Yikes! If you love Kiehl’s cosmetics and living a cruelty free life you now have an ethical dilemma to resolve…
Unfortunately, you now need to find cruelty free skin care alternatives to replace Kiehl’s if you want to live an ethical lifestyle. Kiehl’s is on our list of brands that test on animals for good reason.
We’ll show you why, and the misleading disclosure gaps in their animal testing policy.
We’ll also show you how to fix this ethical dilemma, and how to find the best Kiehl’s cruelty free and vegan alternatives.
… so let’s dive in.
is Kiehl’s Cruelty free?
Kiehl’s is NOT a cruelty-free brand. They sell their cosmetics in mainland China where the law requires animal testing. Kiehl’s does disclose this fact in their animal testing policy.
Kiehl’s Cruelty Free Moisturizer Alternatives
Any of these moisturizers are great cruelty free alternatives to Kiehl’s popular Ultra Facial Cream:
Does Kiehl’s test on animals?
Yes, Kiehl’s cosmetics are tested on animals in Mainland China or where required by law. Kiehl’s clearly says this in their cosmetic product safety disclosure.
…but it makes us wonder if animal testing is more wide-spread?
What’s not so clear is if ingredients are tested on animals. How they phrase the Kiehl’s animal testing policy does not clearly answer this question.
…this part gets interesting… but before we dive into this issue – let’s explore the actual testing policy.
Kiehl’s testing policy
Here is the full Kiehl’s Animal Testing policy disclosed on their website:
So this is the spot where many brands start to mislead consumers with omission of key facts.
Even though Kiehl’s as a brand may not test on animals directly… they don’t disclose if their ingredients are tested on animals by 3rd party suppliers… or if Kiehl’s applies this same animal testing policy to suppliers?
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 cool, and is not a complete disclosure on animal testing facts.
More on this in a bit… first we need to talk about testing in China.
Kiehl’s Cruelty Free Eye Cream Alternatives
Some of our favorite cruelty free alternatives to Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream include:
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Youth To The People Superfood Hydrate + Firm Peptide Eye Cream 0.5 oz/ 15 mL$35.00 -
First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Eye Cream 0.5 oz/ 15 mL$36.00
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Youth To The People Dream Eye Cream with Goji Stem Cell and Ceramides 0.5 oz/ 15 mL$48.00
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Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream 0.5 oz/ 15 mL$54.00
Does Kiehl’s sell in China?
Yes, Kiehl’s does sell in China and has many locations across Mainland China. Brands that sell in mainland China are subject to animal testing laws which require their products to be test on animals.
As you can see from the Kiehl’s China website, they are located in Mainland China and distribute Kiehl’s products across China.
Kiehl’s puts profits ahead of ethics. Kiehl’s is willing to allow testing of their products in China to access this huge marketplace. China is one of their fastest and largest growing consumer markets.
Kiehl’s Cruelty Free Lip Balm Alternatives
These are great cruelty free lip balm alternatives to consider:
Do Kiehl’s Ingredient Suppliers Test on Animals?
So… the next step in our investigation dives into Kiehl’s ingredient testing policies.
What we really want to know is if any animal testing happens on Kiehl’s ingredients…anywhere or by anyone.
Does the Kiehl’s 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 Kiehl’s does not fully disclose if animal testing happens on their ingredients or raw materials provided by suppliers.
“We at Kiehl’s do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients, nor ask others to test on our behalf, except when required by law. As we continue to expand globally and reach our customers around the world, it is our practice to do our part towards advancing the science of safety and validated alternative methods that eliminate the need or requirement for any animal testing globally.”
What we like about their animal testing policy is the fact they are supportive of finding alternative methods to animal testing.
What disclosure is missing
We would like to see Kiehl’s disclose if any 3rd parties or suppliers test on their ingredients or raw materials before they receive them.
…Is this too much to ask?
Many cruelty free brands now choose to take an ethical stand and do not test on animals anywhere in their supply chain. Brands serious about cruelty free cosmetics will certify with 3rd parties and provide explicit statements ensuring no testing has occurred on their products or ingredients by either them or their suppliers.
Unfortunately, Kiehl’s is not a brand that has committed 100% to eliminating all animal testing across their supply chain, or alternatively, providing more explicit disclosure on this controversial topic.
Is Kiehl’s Vegan Friendly?
Kiehl’s is not vegan. They do not provide vegan labelling on products, nor are they certified as vegan with either Leaping Bunny or Peta. It is likely some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients, as these are often less expensive to source as cosmetic ingredients.
It’s safe to assume that if a brand has not declared vegan status 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, certification 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.
Who owns Kiehl’s Brand?
Kiehl’s is a large cosmetics brand owned by L’Oreál who is a large cosmetics conglomerate. L’Oreál is not cruelty-free.
L’Oreál owns more than 25 other popular cosmetic brands such as Lancome, Urban Decay, Kiehl’s, La Roche-Posay, and Maybelline.
L’Oreál admits they allow regulators to test on animals. Their testing policy states “Certain health authorities may nevertheless decide to conduct animal tests themselves for certain cosmetic products, as it is still the case in China”.
More Kiehl’s Cosmetics Cruelty-Free FAQS
Is Kiehl’s cruelty free in the US?
No, as they do not verify if ingredient suppliers test on animals.
Is Kiehl’s on Peta’s Cruelty Free List?
No, Kiehl’s has not certified with Peta as either cruelty-free or vegan.
Is Kiehl’s on Leaping Bunny Approved cruelty-free list?
No, Kiehl’s has not certified with Leaping Bunny as either cruelty-free or vegan.
Is Kiehl’s Animal Friendly?
No, Kiehl’s Cosmetics is not animal friendly as it tests on animals in China and may use animal-derived ingredients in its formulations.
Is Kiehl’s Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
No, Kiehl’s is not cruelty-free or vegan because it tests on animals in China, uses animal-derived ingredients, and does not label products as vegan.
Kiehl’s Cosmetics cruelty-free Summary
Here is a summary of Kiehl’s cruelty-free assessment. Kiehl’s is not a cruelty-free brand at this time. To become cruelty-free Kiehl’s would have to stop selling in countries that require animal testing and only use ingredients from suppliers that do not test on animals.
| Tests finished products on animals? | Yes, when required by law |
| Tests ingredients on animals? | No |
| Suppliers test on animals? | Unclear |
| Leaping Bunny Certified? | No |
| Peta Certified? | No |
| Uses animal-derived ingredients? | Likely |
| Vegan? | No |
| Sold in Mainland China? | Yes |
| Parent company? | L’Oreál Group |
| Are all parent company brands cruelty-free? | No |
Why we don’t consider Kiehl’s 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.
Where this gets murky is when brands only talk about their direct testing activities, and omit facts about 3rd party animal testing that may take place on their products or ingredients.
We don’t consider Kiehl’s to be cruelty-free because they allow their products to be tested on animals in China. They are also silent on ingredient testing by others in their animal testing disclosure.
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
Unfortunately Kiehl’s does not meet our Beauty + Kind highest standard due to their China animal testing and lack of vegan formulations.
Kiehl’s 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 harvest of ingredients, ingredient testing, and testing of the final product.
How to make the Switch to Animal-Friendly Brands
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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