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You can find The Body Shop cruelty-free products at thebodyshop.com and Ulta.
The Body Shop is Cruelty-Free
The Body Shop 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 The Body Shop to be Cruelty-Free.
Note that The Body Shop used to be owned by L’Oreal, however, in 2017, L’Oreal sold The Body Shop to Natura Cosmeticos. And Natura is a cruelty-free corporation.
Below is what’s currently stated on The Body Shop’s website:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
The Body Shop has confirmed they only sell their products online and not in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
Additionally, The Body Shop does not currently trade in mainland China, in duty free stores or elsewhere. In June 2014, the Chinese Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), responsible for regulating animal testing in cosmetics in China, abolished the mandatory requirement for animal testing for domestically-produced cosmetics. We publically welcomed this new approach by the Chinese authorities. We look forward to selling our products in China at some stage in the future.
At the moment, The Body Shop is selling a range of its ethically-produced, cruelty-free products direct to Chinese customers through T-Mall, a Chinese online marketplace. Chinese customers, who have long bought The Body Shop’s products through stores in other markets are now able to buy our original, high quality products online and have them delivered to their own homes.
Our Leaping Bunny-certified products remain cruelty-free through the Chinese government’s special Cross-Border E-Commerce arrangements, which is not subject to animal testing.
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.
Who Owns The Body Shop?
The Body Shop was previously acquired by L’Oreal in 2006, however, The Body Shop is no longer owned by L’Oreal.
In 2017, L’Oreal sold The Body Shop to a Brazilian personal care cosmetics group called Natura.
Is Natura Cruelty-Free? Yes, The Body Shop’s parent company, Natura is a cruelty-free corporation and is also Leaping Bunny certified.
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.
The Body Shop 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 The Body Shop, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.
News: The Body Shop announced the company will be removing all animal products from its formulations in order to become a fully vegan brand by the end of 2023.
How to know which of The Body Shop’s products are vegan?
All of The Body Shop’s vegan products are clearly marked on their website. See below for an example.
Which of The Body Shop Products is Vegan?
As of 2021, I will no longer be regularly updating this list of The Body Shop’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 The Body Shop products that are suitable for vegans and do not contain any animal by-products.
You can also find out which of their products are vegan on The Body Shop’s website.
Vegan Body Care – The Body Shop
- Aloe Multi-Use Soothing Gel
- British Rose Body Yogurt
- British Rose Exfoliating Soap
- British Rose Hand Wash
- Coconut Oil Brilliantly Nourishing Pre-Shampoo Hair Oil
- Coconut Soap
- Fuji Green Tea™ Body Lotion
- Fuji Green Tea™ Exfoliating Soap
- Fuji Green Tea™ Hand Cream
- Mango Hand Cream
- Mango Soap
- Moringa Body Yogurt
- Moringa Hand Cream
- Moringa Soap
- Olive Soap
- Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray
- Peppermint Reviving Pumice Foot Scrub
- Pink Grapefruit Body Yogurt
- Pink Grapefruit Hand Cream
- Pink Grapefruit Hand Wash
- Pink Grapefruit Soap
- Satsuma Hand Cream
- Shea Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub
- Shea Shower Cream
- Shea Soap
- Spa of the World™ Balkan Juniper Hand Wash
- Spa Of The World™ Brazilian Cupuaçu Exfoliating Scrub-in-Oil
- Spa Of The World™ French Lavender Massage Oil
- Spa Of The World™ Japanese Camellia Cream
- Spa Of The World™ Polynesian Monoi Radiance Oil
- Spa of the World™ Tahitian Tiaré Hand Wash
- Spa of the World™ Thai Makrut Lime Firming Oil
- Strawberry Bath Bomb
- Strawberry Hand Cream
- Strawberry Soap
