7 Cruelty-Free Lists || Lists That Make Cruelty-Free Beauty Shopping Easy

This will make shopping for cruelty free beauty so much easier.

Here are 7 Cruelty Free Lists!

1. Peta 

They have a "Companies That Do Not Test on Animals" list and "Companies That Do Test on Animals" list. 

The site is easy to navigate and you can search by name. 

You can download the lists as a pdf file.

2. Leaping Bunny

You can search for the company by name. You can look up company name alphabetically. 

They offer a free app for iPhone and Android for free.

3. Logical Harmony

In addition to being an awesome beauty blog, Tashina contacts companies and keeps the list updated.

Companies that are vegan are clearly marked. Also there is a distinction between cruelty free companies that have a non-cruelty-free parent company. 

4. Cruelty-Free Kitty 

The list includes companies that are PETA and LeapingBunny certified. Also, if there is a correspondence between the company on the list and Suzi (the author of Cruelty-Free Kitty). 

The list is also kept updated. This is also a great beauty blog. 

5. Choose Cruelty-Free

Here companies that have some vegan products and, or vegetarian products are labeled. 

There is also a label for companies that meet cruelty-free criteria but "some products contain animal ingredients or killed insects." The list is kept updated. 

6. My Beauty Bunny

This list categories beauty, drugstore, and household products. There is also a list of companies that sell in China, which as you know requires animal testing. I like the layout and I'm sure you will do. There is a lot of information that is easy to read and not overwhelming. 

7. Phyrra 

Here you will find a list for Sephora and Ulta specific brands. There are clear labels between vegan, Leaping Bunny certified, and parent company status. There is also helpful guides for going cruelty free. 

I hope these resources help you out. I know I refer to them almost daily. Let me know if you know if any other lists.

Camila 

LA Girl PRO HD Concealer || REVIEW

Hello guys!

So today I really wanted to mention the LA Girl Pro.Conceal HD Concealer. I did mention it a little in my Shopping My Makeup post; however I felt inclined to feature it individually. 

I've heard many birdies say good things about this product. They retail for $5.00 on LA Girl's site. I got mine off drugstore.com for $2.99! So you can find them really affordably. 

The one I got is in 'pure beige'.

I think the coverage is great. You can cover pimples, redness, and discoloration really well. It's definitely a creamy concealer. It comes in a squeeze-y little tub which makes getting the product out easy. You can build up the coverage. I have used it under my eyes for dark circles and it works well! I like it because it does not crease!

The shade I have is yellow toned so I like using it to, well conceal. If you want a more pink concealer to cover blueness under the eyes be sure to get a more "salmony" shade. 

I don't care much for the brush applicator yet I don't hate it. Don't expect to blend the concealer out using the applicator. You will need your fingers or a brush. I like it because it's more hygienic than concealers that come in a jar. See, I really hate jar like products! I will use them but I'm always weary of germs! 

Finally, I really really like it because it has not broken my skin out. 

** I was not sent this product!

I hope you liked this review. What is your favorite cruelty-free concealer? Have you tried this concealer? 

Lots of Love,

Camila

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ǝrǒmǝ || CandleBay :: Cruelty-Free Status

Hey guys!

So I have a candle from ǝrǒmǝ, it's the Pecan Pie! 

I saw they have a Peta bunny and so I felt pretty safe buying it and I couldn't find a parent company online so that also gave me comfort. 

Now ǝrǒmǝ is a manufactured by CandleBay and so I contacted CandleBay and asked about their cruelty-free status.

I wanted to learn more about their policy!

I used the template I always use. You can find it here!

Hello, My name is Camila Alvarez. I am the writer for HumanelyChic (humanelychic.blogspot.com), a cruelty-free beauty blog. I am interested in buying from your company but would like to be assured that your products are cruelty-free. I have some questions I would appreciate you address. Please be sure to answer all of them as the answers you provide are very important to both my readers and myself.  

1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals?

2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test? 

3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?

4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?

5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they? 

6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? 

7. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? 

8. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?

Thank you in advance for you cooperation!

I received a reply the following day! Here is what they said. 

