Vegan and Cruelty-Free Around the World: What the Labels Really Mean
Ask shoppers what matters to them, and "cruelty-free" and "vegan" come up again and again, in every region. But these are two different promises, with different rules in different countries. Let's untangle them.
Two different promises
- Cruelty-free is about testing: the product and its ingredients weren't tested on animals.
- Vegan is about ingredients: the product contains no animal-derived ingredients, such as beeswax, honey, lanolin, carmine or snail mucin.
A product can be one without the other. A beeswax lip balm can be cruelty-free but not vegan.
Where animal testing for cosmetics is banned
- European Union: testing finished cosmetics on animals has been banned since 2004 and testing ingredients since 2009, with a full marketing ban on animal-tested cosmetics since 2013 (European Commission).
- United Kingdom: keeps the same ban in its retained version of the regulation (legislation.gov.uk).
- India: banned cosmetic animal testing and, from November 2014, the import of animal-tested cosmetics (Down To Earth; Cosmetics Business).
- Canada: banned cosmetic animal testing through amendments to its Food and Drugs Act, in effect from December 2023 (Health Canada).
- United States: no federal ban, and federal law doesn't require animal testing for cosmetics (FDA). But California's ban took effect in 2020, and an advocacy group counts 12 more states with similar laws (Animal Legal Defense Fund).
China: a big change in 2021
For years, imported cosmetics sold in China generally had to undergo animal testing. Since May 2021, imported "general" cosmetics can avoid this if they have a proper safety assessment and a government-issued GMP certificate. Special-use cosmetics, children's products and products with new ingredients are still excluded (Exponent).
The labels: no legal definition in most places
The FDA states plainly that there are no legal definitions for "cruelty-free" or "not tested on animals" (FDA). "Vegan" likewise has no legal definition under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (Cosmetics Business). That's why independent certifications matter:
- The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark: no animal-derived ingredients, and no animal testing by or on behalf of the company (The Vegan Society).
- Leaping Bunny (Cruelty Free International): a fixed cut-off date, supplier monitoring at least every 12 months and independent audits (Cruelty Free International).
Formulating vegan
Common animal-derived ingredients and plant or synthetic swaps:
- Beeswax → Candelilla Wax, Carnauba Wax or Sunflower Wax
- Lanolin → Shea Butter, Phytosterols
- Carmine → Red Iron Oxides (see our colour cosmetics post)
- Honey and propolis → Glycerin, Trehalose (see our honey post)
- Keratin, silk and marine collagen → Vegan Keratin Alternative, Hydrolyzed Quinoa
- Shark squalene → Olive Squalane (see our squalane post)
Our Vegan-Suitable Ingredients collection gathers over 1,400 options, and Animal-Derived Ingredients lists the ones to avoid for vegan formulas.
Claim tips
- Keep supplier statements on vegan status and animal testing for every ingredient.
- Be precise: "vegan formula" and "not tested on animals" are clearer than vague wording.
- Consider certification if these claims are central to your brand.
General information only, not legal advice. Rules change, so check current requirements in each market.