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You can find Kristin Ess cruelty-free products at Ulta, Target, and on Amazon.
Kristin Ess is Cruelty-Free
Kristin Ess 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 Kristin Ess to be Cruelty-Free.
Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Kristin Ess’s website about its animal testing policy:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
Kristin Ess has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
“Please note, that our products are not sold in mainland China.”
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.
Kristin Ess 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 Kristin Ess, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.
How to know which of Kristin Ess products are vegan?
All of Kristin Ess’s vegan products are clearly marked on their website.
The following is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Kristin Ess’s website about its vegan claims:
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 Kristin Ess’s products made?
Kristin Ess states on its website,
“Kristin Ess Hair haircare products and holiday kits are manufactured in the US
Kristin Ess Hair tools and accessories are manufactured in China.”
*Note: Cosmetics made in China are not required to be tested on animals. Only cosmetics that are imported and sold in physical stores in mainland China are required to be tested on animals according to China’s animal testing laws.
I hope this article helped you to understand Kristin Ess’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
