If you love Herbivore Botanicals skin care like we do you want to know is Herbivore cruelty free and vegan anymore?
We are THRILLED to report that using Herbivore Botanicals skin care still aligns with an ethical lifestyle and is one of our favorites on our ultimate list of vegan makeup and skin care brands.
We’ll show you why, and point out one item you’ll need to watch overtime.
… so let’s dive in.
is Herbivore Botanicals cruelty free?
Herbivore Botanicals IS a cruelty free and vegan brand. They don’t test their products or ingredients on animals anywhere in the world and certify with PETA and Leaping Bunny as cruelty-free.
Does Herbivore Botanicals test on animals?
No, Herbivore Botanicals Skin Care does not test their products or ingredients on animals anywhere in the world.
…but do regulators test on their products?
…or do raw material suppliers test on the ingredients?
Before we dive into this issue – let’s explore their actual testing policy.
Herbivore Botanicals animal testing policy
Here is the full Herbivore Botanicals Animal Testing policy from their website:
So this is the spot where many brands could start to mislead consumers with omission of key animal testing facts.
It’s very common to see brands say they don’t test on animals… but don’t disclose if regulators or ingredient suppliers test on animals.
BTW… in case you didn’t know… most animal testing occurs at the ingredient level, and not the product level.
…So avoiding this topic is not clear and complete disclosure on animal testing facts.
More on this in a bit… first we need to talk about testing in China.
Does Herbivore Botanicals sell in China?
No, Herbivore Botanicals does not have locations in Mainland China where regulators require animal testing on cosmetics.
Herbivore Botanicals clearly outlines in their animal testing policy they will not sell in countries that require animal testing, and that is why they do not have stores in Mainland China.
We applaud Herbivore Botanicals Skin Care for taking a truly ethical stand on cruelty-free living.
China’s Tightening Hold on Hong Kong is a Future Risk
The complete return of Hong Kong back to China may put at risk the animal testing exemption brands rely on right now operation from Hong Kong to sell into Mainland China via ecommerce. We will be monitoring this closely as it has the potential to impact many cruelty free brands.
Does Herbivore Botanicals Certify as Cruelty Free?
Yes! Herbivore Botanicals is certified with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) as cruelty free.
PETA certification requires a brand to provide a Statement of Assurance attesting that it “does not and shall not conduct, commission, or pay for animal testing of any cosmetics and/or household products, nor will it conduct, commission, or pay for animal testing of ingredients used in, or formulations of, such products…. including, without limitation, formulations and ingredients of such products”
Does Herbivore Botanicals Certify with Leaping Bunny?
Yes! Herbivore Botanicals is certified with Leaping Bunny as cruelty free.
Leaping Bunny certification requires a brand to provide a Statement of Assurance attesting that:
- “The Company does not and shall not conduct, Commission, or be a party to Animal Testing of any Cosmetic and/or Household Products including, without limitation, formulations and Ingredients of such products.
- The Company does not and shall not purchase any Ingredient, formulation, or product from any Third Party Manufacturer or Supplier that conducted, Commissioned, or had been party to Animal Testing on said Ingredient, formulation, or product after the Company’s Fixed Cut-off Date. If a formulation, Ingredient, or product is found not to comply with the Standard, the Company will replace it with an alternative that complies with the Standard’s criteria or remove it from the product range.
- The Company must implement a Supplier Monitoring System.
- The Company shall not allow Animal Testing to be performed by or for submission to regulatory agencies in foreign countries.”
Do Herbivore Botanicals Ingredient Suppliers Test on Animals?
So… the next step in our investigation dives into Herbivore Botanicals ingredient testing policies.
What we really want to know is if any animal testing happens on Herbivore Botanicals Skin Care ingredients…
Does the Herbivore Botanicals animal testing policy prohibit the testing of ingredients and raw materials on animals?
Here is what we found on supplier testing
What we discovered is Herbivore Botanicals animal testing policy is very clear they do not permit or use suppliers that test on ingredients. We applaud Herbivore Botanicals for providing complete disclosure on ingredient testing… it is very refreshing to see instead of the legal escape clauses so many testing brands use like “except where required by law”.
In addition, Herbivore Botanicals certifies to PETA and Leaping Bunny that no ingredient testing actually happens on Herbivore Botanicals cosmetics.
What disclosure is missing?
None! They already certify that all products are vegan and cruelty free. It would be helpful if the vegan and cruelty free statement was also on the product labels to help shoppers with simple and clear disclosure that is comprehensive.
Many leading cruelty free brands like Herbivore Botanicals are now choosing to take an ethical stand and not test on animals anywhere in their supply chain, or use any animal-derived ingredients.
Is Herbivore Vegan Friendly?
Herbivore Botanicals IS is a vegan brand and all it’s products are 100% vegan. Unfortunately they do not certify as vegan with either Leaping Bunny or Peta. Does this mean they are leaving the door open in the future to use animal-ingredients?
Why brands rarely certify as vegan to 3rd parties
It’s safe to assume that if a brand has not declared full vegan status across the brand, they allow the use of animal-derived ingredients in their formulations. Most brands are not vegan because it’s much more expensive to source and manage vegan raw materials through supply chains.