Dear Camila,

All of the lines that we manufacture are cruelty-free, NO animal testing of any kind is ever done concerning our products.
Questions 1 thru 6 are answered NO
Question 7 -  We only use plant based, essential oils in our candles and diffusers and
Question 8 - THEREPE, THEREPE LUXE and EROME

Let me know if you want our wholesale information e-mail and what we require to open a wholesale account.

Thank you for your interest,

So yeah guys I would definitely feel safe buying from them! Again, they are PETA certified and so that adds to my ease. I am not being paid to say this but I really like the one candle I have and think you should check out their site! I will have a review showing you the candle I have!

Lots of Love,

Camila

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Bubble T Cosmetics | Animal Testing Inquiry

I've become paranoid about using companies logos. I don't want to get in trouble, so for now I'll either not post a picture to accompany an article or will s a pic of their site & link them. If you are a lawyer, let me know what the legal wrought to take. :) 

Hey guys! THis is going to be a fun & different post. I have wonderful readers that email with the information they have found about companies. Which I appreciate a lot, seeing as if more of us email a company the more that company is pressured into answering our questions.

Well, a beautiful reader named Adele (not sure if you want your last name displayed) sent me her correspondence with Bubble T Cosmetics. It is very thorough & awesome so I asked her if I could share it with you all. I had never heard of this company until she messaged me about it.

She used the template posed on this blog. (click here & feel free to use it)!

Here was their reply:

Dear Adele,
I hope you are well.
I am happy to answer your questions.
1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals?Our company does not and will not test on animals in terms of ingredients or finished product 

2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test?We don't use a 3rd part at all - we use a small manufacturer in the south of England where all our products are hand made - we have quality control employees who will assess the production line once our products are being made in bulk.

3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?Our manufacturers don't test on animals for us or for any other brands that they provide for - we take pride in the fact that we are against animal testing and were BUAV approved until it was compulsory in the UK to not test on animals 

4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?We are affiliated with our sister brand 'Nougat London' who also have the same morals and ethical view on animal testing - using the same manufacturer and supplier. 

5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they? 'Nougat London' 

6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? 
Bubble T and Nougat both do not sell products in China currently - prior to selling in the market each and every formulation needs to be registered with a fee which is why we are not considering this for the moment. 

7. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? 
We do not use either of those ingredients 

8. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase? We cannot verify if any of our products are vegan -
I hope i have answered your questions and if any further questions come to mind please do not hesitate to ask.
If you planning on ordering from our site we would be happy to send you a free gift on top of your order to thank you for your interest in our beautiful range.

Kind Regards,

What awesome research! Adele sent me this a while back, but I haven't had time to post anything until today. So, sorry about that. 

I would definitely feel safe purchasing from them. I will email their company: Nougat London,;just to make sure there are no contractions with what is listed above. (I'm a perfectionist what can I say?) 

Other than not testing their raw ingredients on animals, having a compliant parent company with the same views on animal testing, and not selling in China; I think it's awesome that they are accreddited by BUAV. 

What do you think about their reply to these questions? Let me know your thoughts! & Thank you Adele if you are reading this :)

Lots of Love,

Camila

L.A. Colors and Beauty 21 | Animal Testing Inquiry

Hey guys! Have you heard of L.A. colors? or I'm sure you've seen Beauty 21.  If you've never heard of them, they do a lot of things: eyeshadow, nail polish, face products, etc. I usually find them in Dollar Tree and drug stores. I own a few of their products & am impressed. (Especially with the lipies).

I emailed LA colors about their animal testing policy. I used the format I always use.
This was their reply:

Thank you for contacting L.A. Girl USA Cosmetics.
In regards to Animal Testing, please be certain that our products are NOT tested on animals. None of the raw materials or manufacturing process through finished goods are tested on animals. Our parent company, Beauty 21 Cosmetics Inc. is also part of the cruelty-free PETA program. 
L.A. Girl and our parent company, Beauty 21 Cosmetics, do not offer/sell our products in China. Some of our products do contain Carmine (which is derived from an insect) and Lanolin which is derived from sheep’s wool.  If you are interested in a specific product, please let us know and we can specify for you. Hope this helps! Thanks for writing to us. Sincerely,Customer Service Dept.of L.A. Girl Cosmetics

YAY! It's nice that they address the China question, but they can vouch for the policy of their parent company. Also, they are on PETA's list, which is always reassuring.
They did not address every single one of the questions I asked, but as far as my criteria for determining CF status, they meet all the points.

