If you love Too Faced products like we do you want to know is Too Faced cruelty free anymore?
We are happy to report good news in our 2020 update! Using and supporting Too Faced makeup and skin care aligns with an ethical lifestyle.
We’ll show you why, and point out one small concern in their animal testing policy you’ll need to watch overtime.
… so let’s dive in.
is Too Faced cruelty free?
Too Faced IS a cruelty free brand. They don’t test their products or ingredients on animals anywhere in the world, and also certify with PETA as cruelty-free.
Does Too Faced test on animals?
No, Too Faced cosmetics does not test on their products or ingredients 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.
Too Faced animal testing policy
Here is the full Too Faced 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.
Even though Too Faced as a brand may not test on animals… they don’t disclose if their ingredients are tested on animals by 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 a complete disclosure on animal testing facts.
More on this in a bit… first we need to talk about testing in China.
Does Too Faced sell in China?
Absolutely not! Too Faced does not sell in China and has stated in the media they will not sell in China unless they can do so without testing on animals. Brands that sell in mainland China are subject to animal testing laws which require their products to be test on animals.
Too Faced puts ethics ahead of profits and we applaud them for truly taking a cruelty-free stand.
…especially when they are owned by a company that continues to test on animals!
Does Too Faced Certify as Cruelty Free?
Yes! Too Faced 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”
Do Too Faced’s Ingredient Suppliers Test on Animals?
So… the next step in our investigation dives into Too Faced’s ingredient testing policies.
What we really want to know is if any animal testing happens on Too Faced ingredients…
Does the Too Faced 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 Too Faced’s animal testing policy does not dive into the details of ingredient testing and relies on a simple statement indicating their products are totally cruelty-free.
Normally we would not be satisfied with this type of disclosure as we have seen multiple brands that test on animals use similar short text disclosure policies.
We are relying on Too Faced’s certification to PETA as the confirmation no ingredient testing actually happens with Too Faced cosmetics.
What disclosure is missing
We would like to see Too Faced expand their stated animal testing policy to clarify that no ingredients are tested on animals by them or 3rd party suppliers.
This would we a great marketing advantage for them over most brands you find in Sephora or Ulta, and help us shoppers with simple and clear disclosure that is comprehensive.
Many leading cruelty free brands like Too Faced now choose to take an ethical stand and do not test on animals anywhere in their supply chain.
Is Too Faced Vegan Friendly?
Too Faced is not a vegan brand. They do provide some items that are vegan-friendly, but do not certify 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 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.
Who owns Too Faced Cosmetics?
Too Faced is a large cosmetics brand owned by Estée Lauder who is a large cosmetics conglomerate. Estée Lauder is not cruelty-free.
Estée Lauder owns more than 25 other popular cosmetic brands such as Smashbox, Origins, Glam Glow, La Mer, Becca, Bobbie Brown, MAC, and Aveda.
Estée Lauder admits they test on animals. Their Product Values Report states “our brands are sold in countries where animal testing is required by law”.
More Too Faced Cosmetics Cruelty-Free FAQS
Is Too Faced Cosmetics Made in China?
No, Too Faced and Estée Lauder (parent company) make their formulations in the United States, Belgium, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada
Is Too Faced on Peta’s Cruelty Free List?
Yes, Too Faced has certified with Peta as cruelty-free.
Is Too Faced on Leaping Bunny Approved cruelty-free list?
No, Too Faced has not certified with Leaping Bunny as either cruelty-free or vegan.
Is Too Faced Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
No, Too Faced is considered cruelty-free but not vegan as it may still use animal-derived ingredients in some of its products.
Is Too Faced Paraben Free?
Too Faced products are all paraben free.
Too Faced cruelty-free Summary
Here is a summary of Too Faced’s cruelty-free assessment. Too Faced 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? | No |
| Peta Certified? | Yes |
| Uses animal-derived ingredients? | Likely |
| Vegan? | No |
| Sold in Mainland China? | No |
| Parent company? | Estee Lauder |
| Are all parent company brands cruelty-free? | No |
Why we consider Too Faced 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.
Too Faced is considered cruelty free at this time because they don’t sell in 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
Too Faced 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.
Unfortunately Too Faced does not meet our Beauty + Kind standard as they are not certified as vegan.
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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