Mavala is Cruelty-Free

Mavala 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 Mavala to be Cruelty-Free.

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

What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?

Mavala has confirmed they only sell their products in Hong Kong but not in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.

“We do not sell our products in Mainland China but only in Hong Kong, where the animal testing is not mandatory.”

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.

Mavala 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 Mavala, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.

How to know which of Mavala products are vegan?

The following is a snippet of the email response I received from Mavala when I asked which of their products are vegan:

“Our nail polishes (bases, colored nail polishes and top coat) do not contain any animal derived ingredients, and thus are suitable for vegans

Concerning other products of our brand, most of them are also free from animal derived ingredients. We use very few derivatives of animal origin like beeswax or lanolin, and only in few of all our products.”

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 Mavala’s products made?

I asked Mavala where their products are manufactured and they told me:

“All our products are developed and manufactured in our scientific laboratories in Geneva (Switzerland), in conformity with the most rigorous quality standards and regulations.”

Ethical Mica Mining Policy

Mica is a mineral 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 Mavala if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,

“We inform you that Mica used in Mavala products can be from different sources. In any case, we are working with well-known suppliers of ingredients, who audit their supply chain concerning the obtention of natural resources and specially do not use child or forced labour in mica sourcing.”

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