I feel safe buying from them & will do in the future <3

Lots of Love,

Camila

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Benefit Cosmetics | Animal Testing Inquiry

UPDATE: A lot of you are letting me know (in the comments) that benefit sells in China. Which in itself tells us that animal testing has occurred. I will not be supporting them! Check out their site. 

Hey guys!

I contacted Benefit some time in December. I got a reply from them. I stalled in sharing it because I found it rather vague. However, I thought you'd like to read it and I would also share my thoughts. 

I emailed them using the same format I always use. 

This was their reply:

Hi Camila,
Benefit does not test our cosmetic products on animals. When selecting the ingredients to be used in our cosmetic products, Benefit requires raw material suppliers to provide safety information based on scientifically accepted alternative testing methods that meet international safety standards and regulations. Benefit products must meet both consumers’ needs and consumer safety, while respecting animal life. Benefit continues to strongly support & favor alternative testing and is committed to following all animal testing laws and regulations in order to ensure our products’ safety for the end consumer. 

First of all, they did not address all of my questions. Secondly, as you can tell (I'm sure), the part I've bolded is the definition of vague. They claim to use alternatives to animal testing, but also follow "animal testing laws and regulations". I don't want to speculate too much, but I have a bad feeling about this. I certainly would not purchase from them at this time. I will try to contact them again, asking them to be more specific. I will keep you guys updated. 

Lots of Love,

Camila

Laura Geller | Animal Testing Info.

Hey guys! I contacted Laura Geller!
I know a couple of you really wanted to know what they had to say. I promised to have this up by tomorrow, or Friday! I'm not crazy busy & have a few hours to kill and decided to post it early!! :D

That reminds me!! "Like" me on facebook, thats where I let you know which companies have gotten back to me!

Anyways!! I emailed them using my newly tweaked format! It still has all the questions, I just made it more personal.

This was their reply:

Hello:
Thank you for your email.  Laura Geller Beauty, LLC and our Manufacturers do not test our products on animals.  The outside sources, however used by our Manufacturers may test raw ingredients on animals. We do not have a distributor in China.  We do not have a list readily available of all vegan products.  If you provide a specific list of products you are interested in (including shade) we can provide a more immediate answer.
If we can be of any further assistance please feel free to contact us.  Thanks again for your email and for your interest in Laura Geller Beauty.
Kind Regards,
Customer SupportLaura Geller Beauty, LLCinfo@lauragellerbeauty.com

They did not answer all of my questions. Usually, I would email them again asking for all my questions to be address, but in this case I feel it is unnecessary. They admit to being ignorant of whether their raw ingredients manufactures test on animals. This is always a BIG no-no for me!(check out my cruelty-free criteria).

I like to support companies that are ethical about everything (ingredients, production, animal testing, packaging) and are knowledgeable about their product. I can see Laura Geller is not one of those companies (this is my opinion).

Hope this answers your questions! If not, don't be shy & leave a comment. I will try to help answer your question to the best of my knowledge.

Lots of Love,
Camila

Sugarpill | Animal Testing Policy

Hey guys!
I just got a reply from a Sugarpill representative! 

I contacted them using the format I always use. *I have changed it up a bit, but the questions are the same.

This is what I received:
*I added the questions, so you don't have to open 1000x tabs.

"Hi Camila,

I apologize in advance for the short reply. I am on the road.
Below is the answers to your questions. 

*1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals?1) No

*2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test?  
2) No, We visit our manufacturers regularly and have a written statement from them confirming they do not test.

*3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?
3) No


 *4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?
4) No

*5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they?  
5) No

*6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? 
6) No

*7. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? 
7) We use Carnauba Wax, Our supplier does not state their source.

*8. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?  
8) We have a "Vegan" category tab on our site that shows all of our Vegan items, which is most of them.

Thanks,"

So there you go guys! I will be adding them to my Cruelty-Free list. Sugarpill is also on PETA's does not test list. 

