You can find NYX products at nyxcosmetics.com, Target, Ulta, Walmart, and Amazon.

NYX is *Cruelty-Free

NYX 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 NYX to be *Cruelty-Free.

*NYX is owned by L’Oreal, a corporation that is NOT cruelty-free because they allow some of their other brands to test on animals.

It’s your choice whether you want to support or boycott cruelty-free brands owned by a parent company that is not cruelty-free. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer to this. I encourage you to do what you’re comfortable with, but I think it’s important to disclose that L’Oreal owns NYX.

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

What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?

NYX 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.

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

The following is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on NYX’s website about its vegan claims:

How to know which of NYX’s products are vegan?

All of NYX’s vegan products are clearly marked on their website. See below for an example. You can also find a list of their vegan products here: https://www.nyxcosmetics.com/featured/vegan/

NYX Vegan Product List

As of 2021, I will no longer be regularly updating this list of NYX’s vegan products as all of their vegan products are now clearly marked. Check their website for the most up-to-date and accurate information on which products are vegan or not.

Below is a list of NYX products that are suitable for vegans and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.

Face – NYX Vegan

Face Primer & Setting

• #NoFilter Blurring Primer
• #NoFilter Finishing Powder
• Angel Veil – Skin Perfecting Primer
• Bare With Me Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Blotting Paper
• Bare With Me Hydrating Jelly Primer
• Blotting Powder
• Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Matte Primer
• Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Setting Powder
• First Base Primer Spray
• High Definition Finishing Powder
• High Definition Primer
• Hydra Touch Oil Primer
• Makeup Setting Spray – Dewy
• Makeup Setting Spray – Matte
• Mineral Finishing Powder
• Pore Filler
• Radiant Finish Setting Spray
• Shine Killer
• SFX Setting Powder
• Soft Focus Tinted Primer
• Studio Finishing Powder
• Studio Perfect Primer
• Total Control Drop Primer

Foundation

• Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil
• Born To Glow! Naturally Radiant Foundation
• Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Full Coverage Foundation
• Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Powder Foundation
• HD Studio Photogenic Foundation
• Pro Foundation Palette
• Stay Matte But Not Flat Powder Foundation
• Total Control Drop Foundation

Concealer

• Born To Glow Radiant Concealer
• Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Contour Concealer
• Color Correcting Powder
• Concealer Jar
• Dark Circle Concealer
• Gotcha Covered Concealer
• HD Photogenic Concealer Wand
• Pro Foundation Palette

Bronze, Contour & Highlight

• A Bit Jelly Gel Illuminator
• Away We Glow Liquid Booster
• Away We Glow Strobing Cream
• Born to Glow Highlighting Palette
• Born to Glow Highlighter Singles
• Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator
• California Beamin’ Face & Body Bronzer
• California Beamin’ Glow Booster
• Cream Highlight & Contour Palette
• Duo Chromatic Illuminating Powder
• High Glass Finishing Powder
• Highlight & Contour Pro Palette
• Highlight & Contour Pro Singles
• Matte Bronzer
• Pro Foundation Palette
• Sculpt & Highlight Face Duo

Blush

• Ombre Blush
• SFX Creme Colour
• Sweet Cheeks Blush Palette
• Sweet Cheeks Creamy Powder Blush Matte

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Eye Makeup – NYX Vegan

Eyeliner

• Cake That! Powder Eyeliner
• Colored Felt Tip Liner
• Epic Ink Liner
• Faux Blacks Eyeliner
• Faux Whites Eye Brightener
• Gel Liner and Smudger
• Glitter Goals Liquid Eyeliner
• Love Lust Disco Metallic Liquid Liner
• Matte Liquid Liner
• Super Fat Eye Marker
• Super Skinny Eye Marker
• Tres Jolie Gel Pencil Liner
• Vinyl Liquid Liner
• White Liquid Liner

Mascara

• Big & Loud Lash Primer
• On The Rise Volume Liftscara

Eye Primer

• MultiTasker Mixing Medium
• Proof It! Waterproof Eyeshadow Primer

Eyeshadow & Palettes

• Cosmic Metals Shadow Palette
• Electro Brights Loose Pigment
• Face & Body Glitter
• Foil Play Cream Eyeshadow
• Glazed & Confused Eye Gloss
• Glitter Goals Cream Pro Palette
• Glitter Goals Cream Quad Palette
• Glitter Goals Liquid Eyeshadow
• Lid Lacquer
• Lid Lingerie
• Metallic Glitter
• SFX Creme Colour
• Shaped Glitter
• The Natural Shadow Palette
• The Smokey Shadow Palette

Eyebrows

• 3-in-1 Brow Pencil
• Auto Eyebrow Pencil
• Build Em Up Brow Powder
• Control Freak Eyebrow Gel
• Eyebrow Cake Powder
• Fill & Fluff Eyebrow Pomade Pencil
• Micro Brow Pencil
• Precision Brow Pencil
• Tame & Frame Brow Pomade

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Lips – NYX Vegan

• #ThisIsEverything Lip Oil
• #THISISEVERYTHING Lip Scrub
• Bare With Me Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Lip Conditioner
• Butter Lipstick
• Duo Chromatic Lip Gloss
• Epic Ink Lip Dye
• Faux Marble Lipstick
• Filler Instinct Plumping Lip Color
• Glitter Goals Liquid Lipstick
• Glow-On Lip Gloss
• Lip Lingerie
• Lip Lingerie Glitter
• Lip Lingerie Gloss
• Lip Lingerie Push-Up Long-Lasting Lipstick
• Lip Lingerie Shimmer
• Lip Primer
• Love Lust Disco Lip Lingerie Trio Gloss Shimmer Glitter
• Love Lust Disco Slip Tease Lip Lacquer Vault
• Love Lust Disco Soft Matte Metallic Lip Cream Midi Trio
• Love Lust Disco Suede Matte Lip Kit
• Powder Puff Lippie Lip Cream
• Slip Tease Full Color Lip Lacquer
• Slip Tease Full Color Lip Oil
• Soft Matte Metallic Lip Cream
• Strictly Vinyl Lip Gloss
• Suede Matte Lip Liner
• Suede Matte Lipstick
• Super Cliquey Glossy Lipstick

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Makeup Remover

• Be Gone! Makeup Remover Wipes
• Eye & Lip Makeup Remover
• Stripped Off Cleansing Balm

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 NYX’s products made?

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

“Please be advised that our products are created all over the globe, making it difficult to know where exactly a certain product is manufactured.”

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 NYX if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,

“Regarding your question on which Mica we use in our cruelty free makeup products, please look at the link we have provided down below regarding our sustainable sourcing for mica:

https://www.loreal.com/en/articles/audiences/a-sustainable-purchasing-policy/”

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