Cruelty-free and vegan are not the same, contrary to popular belief. Cruelty-free means products are not tested on animals while vegan means no animal by-products exist in products. In certain regions, animal testing is required by law on beauty products. According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), many popular beauty brands with wide geographic distribution test on animals, including Maybelline, Estee Lauder, and OPI.

Due to a lack of regulations, it can get confusing for consumers who try to shop for beauty products in an ethical, cruelty-free, sustainable or vegan manner. A few websites that may help with conscious product decision-making include:

  Cruelty-Free Kitty
Cruelty-Free Kitty offers comprehensive, vetted lists of cruelty-free beauty brands as well as brands to avoid. The database currently stands at 1192 cruelty-free brands (such as Mario Badescu pictured below) that can be trusted for shopping. Cruelty-Free Kitty strives to find new brands for conscious consumers.

  Ethical Elephant
The goal of ethical elephant is to inspire consumers to engage in meaningful shopping habits on a daily basis. The website is full of information and posts on beauty, fashion, sustainability, and eco home ideas. It provides comprehensive product guides and other resources to educate consumers about child labor, animal testing, and parent company testing.

  Vegan Beauty Addict
Not only does Vegan Beauty Addict have a website, but also the company has a presence on various forms of social media, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. The mission of Vegan Beauty Addict is to educate consumers that vegan and cruelty-free products are accessible as well as affordable as many can be found in local drugstores.

As companies constantly change ingredients it is always important to do your own research in order to ensure that your product choices are appropriate for your lifestyle!

- Milla Duca '25