Lots of Love,
Camila

emani vegan cosmetics | cruelty-free inquiry

http://www.emani.com/

Hey guys.
     About two months and a half or so ago. I was contacted by a PR from a company called emani vegan cosmetics. They wanted me to review their products. I emailed them back inquiring about their cruelty-free status.
      They send me three products to review. Yeah, that was almost three months ago. It's taken me a long time to get a comprehensive review for your guys (which I'm wrapping up) and also to present to you guys my research on their cruelty-free status. In all honesty, the reason it's taken me so long to talk about them is because I know a lot of people are weary of reviews where products are sent to bloggers. I have been a reader of blogs for a year now and a subscriber to beauty vlogger for YEARS and I understand the concern. If you notice I don't have a PR tab on my blog because for a long time I didn't want to deal with that. However, I have been blessed with a growing audience and as a result companies have contacted me. I decided that as long as I stay true to my passion for animals and to my blog, my integrity as a blogger won't be compromised. Yes, review meaning I will give you my honest opinion about any products; whether it is sent to me or I purchase it. :D

Now that I got that out of the way! This was emani's reply to me.

Hi Camila,
Thank you for contacting EMANI. The answer to all of your questions is no. We do not test ingredients and/or finished productson animals. We do not test our ingredients or products on animals via our manufacturers or through a 3rd party. Michelle the owner and founder of EMANI works very closely with our labs and has final approval on all of the products we sell. We are notowned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals. We do not sell any of our products in Chinaor have any plans to sell our products in China. We only use natural organic ingredients in our makeup. Our products do notcontain paraben, gluten's, gmo's, propylene glycols, petroleum or toxic chemicals. At Emani, we use naturally occurringminerals, organic extracts and pigments perfectly designed and painstakingly selected specifically for their regenerativeproperties. EMANI is owned and operated By Michelle Doan Who personally sees to it that her products are of the highestquality.  We are a cruelty free, vegan company and are certified by PETA. You can find a complete list of all of our ingredients on our website. www.emani.com.
I hope I have answered all of your questions and I look forward to reading your review on your blog site.

I just love when I receive an email that gets right to the point!!! As you can see they meet my three criteria for determining cruelty-free status. As long as a company answers those three questions, I'm satisfied. (click here to read by).You will notice, that I do inquiry about palm oil and vegan products in the format I use when first contacting companies. They forgot to answer # 7: "Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?" The PR took the liberty of addressing that question in a separate email:

Hi Camila,
Just realized I missed answering the palm oil/carnuaba wax question. Yes, we put carnuaba wax in our concealer and hybridcreams, but it is from a natural source. As I mentioned in my earlier email, here at Emani we only put natural and organicingredients in our product.

I will be adding them to my cruelty-free list. I hope you enjoyed this post and check out their products! They have stuff I'm so excited to try!

Lots of Love,
Camila

India's Ban of Animal Testing for Household Products PROPOSED!

After reading more into this story, I found that the ban for household testing has only just been proposed. Meaning that animal testing for household products is still legal. Sorry if my facebook post was misleading. I read the email with the news incorrectly. (I'm a wishful thinker, what can I say?) I truly apologize because my intention was not to miss-inform you. However, this is still a great step!! 

source

This past June I was thrilled to share with you all that India had banned animal testing on cosmetic and their ingredients on animals. It was such a huge success and I was really hopeful that they would also ban animal testing for household products.

Well, I am excited to announce that it has been proposed to the Soaps and Other Surface Active Agents Committee to replace the current test-conducted on guinea pigs- with "a non-animal test method called "the human repeated insult patch test." 

If you recall Dr. Chaitanya Koduri -PETA's India Science Policy Adviser- has a seat on said committee, right now they are waiting for all the members of the committee to "submit their comments" for the final decision.

I'm hopefully that the proposal will be successful because they have LOTS of support. Sonia Gandhi (Congress President) along with Lal Krishna Advani (senior leader of the Bharatya Janata Party) are urging the Family Welfare and Ministry of Consumers Affairs to look at PETA's requesy. There are sooo many people who are working to make this ban happen. I will link the official announcement here, be sure to check it out for more information. 

If you want to help makes this happen click here, and sign a petition to urge the ministry to ban this test. 

Hopefully soon I will hear that the proposal has passed!  

A special thanks to Tasgola Bruner for personally emailing me about this great news!!

