You can find Sigma cruelty-free products at Target, Nordstrom, Beauty Bay, and Amazon.

Is Sigma Cruelty-Free?

Sigma is a cruelty-free brand. Sigma 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 Sigma to be Cruelty-Free.

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

What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?

Sigma 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, or any third parties.

Also, note that Cruelty-Free and Vegan don’t always mean the same thing.

Is Sigma Vegan?

‘Vegan’ in cosmetics can refer to an entire brand that is 100% Vegan or a specific product is vegan.

In the case of Sigma, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.

How to know which of Sigma products are vegan?

All of Sigma’s vegan products are clearly marked on their website.

The following is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Sigma’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 Sigma’s products made?

Sigma states on its website:

“Where are your products made?
All Sigma products are designed in the United States. The necessary components used to manufacture Sigma products come from a variety of specialized sources and are made in China. All Sigma products are made with the highest quality ingredients and components, and are hand-checked for quality at our headquarters in Minnesota, USA.”

*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.

Thankfully, Sigma states on its website:

“ETHICAL MICA MINING STATEMENT
Mica is a mineral often used in cosmetics as a coloring agent or pigment to add shimmer, sparkle or shine to a product. There are many concerns that mica sources in India utilize child labor, something we, at Sigma Beauty, cannot condone. With these concerns in mind, we aim to be fully transparent about where we source our mica. Sigma Beauty’s cosmetics manufacturer only uses mica from a wholly owned mine in Hartwell, Georgia in the United States of America.”

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