You can find OUAI hair care products at Sephora, Amazon, Ulta, and Cult Beauty.

OUAI is Cruelty-Free

OUAI 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 OUAI to be 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 2021.

But OUAI 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.

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

How to know which of OUAI products are vegan?

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

Which of OUAI Products is Vegan?

Below is a list of OUAI products that are suitable for vegans and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products. This vegan product list was provided by OUAI.

• Air Dry Foam
• After Sun Body Soother
• Anti-Frizz Sheet
• Body Cleanser
• Body Creme
• Dry Shampoo
• Dry Shampoo Foam
• Dry Texture Foam
• Hair and Body Shine Mist
• Hair Oil
• Medium Hair Spray
• Memory Mist
• Scalp and Body Scrub
• Texturizing Hair Spray
• Volumizing Hair Spray
• Volume Spray

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.