If you’re a lover of skincare and makeup, you’ve likely heard the following terms — clean, vegan and cruelty free beauty.
- Is MAC Cosmetics Cruelty-Free and Vegan? Beauty, Blog Posts, Search Vegan and Cruelty-Free, Tests on Animals / December 1, 2020 by The Vegan Abroad / Leave a Comment Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain some affiliate links, which means when you click I get a small percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you.
- MAC Cosmetics prides itself in creating high quality, fashion forward products that are cruelty free while providing consumers with the experience of being attended to by highly trained makeup professionals. Brand Weaknesses: MAC Cosmetics does not have a large amount of weaknesses.
- MAC Cosmetics needs no introduction. A well known name in the contemporary cosmetics world. Beauty enthusiasts have MAC in their kitty or bucket list! Today, let’s have a look at MAC’s cruelty-free status! This Canada based makeup brand has now spread its wings all around the globe.
Though many people believe they are interchangeable, these phrases arenot all the same and can suit different people depending on their unique wantsand needs from a beauty and skincare line.
However, if you’re confused as to how they differentiate from eachother, read on. After all, knowing where to turn when shopping allows you tomake the most informed choice about brands you want to support and recommend.
WORKING TOWARD A CRUELTY-FREE WORLD. MAC does not test on animals. We do not own any animal testing facilities and we never ask others to test on animals for us. While some governments conduct animal testing to prove safety before they will allow us to sell our products, MAC has never tested on animals and we continue to be a leader in.
Clean Beauty
Clean beauty is centred on creating safe, organic, and naturalproducts that don’t contain harsh chemicals, fragrances, talc, parabens ordyes. They are labelled as non-toxic and have a limited ingredient listsuitable for sensitive skin.
But while thesebeauty brands are most likely cruelty free, they may not be vegan since theycan still use honey, snail secretion, or beeswax.
Vegan Beauty
Vegan makeup and skincare doesn’t contain traces of animal products.These animal derived substances can include ingredients such as beeswax,lanolin (derived from wool), and glycerine (derived from animal fats).
Certain dyes in makeup are also obtained from animal sources. Forinstance, natural red 4, which is commonly used for its striking pigment inlipsticks and eyeshadows, is composed of crushed insects.
But how can you be guaranteed a product is vegan?
You can always check a product’s ingredient list on its packaging orlook on the company’s website as they’ll usually advertise if a product isvegan or not. But if you want to take the guesswork out, some examples ofvegan-friendly cosmetic companies are as follows:
Every product manufactured by these companies is 100% free from animalproducts and animal testing, makingit a hassle free shopping experience for the vegan consumer.
However, the only downside is that these brands may not suit someonelooking for clean beauty products as they can still contain fragrances andingredients that can break out sensitive skin.
Cruelty Free Beauty
Cruelty free means that a beauty company does not test its products on animals throughout the development process. In instances of animal testing, rabbits, monkeys, and mice are subjected to cruel and unnecessary trials that can render them blind. Certain tests also result in painful chemical burns on their skin.
Additionally, keep an eye out for companies that distribute and selltheir products in China as they are required by law to experiment on animals.Some of the biggest culprits include L’Oréal and Mac Cosmetics.
Thankfully, several brands do not abide by these standards, making iteasier for you to choose a contender that aligns with your ethics and love ofanimals.
But what confuses many people when switching over to new products isthis — a product can be cruelty free, but not vegan.
Major brands like Covergirl, Milani, Anastasia Beverly Hills and NYXare considered cruelty free, but mostly manufacture products that containanimal ingredients such as the ones previously listed. However, these brands do produce a handful of items marked asvegan; you simply must be wary when filling your shopping cart.
When searching for a cruelty free company, always look for the LeapingBunny Certified Logo to ensure it’s gone through the regulation process andearned the title of being a true cruelty free product.
Which categoryof beauty is right for me?
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a brand that checks off all ofthese boxes, look to brands such as Mother Dirt, Acure, and Clove + Hallow. Their cosmetic and skincare products contain natural,plant derived ingredients with absolutely no animal testing or ingredientsinvolved in the process. Best of all, they won’t irritate sensitive oracne-prone skin.
