Is Benefit cruelty-free?

Benefits Cosmetics, a medium-range company that was founded in the US, has grown over the years. With a significant presence in over 30 countries, including the UK, the company has become a household name. But, is Benefit cruelty free?

As usual, we dug deeper for answers to ensure you make an informed decision before reaching for any Benefit products on the shelf.

In short, NO, Benefit is not a cruelty free brand. Quite a bummer, considering the company’s website states it does not test its cosmetic products on animals. 

is Benefit vegan? Again, NO, Benefit is not a vegan brand. 

Here’s everything you need to know before you start shopping from Benefit UK:

Does Benefit Test on Animals?

Benefit’s animal testing policy is a little controversial if not confusing. On the one hand, the company states it does not test its products on animals. It proceeds to note that it does not stand on cruelty-free through certifications since cosmetic companies can't prove that all their ingredients have never been tested on animals. 

Well, since other companies are already getting these certifications from animal rights organizations like PETA, it is hard to understand why Benefit Cosmetics cannot do the same. 

In fact, PETA has not classified Benefit as a cruelty-free brand and has stated in one of its articles that the brand uses animals for testing. 

Below is a snapshot of Benefit's stand on animal testing from their FAQ page:

Why We Also Classify Benefit as not Cruelty Free

Apart from the confusing statement on Benefit’s FAQ section regarding animal policy, we have other reasons to classify the brand as not cruelty free. 

Benefit has a presence in Mainland China, a country that is still testing cosmetic products on animals before brands can sell in the country. 

You do not even have to go far to search for its presence in the country. Just look at the company’s page with its locations, and China is right there in the Asia Pacific region.

Benefit actually tweeted about its arrival in the China market back in 2009 through their US Twitter account:

If that’s not convincing enough, Sephora Stores, a store giant in the country, also stocks Benefit Cosmetics:

While Benefit might not be conducting the tests in Mainland China on its own, it must be paying lots of money for the authorities to conduct these tests. 

Is Benefit vegan? 

As mentioned, Benefit is not a vegan brand, and it does not carry any certifications from vegan organizations. The brand does not even carry any vegan products. 

If you search the term “vegan” on its site, the results are as below:

Is Benefit makeup cruelty free or Vegan, too?

If you are looking for a specific product from Benefit that’s vegan or cruelty free, like their line of makeup, sorry to disappoint. We checked some of their products, including the makeup products, for any vegan or cruelty free certifications but had no luck.

Actually, some of their eye products use beeswax and some acids driven from animals or vegetable oils. Without any specific confirmation from Benefit that these acids are derived from vegetable oils, there is no reason to believe that they are not derived from animals. 

Best vegan beauty products to Consider 

Fortunately, there are several beauty brands with a range of vegan and cruelty free products readily available in the UK. 

Tabitha Eve

This brand offers an array of eco friendly beauty products as well as bathroom and kitchen products. The range of beauty products includes reusable makeup rounds, travel wipes, and reusable remover pads for removing nail polish. 

It also packages all products in plastic-free and compostable material.

BeBareFaced

This is a UK based brand that uses natural ingredients in all its products. The brand is vegan, and cruelty free certified and does not use any parabens, GMO's or sulphates in its products. Some of its products include masks, anti-ageing and anti-blemish products.

Bloomtown

It is an eco friendly company with cruelty free, vegan and palm oil-free certifications. You can buy, bathe, face and body care products from their online store. Our favourite is the lip care range, where the brand's Avo Mint lip balm won two awards in 2018. 

Poppy Austin

It is a family business in Somerset, England with a range of serum's, eye creams, cleansers and essential oils. Poppy Austin has certifications from the Vegan Society and Choose Cruelty Free (CCF). It also uses natural ingredients for all its products, which are also handmade.

Bottomline

Is Benefit cruelty free? No, it is not, neither is it a vegan brand. Benefit has no certifications from vegan and cruelty free organizations, and it also sells its products in Mainland China. There is also no clear indication of the brand producing any vegan products. 

Do not give up, as there are brands in the UK that care about the plight of animals. Tabitha Eve, BeBareFaced, Poppy Austin and Bloomtown are some of the few eco friendly brands that we can recommend.