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Thrive Causemetics is Cruelty-Free
Thrive Causemetics 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 Thrive Causemetics to be Cruelty-Free.
Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Thrive Causemetics’ website about its animal testing policy:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
Thrive Causemetics 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, and by any third parties.
Also, note that Cruelty-Free and Vegan don’t always mean the same thing.
Thrive Causemetics is 100% Vegan
Thrive Causemetics has confirmed all of its products are vegan and don’t 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.
Where are Thrive Causemetics’ products made?
I asked Thrive Causemetics where their products are manufactured and they told me:
“All of our high-performance cosmetics are developed at Thrive Causemetics Lab in Los Angeles—we control every step of the product development process, and a large part of it involves you.”
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 Thrive Causemetics if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“We do include Mica in some of our formulas to promote high-quality product performance and color payoff. Mica is a naturally occurring mineral that has several benefits when included in makeup and personal care products. It helps absorb natural oils on the skin and helps powder products glide on more smoothly. Using Mica in products is considered safe by the U.S Food & Drug Administration. We are committed to creating vegan, 100% cruelty-free formulas containing proven ingredients without the use of parabens or sulfates. In doing so we partner exclusively with reputable and transparent manufacturers who ensure a safe working environment and a fair wage for their employees. That includes a commitment to never using child labor at any stage of their production process. Through certifications and audits, our manufacturing partners are able to ensure that all employees are over the age of 18, are treated well and paid fairly. Our partners take our commitment to a child-free labor manufacturing process very seriously. It’s very important to us that our manufacturers are as committed to fair and sustainable practices as we are.
We are committed to working with only mica suppliers who have provided verified certification that their mica is ethically sourced without child labor. We’re working on more transparency about our efforts with ethically sourced mica and have shared your feedback with our team.”
I hope this article helped you to understand Thrive Causemetics’ cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