Until Next Time,

Camila 

Soap and Glory | Cruelty-Free Correspondence

Hey guys.
I received a reply from Soap and Glory. YAY!!
I contacted them using my NEW format. Which is basically the same as the old one, I just added a bit more information.

This is what they replied :

Hi Camila,
We understand that animal testing is a key concern for a growing number of consumers and at Soap &Glory, we can confidently state that all of our formulations are safety and efficacy tested on people. (Although you might argue about that if you’d seen the condition of some of their feet. YEEEESH.)
At Soap & Glory, we uphold very strict guidelines through our regularly audited manufacturing partners that uphold the ‘no animal testing’ policy. As well, we are fortunate that our biggest retail partner – Boots The Chemists- upholds the very same standards by funding through an organisation called FRAME, which is the FUND for the REPLACEMENT of ANIMALS in MEDICAL EXPERIMENTS) in an effort to eliminate reliance in the industry on animal testing.
That said – and because we feel it necessary to be transparent and to educate EVERYBODY- it’s important for you to know that no retailer or manufacturer can categorically state that ‘none’ of their raw materials or ingredients have –at some time in the past- been tested on animals. The majority of individual raw materials used in cosmetics today have been through some kind of animal testing process. At Soap & Glory, we absolutely do not test our formulations on animals, however we can’t say that each and every ingredient that goes into them has not, at some point historically, been cleared for human use, by animal testing.
We hope this answers your question. If you need any more information about animal testing, we’d suggest you contact Colipa, the European Cosmetics Directive association, via www.colipa.eu.
Soap & Glory is a privately owned company.
Kind Regards,

First, they explain that they uphold strict outlines for their manufactures, who uphold a 'no animal testing policy'. I appreciate them acknowledging the fact that yes, today we have some ingredients that we know to be safe because in the past they have been tested on animals. It's a bold statement. Sad, but true. They are being really transparent, which I'm sure you can tell.  However, they did not address # 6, which is:

'6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?'

Therefore I emailed then again:

Hi Sopa & Glory team!Thanks for answering my questions. (I know I had tons). You forgot to address # 6. "Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?" Thanks again! -Camila

They emailed me back:

Hi Camila, We have no current plans to expand to more countries in the Asian market. Kind Regards,  (THE USUAL) Soap & Glory CUSTOMER SERVICE 

Maybe I'm just being picky, but this reply didn't really clarify much about whether or not they sell in China. TO be honest, I'm not sure about other Asian countries (expect India's) policies. I needed them to be specific. So yes, I emailed them again. I just like to be sure!!!

Hi, ?Sorry, but I don't seem to be understanding. Does Soap & Glory sale or not sale in the Chinese market? Please clarify!

To which they replied:

Hi Camila, Soap & Glory is not available in China. Nor do any of the stores that sell Soap & Glory deliver to China. Hence, one cannot buy Soap & Glory in China. Kind Regards,  (THE USUAL) Soap & Glory CUSTOMER SERVICE 

 Lol. Yup, that clarified things.

So YAY! As you can see Soap & Glory meets my three criteria to determine cruelty-free status. (1) If they have a parent company, that company must have the same cruelty-free status. (2) Compliant raw ingredient manufactures. (3) That they don't sell in the Chinese market. (Click on link if you're not sure what this means).

I hope this was helpful!

Lots of Love,

Camila 

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ion Brilliance / Professionals | Hair Company

Hey Guys,
ion Professionals is a hair dye company. If you've ever been in a Sally Beauty Supply, I'm sure you've either seen their products. Please read the ENTIRE article to get the whole story.

I emailed them asking, these questions. (I always email companies asking these questions).

This is what I received in response:

Camila,
Thank you for reaching out to the Ion team. We do not test our finished product on animals and do not use a 3rd party for testing either. The answer is also no to selling products to the Chinese market. I hope this answers all of your questions.
Sincerely,
Ion Professional Products

Reading this I felt pretty good about ion. They didn't answer my question about their parent company, so I emailed them again:

Hi,I was wondering about your parent company? Do you have one, if so who are they? Also, do you use Palm oil in your product, if so is it fair trade?-Camila

Ion replied a couple of days later, saying:

Camila, Ion is its own company.  We do not have a parent company.  If Palm Oil was used it would be listed on the ingredient decks. 
Sincerely,Ion Professional Products

Okay...Well, at least we know they don't have a parent company. I thought their explanation about 3rd party testing was vague. Also, I didn't understand why they didn't become certified by LeapingBunny or PETA? If a company isn't on one of those lists it does not necessarily mean they are not cruelty-free;being certified does take time and money. I expect this from indie/new companies. However, from a company I know to be popular, it always seems strange to me. I emailed them once more to urge them to do so.