For people living a vegan lifestyle, consider products that are both cruelty free and vegan, as to limit the amount of animal suffering in the world of beauty and skincare.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
About the Author
Ana Rueles is a freelance writer for hire who specializes in all things related to veganism — from cruelty-free beauty to healthy vegan living. You can find her blog at theveggiewriter.com, where you can also inquire about her copywriting and blogging services or read up on some of the best tips for living a balanced plant-fueled life. When she’s not writing, she’s most likely invested in a page-turning novel or hitting up her local thrift store.
Our writers independently select all products featured on The Vegan Company. We only recommend products and services we love – and think you’ll love too. Just letting you know that when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain some affiliate links, which means when you click I get a small percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you. This allows me to keep this website running, so feel free to click away! You can read my entire Affiliate Disclosure here.
Is MAC Cosmetics Cruelty-Free?
MAC is NOT cruelty-free. MAC sells products in China where animal testing is required by law.
Is MAC Cosmetics PETA Certified?
No, MAC is not PETA Certified. PETA also lists MAC as a company that tests on animals.
Is MAC Cosmetics Leaping Bunny Certified?
No, MAC is not Leaping Bunny Certified.
Animal Testing in China
Animal Testing is required by law in China for all foreign cosmetics companies. All American and European cosmetic brands that are sold in China must undergo animal testing.
Any brand that chooses to sell their products in China cannot be considered cruelty-free. Even products that can bypass mandatory tests may still be pulled from the shelves by Chinese authorities to be tested on animals.
This does NOT include products that are made in China, only if they are sold in China.
The only way to know if a brand sells products in China is to ask them directly. Make sure to note that Hong Kong is not included in this policy, and neither are products only sold online to Chinese consumers.
You can see from the image below that MAC sells products in stores in China. MAC states on their website that MAC products are sold in China because “we love our fans, and we never want to exclude them anywhere.” More like they don’t want to miss out on the massive financial opportunity of having their products sold in stores in China. Chinese consumers could still buy MAC products online if MAC decided not to sell them in stores.
Is MAC Cosmetics Vegan?
MAC didn’t directly answer my question as to if any of their products are vegan or not. However, I do not consider any of their products vegan since they test on animals.
Cruelty-Free and Vegan Alternatives to MAC Cosmetics
Urban Decay
Urban Decay is a 100% cruelty-free and vegan brand. Urban Decay was born in Southern California in 1996 to disrupt the industry’s sea of pink-dominated counters.
RMS Beauty
RMS Beauty is 100% cruelty-free, but not all products are vegan. RMS Beauty was created by celebrity make-up artist, Rose Marie Swift. RMS Beauty is a mid-range brand that sells makeup and skincare. The products are formulated with raw, organic ingredients. RMS Beauty products are non-GMO, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, soy-free, paraben-free, and sulfate-free. RMS Beauty products are formulated using raw, food-grade, organic, wildcrafted, and natural ingredients that are as close to their natural state as possible.
Bite Beauty
Bite Beauty is 100% cruelty-free and vegan. Bite Beauty is a Canadian-based makeup brand, mostly known for its lip products, but they have expanded their product line to include other makeup products.
Email to the Company
Before classifying any brand as cruelty-free and vegan, I send them an email with the following questions:
- Are your products vegan? If only some are vegan, which ones?
- Are any of your products or ingredients tested on animals?
- Do you have a Leaping Bunny or PETA certification?
- Do your suppliers or any third parties test animals on your behalf?
- Does your company sell products in mainland China (except Hong Kong)?
- Are you owned by a parent company that tests on animals?
This is how MAC responded to my email:
Cruelty Free Makeup Brands 2017
M·A·C does not test on animals. We do not own any animal testing facilities and we never ask others to test on animals for us. While some governments conduct animal testing to prove safety before they will allow us to sell our products, M·A·C has never tested on animals and we continue to be a leader in the movement to end animal testing globally. To this end, we are proud to partner with IIVS (Institute for In Vitro Sciences) to expand the use and acceptance of non-animal testing methods. More info here: bit.ly/1RPhyXe
Is Mac Beauty Cruelty Free
Additionally, while we don’t maintain comprehensive lists of products that do or do not contain certain ingredients, you can find full ingredient listings right on www.maccosmetics.com! Simply navigate to the product page of interest until you locate “Ingredients” in the Full Description area.