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Picture Polish is Cruelty-Free
Picture 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 Picture Polish to be Cruelty-Free.
Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Picture Polish’s website about its animal testing policy:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
Picture Polish has confirmed they only sell their products online and not in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
“With regards to China we have one on-line retailer that is situated in Macau and ships throughout mainland China. So our products are not retailed offline (bricks + mortar) in 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, and by any third parties.
Also, note that Cruelty-Free and Vegan don’t always mean the same thing.
Picture Polish is 100% Vegan
Picture Polish has confirmed all of its products are vegan and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
“Is Picture Polish nail polish vegan?
Yes. Our nail polish, nail care and remover formulation do not contain animal ingredients.”
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 Picture Polish’s products made?
Picture Polish states on its website,
“Where is Picture Polish made?
Australia. Our nail polish, nail care and remover products are all designed, formulated and made by a manufacturer. We are often referred to as an ‘indie’ brand whilst we are independently owned family business we do not make our nail polish in house.
Nail art brushes, tools and powders are made in China. Glass Nail File and Manicure Stick are made in The Czech Republic.
All labels, packaging and printing for Picture Polish products are made and printed in Australia supporting local business.
Our nail polish product boxes are made in Australia from 25% recycled cardboard. They can be recycled or keep your polish in them for extra storage benefits.
Australian Fans: All soft plastic we use when wrapping your order can be recycled via Red Recyle bins at Woolworths + Coles supermarkets.“
*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.
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 Picture Polish if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“Picture Polish is made by a commercial manufacturer and they are compliant to international manufacturing standards however with regards to where the mica are sourced is not something they make public to us.”
I hope this article helped you to understand Picture 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!
