‘Cruelty-Free’ vs. ‘Vegan’

A common misconception I get all the time on Instagram is that the terms cruelty-free and vegan are interchangeable. Many people have asked me if a brand is vegan, are they also automatically cruelty-free? And vice versa. The answer is simply no. These terms have very different meanings and they do not coincide with each other in any regard. Keep reading to learn the difference and questions you still need to ask yourself if a brand advertises as cruelty-free or vegan.

Please note: I am speaking strictly on the dictionary definitions of these terms. Personal opinions may not follow these exact definitions, and I touch on this later.

What does ‘cruelty-free’ mean?

The term ‘cruelty-free’ describes how products are tested for safety purposes before human use. For a brand to be cruelty-free, they must not condone any animal testing anywhere in their production process. This includes ingredients, finished products, selling in markets that require animal testing, etc.’Cruelty-Free’ only relates to whether or not the ingredient or product is tested on animals for human safety, no matter what the substance, vegan or not.

WHAT DOES ‘Vegan’ MEAN?

The term ‘vegan’ describes the type of ingredient or substance going into the final product. In order for a product to be vegan, it must not contain any animal by-product ingredients, like milk or honey. ‘Vegan’ dives deeper into what goes into the final product but does not take into consideration whether or not the ingredient or product has been tested on animals.

Takeaway

A product could be vegan, meaning it does not contain any animal by-products, but the product could be tested on animals and not be cruelty-free. A product could also not be tested on animals and be cruelty-free, but contain milk so it is not vegan.

The terms are not interchangeable. They have their own, independent meaning.

examples

1. Dove: They have a vegan hair care line, but they are not cruelty-free. They sell in China where they are subject to post-market animal testing.
   
2. Colgate: They have a vegan toothpaste line, but they are not cruelty-free. They actively test on animals.
   
3. Pixi Beauty: They are 100% cruelty-free, but not all of their products are vegan.
   
4. Bliss: They are 100% cruelty-free, but not all of their products are vegan.

consumers have their own standards

There are many consumers out there who have strong opinions about this topic. It comes down to how you personally view the issue. Some consumers believe that it’s blasphemy for a brand to label themselves as cruelty-free if they aren’t vegan because taking by-products from animals is also a cruel process. They may say “a brand isn’t really cruelty-free if they aren’t vegan.” Whatever your personal standards are is completely up to you. But I hope this helped shed some light on what brands are saying when they label as ‘cruelty-free’ and ‘vegan.’

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XO,

Stephanie