruelty-free. None of elle polish’s ingredients, formulations, or finished products are tested on animals, anywhere in the world.
All of elle polish products are 100% vegan and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
elle polish claims they’re committed to minimizing their use of plastic and waste. Currently, elle polish’s shipping materials are made of 100% post-consumer recycled materials.

And elle polish’s seasonal collection are made in small, limited batches in an effort to reduce waste. They also offer a recycling program.
elle polish claims their mica is ethically-sourced from the US and without the use of child labor.
elle polish claims their nail polish bottles come in reusable glass bottles but I believe their caps have some plastic components. Elle polish states they prioritize “eco-friendly, responsibly sourced packaging materials and are fully committed to minimizing usages of plastic and waste.”

Currently, their shipping materials are recyclable and made of 100% post-consumer waste packaging. And they offer a recycle program where you can send in your empty nail polish bottles to be recycled by them.

About elle polish

Elle polish offers a simple, healthier alternative that you can feel good about wearing, developed and hand-crafted in Los Angeles, CA.
COMPANY BASED IN: USA
PRODUCTS MADE IN: USA
PRODUCTS: Nails
CERTIFICATIONS: Leaping Bunny, PETA-Certified

elle polish

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elle polish is Cruelty-Free

elle polish 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 elle polish to be Cruelty-Free.

Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on elle polish’s website about its animal testing policy:

Is elle polish Cruelty-Free?

What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?

elle polish 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.

elle polish is 100% Vegan

elle polish has confirmed all of its products are vegan and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.

Are your products vegan?
Yes, all of our products are 100% vegan.”

Vegan Policies

Similar to ‘Cruelty-Free,’ there is no standard or legal definition for the label ‘Vegan.’ But it usually means no 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 elle polish’s products made?

elle polish states on its website,

“elle polishes are all developed and hand-crafted in Los Angeles, CA”

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 elle polish if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,

“elle polishes are all developed and hand-crafted in the USA with ethically sourced ingredients and materials.

We source our mica, a natural shimmery material which may be used in some of our polishes, ethically from the United States from privately owned mines. This allows us to be assured that child-labour is never used, and that miners are paid fairly and treated very well.

Furthermore, we are vegan and cruelty-free Leaping Bunny certified and have had to provide documentation to meet the CCIC strict standards.”


I hope this article helped you to understand elle polish’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!

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