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In this post, I’ll be addressing Younique’s animal testing policy and whether Younique should be considered a cruelty-free brand or not in 2021.
Younique’s Animal Testing Policy
It looks like Younique has updated its animal testing statement in 2021. Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on their website under each product page.
Based on this statement, Younique claims their formulas are not tested on animals by them or their manufacturers. And they strive to work with third-party manufacturers who share these same values.
However, this is not enough information for us to consider Younique to be cruelty-free so I emailed to ask if they vet and ensure all of their suppliers don’t test on animals? And if Younique is sold in China where animal testing is required for most imported cosmetics in 2021.
Is Younique Sold in China?
When asked if Younique is sold in China where animal testing is required for some cosmetics, they told me:
“We are currently open in Hong Kong where we are not required to test our products on animals.“
This is true. Cosmetics sold in Hong Kong are not required to be tested on animals. That’s because Hong Kong is not part of mainland China. And they don’t have the same animal testing laws as mainland China.
As long as Younique is selling in Hong Kong only, then they are not required to test on animals according to China’s regulations.
Read Also: What’s Going On With China’s Animal Testing Laws in 2021
Younique’s Cruelty-Free Policy Analyzed
Animal testing for cosmetics can happen at various stages of product development and manufacturing. We don’t just look into whether the finished product or formula was tested on animals, but we need to make sure the ingredients and their suppliers aren’t testing on animals either.
So when I asked if Younique requires all of their suppliers to abide by their no animal testing policy, they informed me:
“Please be aware we perform regular audits on all of our suppliers, which includes a review of processes and procedures, an assurance from them that responsible and ethical manufacturing practices are being followed, and an evaluation of the working conditions of their employees. Those same basic audits are performed by our suppliers on their raw material suppliers, and we review the documentation of those audits. If any potential issue were to arise during the audits that is unable to be addressed and resolved to our satisfaction, we would explore moving the business to a different supplier.“
It’s great to know that Younique performs regular audits with all of their suppliers but what concerns me is their overuse of vague statements and general claims.
Younique claims they have assurance from their suppliers that “responsible” and “ethical” manufacturing practices are being followed. These two terms are subjective and can mean different things to different people. So it doesn’t rule out whether their suppliers may be testing on animals.
I tried asking if those “ethical and responsible” practices include a policy against using animals for testing and unfortunately, Younique responded back with the same statement found on their website. That they “strive to work with third party manufacturers who share these same values”.
The problem I have with this statement is there’s a difference when a brand says they strive to work with manufacturers that don’t test on animals versus they only work with manufacturers that don’t test on animals.
When verifying brands to add to our Cruelty-Free Brand Directory, one of the criteria they must meet is requiring that all of their suppliers don’t test on animals. And it doesn’t sound to me that Younique has done this 100% to obtain a cruelty-free certification. And that’s probably why Younique is not certified cruelty-free by a third-party organization like Leaping Bunny or PETA.
I also have a screenshot of their old animal testing statement from their website in 2015. During this time, Younique stated they have not conducted an in-depth cruelty-free review.
Additionally, in 2015, Younique claimed they were in the process of obtaining cruelty-free certification. But as we know in 2021, they’re still not approved by Leaping Bunny, Cruelty Free International, PETA, or Choose Cruelty-Free.
“Younique does not test our products on animals. We are in the process of exploring/procuring official certification as a cruelty-free company. However, Younique has not conducted an in-depth cruelty-free review tracing each ingredient back to such ingredient’s original source at this time.”
It sounds to me that Younique still hasn’t conducted an in-depth review of making sure all of their ingredient suppliers don’t test on animals.
With everything being considered and Younique not being able to provide clarifications on their ingredient suppliers, I am unable to classify Younique as a cruelty-free brand or not.
For those reasons, Younique is on our Grey Area Brand List – Brands with Unclear Policies.
107 thoughts on “Younique”
Hi Vicky, thank you for your well-written blog on this topic. I am very disturbed by Younique’s lack of transparency as a company and their failure to pursue cruelty-free certification after so much time of claiming that they are, only to reveal that they are not.
Do you know if they have made any effort or progress at all to acquire cruelty-free certification since this blog wasn’t posted one year ago?
Putting any makeup company aside, if the concern is for the well-being and ethical treatment of animals…and let me be bold here…shouldn’t some of the advertising you allow on the blog be removed. I’m certain, for example, SunBasket, while they have Vegetarian options, perhaps even Vegan, still serve meat products, as well as some of JustFab’s shoes and clothing, are made from non-ethically manufactured and probably non-ethical treatment of employees or labor at the cost of a less expensive product…and the list can continue, but you get the point I’m making by now. The depth that one can go just alone on the cruelty-free companies. I mean, go in and research what the owners and employees are doing in their own lives, wearing on their bodies or consuming in their diets, where does the cruelty-free line end?
