You can find Kosas’ cruelty-free products at kosas.com, Sephora, Cult Beauty, Credo Beauty, and The Detox Market.

Kosas is Cruelty-Free

Kosas 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 Kosas to be Cruelty-Free.

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

What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?

Kosas has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.

“Our products are not for sale in China at this time”

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.

Kosas 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 Kosas, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.

How to know which of Kosas products are vegan?

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

In addition, the following is the response I received from Kosas when I asked if all of their products are 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 Kosas’ products made?

I asked Kosas where their products are manufactured and they told me:

“All of our products are made in the U.S., except for our 10 Second Eyeshadow, Cloud Set Setting Powder, and The Sun Show Bronzer, which are made 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 Kosas if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,

“Thanks for asking this important question. We’re happy to tell you that the mica used in our products is mined in the U.S. We do not source any mica from India or support supply chains that use child labor.”

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