Vegan and cruelty-free make-up: checking what each claim covers

Check ingredient-origin and animal-testing claims separately, then read what the named certification scheme actually covers. A leaf, rabbit graphic or broad ethical phrase is not enough to establish certification. Do not assume every scheme uses the same product, company or supplier scope.

Separate the questions without oversimplifying the standard

You may want to know whether animal-derived ingredients are involved, whether animal testing is covered, or both. A bare claim should not be expanded beyond what its maker or certifier establishes.

For example, The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark standards address animal products, by-products and derivatives in the registered product and its ingredients. The standards also address animal testing initiated by the company, on its behalf or by parties under its effective control. It would therefore be inaccurate to describe that named standard as covering ingredient origin only. 1

Read broad wording in its actual context

FDA’s US consumer information notes that phrases such as “cruelty-free” and “not tested on animals” lack legal definitions in that context. It explains that some companies use claims for finished products while relying on supplier or laboratory testing, and that some claims concern materials not currently being tested. This is US explanatory guidance, not a statement about every country’s law. 2

Ask what the actual claim covers: finished product, ingredients, company practices, suppliers or a defined combination. Do not decide from a slogan alone.

Identify the scheme and its scope

Find the certifier’s name and consult its official standard and verification route. Check whether the actual product or company is included, and record the date of your check. Do not assume one certified item establishes a brand-wide claim, or that every scheme operates item by item.

Leaping Bunny’s retained standard discusses a company Supplier Monitoring System and an independent audit if selected. That is different from assuming a certificate is simply an ingredient checklist for each individual product. The audit wording does not prove that a particular company was audited. 3

The Vegan Trademark standards also address minimising cross-contamination as far as reasonably practicable. Read that qualification rather than converting the mark into an absolute promise about every possible trace. 1

Read exceptions before making an absolute claim

Certification documents can include defined boundaries and conditions. The retained Leaping Bunny standard contains a conditional exception concerning purchased ingredients tested to meet explicit regulatory requests, with further criteria. Do not reduce it to either “anything is allowed” or an unqualified claim that no ingredient has any testing history. Read the full actual standard when that distinction matters to you. 3

A certification claim is also not proof that a product is medically suitable or cannot irritate your skin. Keep ethical requirements, product directions and personal health questions separate.

Personal ethical-claim verification sheet

Leave an unverified result unverified. This sheet records your checks; it does not certify a product or a business. For a make-up appointment, raise an ingredient-origin preference in advance and ask about the actual available products through the Luté treatment menu.