Rodan + Fields’ Cruelty-Free Status is Unclear

Rodan + Fields did not provide clarification on whether their ingredient suppliers test on animals and if they allow their products or ingredients to be tested on animals when required by law.

As a result, we are unable to classify Rodan + Fields as being truly cruelty-free or animal-tested. Therefore, Rodan + Fields is listed as Grey Area – Brands with Unclear Policies.

Rodan + Fields’ Animal Testing Policy

On Rodan + Fields’ website, they claim they don’t test their formulas on animals, however, this is not enough information for us to classify Rodan and Fields or any other brand as being cruelty-free to our standards.

Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Rodan & Fields’ website:

Animal testing for cosmetics can happen at various stages of product development, including at the ingredient level, and is often done by others and not the cosmetic company itself. This is why 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.

Rodan + Fields’ statement that their formulas are not tested on animals is not enough information for us to consider them as being truly cruelty-free yet.

So I reached out to Rodan + Fields to ask for more information about their animal testing policy. More specifically, I wanted to know if they can ensure all of their ingredient suppliers don’t test on animals and if they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law (for example, when selling in China or any other country that requires animal testing).

And Rodan + Fields responded by saying:

“Rodan + Fields does not test its formulas on animals. We use alternate in lab methods and voluntary compensated human subjects to verify the safety and efficacy of our formulations.

Our products are not availabe in China or in any retail locations.”

Is Rodan + Fields Cruelty-Free?

Based on their response, Rodan + Fields confirmed they don’t sell in China. But they did not clarify whether they ensure all of their ingredient suppliers don’t test on animals and also if they allow their products to be tested on animals if the law requires it.

Truly cruelty-free brands will never allow their products or ingredients to be tested on animals. Cruelty-free companies have a policy where if the law requires them to test on animals then they will refuse to sell their products under those conditions.

Unfortunately, Rodan + Fields did not address all of our specific questions and do not meet all of the criteria in our cruelty-free checklist.

As a result, we are unable to classify Rodan + Fields as being truly cruelty-free or animal-tested. Therefore, Rodan + Fields is listed as Grey Area – Brands with Unclear Policies.

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, including when required by law.

See below for our complete cruelty-free checklist. Since Rodan + Fields did not clarify if their ingredient suppliers and manufacturers do not test on animals and if they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law, we cannot classify the brand as being cruelty-free.

Is Rodan + Fields Certified Cruelty-Free?

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

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

Is Rodan + Fields Vegan?

Rodan + Fields claims to offer some “vegan” options that are free of animal-derived ingredients, but because we are unable to consider Rodan + Fields cruelty-free, we wouldn’t classify anything sold or produced by Rodan + Fields to be vegan at this time.

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.

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.