Hi,I'm just curious as to how you guys make sure your raw ingredients are not tested on animals? Do you make the manufactures sign a form? Also, why don't you become accredited by LeapingBunny or PETA? If you did, it would be a BIG help for those who only shop cruelty-free! I know the people who read my blog would appreciate it, a lot!!! Please, get back to me! Thanks again!-Camila 

I received this reply from them:

Camila, As stated in the original email, Color Brilliance's company policy is not to include any non-animal testing claims on the label. The EU Cosmetic Directive bans this claim from cosmetic labels and Ion Color Brilliance is distributed Internationally.  Although the finished product may not be tested on animals, it is difficult to guarantee the raw materials were not tested on animals.  Sincerely,Ion Professional Products

WHAT?!!! I don't understand why they can't be sure where their raw ingredients have been; whether, they have been tested on animals, humans, etc. I personally, think it's irresponsible! I would demand my suppliers (if I had a cosmetic company) prove they don't test. I would make them sign forms, audit their factories, etc. Not being able to "guarantee" is lazy.

This experience was a good lesson for me. From the first emails, things were looking good. However, as you can see they didn't specify what they meant by "3rd party testing". I'm going to ask companies to please define what they mean by "3rd party, cruelty-free, etc"; from now on.

So, ion definitely DOES NOT meet my three criteria for determining cruelty-free status. Which are: (1) ethical, non-tested on animals raw ingredients (2) a compliant parent company, if any (3) Not retailing in China.

I hope this was helpful, if not at least informative. I'm still trying to perfect the process I use to contact and determine cruelty-free status. Please, leave me feedback in how I can improve. I am working out the kinks. :P

Until Next Time,
Camila

UPDATE: MakeUp Geek | My decision : cruelty-free?

UPDATE!!!!(please read before you read the article below) 

I have received an email from a representative from Sugarpill. He wanted me to correct my information about their cruelty-free status. I do not have an official post about Sugarpill. He was referring to my post on MakeUp Geek.
Please click this link to see their PETA certification. I was surprised to learn that most of their products are vegan. They also have won a Libby award.

I have emailed said representative back, asking the questions I always ask.

Lots of Love,
Camila

Hey guys.
Read this first! If you don't you'll be confused with this post.

I've thought about MakeUp Geek for a few days now. I was honestly really confused about my feelings, but at last I have come to a conclusion.

I have decided to add them to my cruelty-free list.

This is my reasoning:

I know I always talk about (type- about?) not supporting a company that claims to be 'cruelty-free', when it's parent company conducts animal testing. I think it's wrong because you don't know where your money is going.

I held tight to this way of thinking, while I was considering what to do with MakeUp Geek. However, if I'm honest you can't really tie that way of thinking with MUG's situation. It's not like they have a non-compliant parent company, which you would be supporting if you purchased from them. They do however sale brands that PETA has not found compliant: Palladio & Sugarpill.

However, think about this for a second.

Even when you buy from a 100% cruelty-free, where does your money go?
A good amount goes into manufacturing the product. Meanwhile, another chunk goes to pay for factory workers, company executives, supervisors, the girls that sell them at the counter, etc. You can't be sure that those people only buy cruelty-free cosmetics. Do you see where I'm going with this? You can do the best you can do but at some point, you have to accept that you are no longer in control.

I think of my blog as a small fairy-light in this world. Which brings light to a very HUGE issue. This light can help others see and might even inspire others to turn on their "fairy-light". (I love fairy-lights, so I felt they would make a good metaphor).

I'm honestly scared some of you might think of me as being compromising on this situation. However, let your conscious be your guide. I always give my opinion about whatever I share on here, but that's just it-it's my opinion.

I will make it clear on my Cruelty-Free list that MUG sells Palladio & Sugarpill.