Common animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients that are often sourced from animals include:
- Hyaluronic Acid – often found in serums and moisturizers
- Retinol – found in some night creams
- Carmine – often found in blush and lipstick
- Stearic Acid – found in skin creams
- Glycerin – a humectant found in many moisturizers
- Lanolin – in some moisturizers
- Lactic Acid – found in some Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)
- Beeswax – often found in lipstick and lip balms
- Animal hair – used in makeup brushes
- Guanine – can be used in nail polish and eye shadow
- Keratin – in hair and nail products
- Squalene – in moisturizers, eye creams and facial oils
The bottom line with vegan cosmetics is it’s really difficult to tell from the ingredient list if the source is animal or synthetic versions. As shoppers we can only rely on vegan labelling, vegan certifications, and other disclosures offered by the brand.
Our Vegan Shopping Advice
If a product is not advertised and labelled as 100% vegan you should assume it contains animal-derived ingredients.
We also want to understand if the entire brand is vegan… or just select products.
For ethical reasons many people now only use vegan products from a brand that is 100% vegan and free of animal ingredients, and has certified as vegan with either PETA or Leaping Bunny.
Who owns Herbivore Botanicals Skin Care?
Herbivore Botanicals is privately owned company founded in Seattle by Julia Wills and Alexander Kummerow.
More Herbivore Botanicals Skin Care Cruelty-Free FAQS
Is Herbivore Botanicals on Peta’s Cruelty Free List?
Yes, Herbivore Botanicals has certified with Peta as cruelty-free.
Is Herbivore Botanicals on Leaping Bunny Approved cruelty-free list?
Yes, Herbivore Botanicals has certified with Leaping Bunny as cruelty-free and vegan.
Is Herbivore Vegan and Cruelty-Free?
Yes, Herbivore Botanicals is considered cruelty-free and vegan and does NOT use animal-derived ingredients in its products.
Is Herbivore Botanicals Paraben Free?
All Herbivore Botanicals products are paraben free.
Is Herbivore Botanicals Natural?
Yes, all Herbivore Botanicals ingredients are natural ingredients.
Is Herbivore Botanicals Certified Organic?
Although many of Herbivore Botanicals’ ingredients are organic and natural, they do not certify as Organic.
Herbivore Botanicals cruelty-free Summary
Here is a summary of Herbivore Botanicals cruelty-free assessment. Herbivore Botanicals Skin Care IS a cruelty-free brand at this time. To maintain this status they will have to continue avoiding sales in countries that require animal testing and maintain an annual cruelty free certification with either PETA or Leaping Bunny.
| Tests finished products on animals? | No |
| Tests ingredients on animals? | No |
| Suppliers test on animals? | No |
| Leaping Bunny Certified? | Yes |
| Peta Certified? | Yes |
| Uses animal-derived ingredients? | No |
| Vegan? | Yes |
| Sold in Mainland China? | No |
| Parent company? | Private ownership |
| Are all parent company brands cruelty-free? | No Parent Brand |
Why we consider Herbivore Botanicals a cruelty-free brand
To start with, there is no legal definition for the claims of “cruelty-free” or “not tested on animals” that are used by cosmetic brands.
The most common definition for “cruelty-free” is that a product or its ingredients were not tested on animals.
Herbivore Botanicals is considered cruelty free at this time because they don’t sell directly in Mainland China and have certified with PETA they do not test ingredients or products anywhere in the world.
Our Cruelty-Free Standard
At Beauty + Kind our standard for “cruelty-free” and “not tested on animals” is very simple. We require brand disclosure that no animal testing has occurred during any part of bringing their product to market by any party. This includes testing on raw materials, ingredients, finished products or selling in countries where animal testing is required by law.
Beauty + Kind
Herbivore Botanicals Cruelty-Free and vegan Alternatives
If your looking to switch to more ethical brands, here are some cruelty-free and vegan options to consider:
Certified Cruelty Free
Take the guess work out of it and browse the ultimate list of cruelty free makeup and skin care brands.
Certified Vegan
Easily find brands that certify they don’t use animal-derived ingredients on the list of vegan makeup and skin care brands.
Certified Natural
Learn more about brands using natural formulations on the ultimate list of natural makeup and skin care brands.
Certified Organic
Discover brands focused on botanicals and organics on the ultimate list of organic makeup and skin care brands.
DIY Clean Beauty
Have some fun creating clean beauty formulations from the ultimate list of DIY makeup and skin care recipes.
Should You switch to kinder beauty brands?
Our philosophy and Beauty + Kind is that TRUE CRUELTY-FREE BEAUTY means that no harm to animals has happened during the entire manufacturing and testing process. This includes the source and harvesting of animal-derived ingredients, ingredient testing, and testing of the final product.
We are thrilled to advise that Herbivore Botanicals Skin Care meets our Beauty + Kind standard as they are both vegan and cruelty free!
How to make the Switch to Animal-Friendly Brands
To be an animal-friendly brand you need to certify as cruelty free AND vegan. Making the switch is easier than you think once you have the right information. If you want to switch to more ethical and animal-friendly beauty brands check out the ultimate list of vegan and cruelty-free brands.
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