- Wild Argan Oil Hand Cream
- Wild Argan Oil Soap
- White Musk® Body Cream
Vegan Skin Care – The Body Shop
- 100% Natural Shea Butter
- Aloe Calm Hydration Sheet Mask
- Aloe Multi-Use Soothing Gel
- Aloe Soothing Day Cream
- Aloe Soothing Eye & Lip Contour Care
- Aloe Soothing Night Cream
- Arber Aftershave Balm
- British Rose Petal-Soft Gel Toner
- Carrot Cream Nature Rich Daily Moisturizer
- Chamomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
- Chamomile Silky Cleansing Makeup Remover Oil
- Chamomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
- Coco Calming Face Mist
- Drops of Youth™ Eye Concentrate
- Drops of Youth™ Youth Bouncy Eye Mask
- Drops Of Youth™ Youth Concentrate
- Drops of Youth™ Youth Concentrate Sheet Mask
- Drops Of Youth™ Youth Essence Lotion
- Drops of Youth™ Youth Liquid Peel
- Elderflower Cooling Eye Gel
- Hemp Overnight Nourishing Rescue Mask
- Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask
- Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask
- Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask Packette
- Kistna Aftershave Balm
- Maca Root & Aloe Post-Shave Water-Gel For Men
- Mandarin Energizing Face Mist
- Mediterranean Almond Milk with Oats Instant Soothing Mask
- Mint Mattifying Face Mist
- Oils Of Life™ Eye Cream Gel
- Oils Of Life™ Intensely Revitalizing Cream
- Roots of Strength™ Firming Shaping Day Cream
- Roots of Strength™ Firming Shaping Essence Lotion
- Roots of Strength™ Firming Shaping Serum
- Rose Dewy Glow Face Mist
- Seaweed Deep Cleansing Gel Wash
- Seaweed Oil Balancing Toner
- Seaweed Oil-Control Gel Cream
- Seaweed Oil-Control Gel Cream SPF 15
- Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Exfoliator
- Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Night Mask
- Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Peel-Off Mask
- Tea Tree Hand Wash
- Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion
- Tea Tree Night Lotion
- Tea Tree Oil
- Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Mask
- Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash
- Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser
- Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner
- Tea Tree Squeaky-Clean Exfoliating Face Scrub
- Vitamin C Daily Glow Cleansing Polish
- Vitamin C Energizing Face Mist
- Vitamin C Glow Boosting Microdermabrasion Exfoliator
- Vitamin C Glow-Protect Lotion SPF 30
- Vitamin C Skin Boost Instant Smoother
- Vitamin E Eye Cream
- Vitamin E Gentle Cleansing Face Wipes
- Vitamin E Hydrating Face Mist
- Vitamin E Moisture Cream
- Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-oil
- Vitamin E Quench Sheet Mask
- Vitamin E Sink-in Moisture Mask
Vegan Hair Care – The Body Shop
- 100% Natural Shea Butter
- Banana Truly Nourishing Hair Mask
- Coconut Oil Brilliantly Nourishing Pre-Shampoo Hair Oil
- Ginger Scalp Care Conditioner
- Grapeseed Hair Serum
- Shea Butter Richly Replenishing Shampoo
- Strawberry Clearly Glossing Shampoo
Vegan Makeup – The Body Shop
- All-in-One™ Blush
- All-in-One Face Base
- All-In-One Instablur™ Universal
- Brow & Lash Gel
- Brow and Eyeliner Kit
- Chamomile Waterproof Eye and Lip Makeup Remover
- Drops of Glow Lustre Finish
- Fresh Nude Foundation
- Lash Sport Waterproof Mascara
- Lip and Cheek Stain
- Lip Juicers
- Liquid Eyeliner
- Loose Face Powder
- Make-Up Setting Spray
- Matte Clay Concealer
- Matte Clay Powder
- Matte Clay Skin Clarifying Foundation
- Matte Lip Butter
- Own Your Naturals Eye shadow Palettes
- Paint in Colour Eyeshadow Palette
- Shade Adjusting Drops Liquid Foundation
- Shimmer Waves
- Shine Lip Liquid
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.
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 The Body Shop if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“Mica (a mineral found in rocks) makes cosmetics sparkly and white. You may have heard some controversy about mica and unsafe working conditions – but don’t worry. We only buy from suppliers who don’t use child labour and ensure good safety standards.”
I hope this article helped you to understand The Body Shop’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
