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You can find W3ll People cruelty-free products at w3llpeople.com, Ulta, Target, and The Detox Market.
W3ll People is Cruelty-Free
W3ll People 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 W3ll People to be Cruelty-Free.
“No animal testing here! We are NOT cool with animals being harmed for the sake of lipstick. And yep, we are Leaping Bunny and PETA certified.”
W3ll People Acquired by ELF Cosmetics
In 2020, W3ll People was acquired by ELF Cosmetics.
ELF Cosmetics is a 100% vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics brand. So, it’s great to see W3ll People being acquired by a company that is also cruelty-free!
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
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.
But W3ll People has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
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.
W3ll People 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 W3ll People, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.
Also, W3ll People claims they are working towards becoming a 100% vegan brand.
“Our goal is to be 100% Vegan—We are nearly there! Non-vegan ingredients we currently use in select formulas are: organic beeswax, pearl powder & carmines.”
How to know which of W3ll People products are vegan?
All of W3ll People’s vegan products are clearly marked on their website. See below for an example.
W3ll People Vegan Product List
The following W3ll People products are vegans and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
- Bio Base Baked Foundation
- Bio Booster Facial Serum
- Bio Brightener Baked Powder
- Bio Brightener Priming Serum
- Bio Bronzer Baked Powder
- Bio Extreme Lipgloss
- Bio Tint Multi-Action Moisturizer SPF 30
- Dew Your Makeup Mist
- Expressionist Brow Gel
- Expressionist Liquid Eyeliner
- Hypnotist Eyepencil
- Nudist Lip Butter
- Nudist Multi-Use Cream Stick
Not Vegan – W3ll People
W3ll People states their goal is be 100% vegan, however, a few of their products still contain animal products. Below is a list of W3ll People’s non-vegan products.
- Bio Brightener Invisible Powder (contains pearl powder) – not vegan
- Bio Brightener Stick (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Bio Bronzer Cream Stick (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Expressionist Pro Mascara (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- Expressionist Volumizing Mascara (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- High Vibrations Cream Trio (contains beeswax) – not vegan
- High Vibrations Powder Trio (contains carmine) – not vegan
- Narcissist Foundation Stick (contains beeswax and pearl powder) – not vegan
- Nudist Eyeshadow Palette – 1 (contains carmine) – not vegan
- Nudist Eyeshadow Palette – 2 (contains carmine) – not vegan
- Nudist Eyeshadow Palette – 3 (contains carmine) – not vegan
- Optimist Lipstick (contains beeswax and carmine) – not vegan
Vegan Policies
Similar to ‘Cruelty-Free,’ there is no standard or legal definition for the label ‘Vegan.’ But it’s usually used in the context to describe something that doesn’t contain any 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 W3ll People’s products made?
“W3LL PEOPLE is committed to making the best possible, non-toxic choices when it comes to cosmetic ingredients and beauty. We have taken time to produce and create products that contain premium plant-based ingredients that perform to the standards you expect. All W3LL PEOPLE products are made in the USA – except two. We make our Expressionist Mascara and our Bio Baked Collection in Italy.“
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 W3ll People if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“W3LL PEOPLE is committed to making the best possible, non-toxic choices when it comes to cosmetic ingredients and beauty. We have taken time to produce and create products that contain ingredients that are ethically and sustainably sourced.
As part of our values and principles, W3LL PEOPLE is committed to being socially responsible and ethical in our practices with our customers, suppliers and community at large. We condemn and categorically do not participate in manufacturing processes that include child or forced labor.
Our manufacturing partners primarily source mica from Georgia (BASF) and Japan. We do not source mica from India.”
I hope this article helped you to understand W3ll People’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