I appreciate your candor and your dedication to the Vegan movement, but fair is fair in the ethical treatment of how you use your words to label a company or a product and so on. I get it…sharing what you like is yours to do that’s a given. Additionally, I appreciate your view because after all we are all entitled to one. It’s what makes the world beautiful, like you. Thanks for the contrast.
My wife I agree with Maruerite, there is no justification for using animals in the cosmetic industry – cosmetics are not essential to life. I am sad to hear that Younique has not researched all its ingredients (but I bet it has done all its marketing research). Several of our family members are agents for Younique but will not persuade us to buy their products until they can accurately say the products are completely cruelty free. I shall also advise our family members about this situation.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
I am a new comer to Younique, I love the make up I am 60 years old and have not worn make up for at least 30 years. I support the ethos behind the company empowering women who has gone who are going through any sort of abuse in their lives. I am a survivor of every kind of abuse. I have read what wonderful things this company does, I am still a little critical of just how this is supported, and how the funds are projected to these causes. I am now looking into the ethics behind the company, on animal rights. I am a little confused into which direction my energies should go. I have read the resources on your web page and they look amazing, is it the funding from the cosmetics that support these groups, or is it the empowerment of women who use your products, in a way that they are survivors and we will stand in the face of our abusers and say I am worth it.
Idk what presenters you are talking to because in your article you said “Younique and all of its representatives are claiming it to be cruelty-free”. Now I find it hard to believe that you’ve spoken to all 200,000+ representatives to be able to make this statement accurate. I am a former Younique rep and I will gladly tell you the truth about this statement. Yes, there are plenty of reps that claim Younique is cruelty-free, but not even close to ALL reps claim this and I’ve seen multiple reps scold others for claiming this. Younique doesn’t test on animals, but nowhere on their website does it claim to be cruelty-free. In order to claim something is cruelty-free, you have to not only NOT test on animals, but you also have to be able to trace ALL ingredients to their origin and show that all of those were not tested on animals either, and you cannot claim cruelty-free without certification. Younique is not able to trace every ingredient, so therefore they cannot claim to be cruelty-free. That is the truth from a former Younique rep, who has never advertised Younique to be cruelty-free. So before you chastise an entire company, you should probably do your research because you end up looking silly and lose credibility when you make such a broad and FALSE claim. Thanks
I’m really confused by your response here. The point of the article is not whether all Younique reps do or do not say that the brand is cruelty free. The point of the article is the lack of transparency from the website and email response from its head office. It is unclear if they are fully cruelty free and that us the point of the article. It’s irrelevent how many reps say it is or it isn’t, this does not change the fact that actually, no one apart from the big bosses really know.
Also, they are not chastising the company for what the reps or do not not say, they are “chastising the company for testing their products on animals. Which is a slightly bigger issue.
Younique does not claim to be cruelty-free. Our founders, nor anyone at the corporate level, have never stated that Younique is cruelty-free. That’s the thing – you don’t see us on the lists because we don’t have that certification. Younique has been very transparent about that. Not sure what the confusion is.
While this may seem silly, I know of two reps from Younique who DO say their products are cruelty-free. I have straight up asked them the question, when they ask if I’d like to purchase mascara, presenter kits, blush, foundation etc….I say , “Is younique cruelty-free?” and they have ALwAYS said, “yes, Our products are cruelty-free.” While this may be only two confirmed on my part, I am quiet sure there are many more who claim this. It doesn’t matter if it’s 2 or 200,000 + who say this, the idea is one bad apple spoils it for the rest. I felt betrayed by my friends….I even posted on our FB page the cruelty free 2019 lists from ethical elephant, PETA, cruelty free kitty ….Assuming they would give it a look over. Main point-Younique is NOT cruelty free.
yes but as a rep i am sure you have told people that your Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes are made from 100% Natural Green Tea Fibers….which has been tested only to see that its made from silicone or hey what about the Luci Bags there were selling with there own business logo on them as a promotion for people to be re invited back to being a seller…..so before you comment you might want to do your homework and see that they are not 100% honest in there dealings with the general public and that you look silly and lose total credibility when you sell for a company who has so many bad reviews of there products and taken to court and proven to be dishonest doesn’t exactly give you much credibility either now does it……….Thanks
When was Younique in court?
Also – our fibers are not made from green tea fibers. That was the original formula, which was pulled over 2 years ago.
One more thing – all ingredients are listed on each product page.
Nearly end of 2019 and same story being told… Not looking for a certification which is easy to obtain means only there is something they don’t want to confirm