I hope you're not discouraged! Keep buying cruelty-free & keep boycotting companies that sell in China or have non-compliant parent companies! I know I will!

Lots of Love,

Camila

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Makeup Geek | Animal Testing Policy Information

**Update (November 22,2013):
I have received an email from a Sugar Pill representative. He assures me that SugarPill is PETA certified. In fact here is a link so you can see. In fact the majority of their products are vegan. I have emailed them back, asking the questions I always ask companies. 


UPDATE(August 14, 2014): I have decided to add them to my cruelty-free list. Click here to read my reasons why. 

Hey guys!

I contacted MakeUpGeek a week ago. If you've never heard of this company, it was started by Marlena who actually makes YouTube videos. Their eyeshadows have been compared (some say they're better) to MACs. Which doesn't really mean anything to me -I've never tried MAC nor do I ever plan to. However, seeing as I am a makeup junkie, but first an animal lover, I of course wanted to check out their cruelty-free policy.

Seeing as I have received a couple of new followers this past month. I wanted to explain how I go about emailing a company. I always use this format (which I updated recently). I will sometimes -if I'm lucky- receive a reply within the week. Other times, I never receive a reply. Which is really unfortunate!! That's why I encourage you to email companies as well! Maybe one of us gets lucky!

Anyways. This is what I receive from MUG:

Hi there,
Thanks for contacting us.
The entire Makeup Geek product line is cruelty free. We don't do any testing on animals. Our lab and their ingredient supplier don't test on animals.
All of our products are vegan except for the lipsticks (they contain beeswax) and these eyeshadows: Bitten. Country Girl, Cupcake, Drama Queen, Mango Tango, Razzleberry, Twilight, Unexpected, Unicorn, and Simply Marlena (they contain carmine).
We have actually discussed with PETA and they were ok to give us a certification, the reason they did not is that we resell Palladio and **Sugarpill products that are not PETA certified, but for MUG products we are compliant with PETA requirements.
We don't have a parent company and are not doing business within China.
Hope that answers your questions!
the MUG team

**Please scroll up to read update!!! 


As you can see they didn't answer question # 7, which says: "Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?"

(P.S. I'm trying to implement this question more in my correspondences. I have received a couple of emails from you guys asking me to do so. I'm still reading up on palm oil and its effect on orangutan in Indonesia, our Amazon, and Malaysia . So please be patient. I just do the best I can :D 

Therefore, I emailed them again asking them to please address this question. 
I received this reply, literally in a couple of minutes:

Hi
There is no palm oil in our lipsticks (and obviously not in our eyeshadows either).
Best regards,
the MUG team

Well that's pretty self-explanatory. :P

So let's review:  

I really appreciate their honesty! From the looks of it they meet the criteria I look for when determining a company's cruelty-free status.
(1) They do not test their products on animals nor do their suppliers.
(2) They do not have a parent company. So we don't have to look into another company's cruelty-free policy to completely determine their status. If you are new: I do not support a company whose parent company does not comply to a cruelty-free status. Such as in the case of Burt's Bees(Owned by Clorox) or UrbanDecay (Owned by L'oreal).
(3) They do not sell in China.

However, they do make it clear that on their site they sell Palladio and Sugarpill products. They explain that PETA did not certify them because those two companies don't meet PETA's requirements.
I don't know anything, in terms of animal testing- about Palladio or Sugarpill. The fact that PETA didn't want to certify them makes me feel really uneasy.

I don't know how to feel about MUG. You guys know I do not support a company, whose parent company does not comply with a cruelty-free, animal friendly policy. I always say that you have no way of knowing where that money is going! It might be funding animal testing. Which, ugh is just so disgusting to me. Just thinking about it makes me feel saddened and angry.

I honestly couldn't tell you if I'd purchase from them. At least not now. I think you have to let your conscious be your guide for this one guys.

I fear that I might be coming off as either compromising or too "hard". These thoughts bother me, but my hope with all blog is to be transparent. These are my honest feelings.

I won't be adding them to my cruelty-free list right away. I need to think about this one & I would REALLY appreciate your opinions and feedback! I'm always honest with you all so PLEASE be honest with me. What do you think?! HELP!

Until Next Time, 

Camila 

P.S. HELP! 

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