Is Philosophy Cruelty Free?
Despite their thinly veiled attempts at claiming to be, Philosophy is not cruelty-free. Their official policy states that they are committed to using alternatives in their product development so that animal testing isn’t required to ensure product safety. They don’t perform any animal testing or allow third parties to do it for them… Can you sense the “but” coming?
Here it is: but… Philosophy allows animal testing on their products or base ingredients when it is required by law. If a company alters its policies to end animal testing at home but continues to sell its products in places like mainland China, where animal testing is required by law, they can’t be considered cruelty-free.
Further, Philosophy is owned by a larger company called Coty, and this company does test on animals. When a beauty or skincare brand claims that they don’t test on animals but is owned by a company that does, this always raises a few extra questions. In this case, it’s clear in any direction that Philosophy is not cruelty-free.
Now, we know that Philosophy has some pretty popular beauty and skincare products, and fragrances, too. And the hardest part of making the switch to an entirely cruelty-free lineup of beauty and skincare products is finding the right ones. Once you do, you’ll never go back.
It’s true, ask any of your cruelty-free friends! Turns out, they’re pretty addicting once you find your favorites. So, to help make the transition easier, we’ve rounded up the best swaps to make if you’re a former Philosophy lover looking for your perfect cruelty-free alternative.
The most popular Philosophy product may be the Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Shower, Bath, and Shave Gel. If you’ve grown attached to this particular product, don’t worry, there’s a way that you can get your fix and still feel good about it. Try Beauty Counter’s Citrus Mimosa Body Wash. When you sign up for their emails, they’ll give you 20% off your first order, so there’s something else you can feel good about, too!
You’ll get to try this incredible alternative at a decently discounted price, find a cruelty-free replacement for your favorite body wash, and maybe find some other great swaps along the way.
Beauty Counter is also offering an additional incentive right now: for each order received, they’re donating one Charcoal Cleansing Bar to a healthcare worker. This is a company truly worth supporting.
Beauty Counter offers a ton of other great products, too. From moisturizers, cleansers, and primers to lipsticks, concealers, and masks, they’ve got pretty much all of your beauty product needs covered. And if there’s anything missing, we’ve put together a handy list of other cruelty-free companies you can try out, too. We’ll get to those in a minute.
One last note about Beauty Counter first: on top of being cruelty-free, they’re also very cautious about the ingredients they put into their products. They keep what they call a “never list” full of 1,800 questionable chemicals and ingredients that they won’t allow to be used in any of their mindful products. How incredible is that?
Now, on to our list of some of the most popular cruelty-free brands for you to test out at home:
- Vapour Organic
- It Cosmetics
- Lit Cosmetics
- Jeffree Star
- Kat Von D
- Lush
- Smashbox
- Too Faced
- ELF Cosmetics
- Cover FX
- Bare Minerals
- Urban Decay
- Physician’s Formula
- Essence Makeup
- Nude by Nature
- The Body Shop
- Everyday Minerals
- Becca Cosmetics
- Tarte Cosmetics
You can find more information about these popular brands and their best-selling products right on their websites or through the Leaping Bunny and PETA. Each of these brands sells excellent cruelty-free options that will cover all of your skin, beauty, and hair product needs. Many of them also have vegan options, which is important if you’re looking for products that are not only cruelty-free but don’t use animal byproducts, either.
As if that’s not enough, many other companies are making the switch to cruelty-free practices and following their lead by the dozens! This list is growing every day as more companies recognize the benefits of alternative products in a market full of conscious shoppers. Cruelty-free consumers are part of something much bigger than themselves, and that’s something to be really proud of.
On top of shopping with a clear conscience and supporting an incredible cause for the voiceless, there many other benefits of switching to cruelty-free products and companies:
- You’re promoting change and keeping innocent animals safe from outdated, unnecessary, and cruel policies
- Cruelty-free products are almost always better for you and your skin than traditional products are
- Fewer chemicals and synthetics (swapped for healthier ingredients) means fewer allergic reactions, rashes, breakouts, and other skin irritations or inflammations
- Healthier ingredients are better for moisturizing and keeping your skin happy
- Shopping cruelty-free often leads to more mindful shopping decisions, helping you clear the clutter from your cabinets, drawers, and shelves and condensing down to only what you need and love
- Many of the companies on our list offer additional incentives to get you to try their products because they’re confident you’ll love them once you try them; this might mean heavy discounts, BOGOs, free shipping, samples, and more
Before we wrap things up, let’s answer the one question left that many people ask before making the switch: can I afford cruelty-free products? And the good news is that the answer is an immediate and confident yes! While some brands might be on the more expensive side, most of the cruelty-free brands on our list are just as affordable as their traditional counterparts. Physician’s Formula, The Body Shop, and ELF are particularly affordable.
Some of ELF’s products even sell for $1! More often, they’ll land in the $6-$10 range, which is still pretty incredible for the quality you’re getting. Beauty product buyers swear by their concealers, primers, eyeshadows, and liquid eyeliners. Search through the cruelty-free brand list until you find the one that offers exactly what you’re looking for and matches up to your budget. It’s there, trust me!
