HumanelyChic: LimeCrime

Hello guys. I'm really excited to share with you all my correspondence with LimeCrime. If you have never heard of LimeCrime, you need to listen up! They sell really vibrant cosmetics. For example, you can find red lip stick and blue lipstick on their site. Shades you might expect high-end companies, such as Mac or Nars to sell. Except --as you will soon find--cruelty-freely.

I first "heard" (read?) about LimeCrime, when I was looking through PETA's DO NOT test list. I checked them out & knew I had to find out their cruelty-free status.

Of course, I first emailed them using the format I always use. (Click here to see it).

To Whomever it May Concern:

I am doing research on animal testing, and I need to verify a few key points about your company.

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

2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party?
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/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. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?
7. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?

I received a reply a few days later:

Hi Camila,
1-6 the answer is no
7 currently all products on our site are vegan.

I'm glad they replied, but --as you can see--their reply didn't leave me much to go on. Being very as partial to detail as I am, I decided to email them again, urging them to explain further:

Hi [names have been omitted],

Thank you for your prompt reply. I would appreciate it if you elaborated. How does LimeCrime ensure that the manufactures of their ingredients do not conduct animal testing? Does LimeCrime have an audit process? Second, from what I understand LimeCrime does not retail in the Chinese market because it requires animal testing; am I right in this statement?

Also, thank you for becoming affiliated with PETA. There is a fast growing market of makeup enthusiast who only shop cruelty-free. I know I really appreciate it and so do the readers of my blog, it just makes shopping easier for us. -Camila

I received a second reply about a week after:

Hi Camila,

I've just spoken with our Inventory Manager, sorry for the delay. We do have signed pledges from all of our manufacturers stating that our products and ingredients are completely vegan. We ensure vegan/cruelty-free claims by working with manufacturers who are reputable and willing to provide sworn written statements about the sources of their ingredients.

Well, as you can see: LimeCrime does not have a parent company; meaning we don't have to worry about what would be that company's cruelty-free status, Lime Crime does not support 3rd party testing & have a specific audit process to ensure their manufacturers are reliable, and finally, LimeCrime does not sell in China. These are the three specific criteria I look at when determining a company's cruelty-free status & deciding whether to add them to my list. (To see my criteria more in detail click here).

I would feel safe purchasing from LimeCrime & am excited to do so!!

Also, if you are interested about purchasing from LimeCrime, I really recommend you check out Friends of the Lagomorph, which is an online site that retails ALL cruelty-free cosmetics, beauty products, etc. And, no I am not being paid to talk about Friends of the Lagomorph, I just truly LOVE that site. It's easy to shop & I don't really know of any other online site that only sells cruelty-free beauty products.