Today, Estée Lauder announced that it has partnered with Cruelty-Free International and Humane Society International to advance the global end of animal testing. This announcement states that Estée Lauder will be supporting these organizations’ efforts in ending animal testing and also seeking Leaping Bunny certifications for some of its brands. What does this mean for Estée Lauder and its acquired brands? Is Estée Lauder cruelty-free? Keep reading to learn what this means for the future of Estée Lauder and its acquired brands.
Is Estée Lauder Cruelty-Free?
No. This announcement does not mean Estée Lauder is cruelty-free. Estée Lauder is not currently Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free. The brand still sells their products in China, where animal testing is required by law.
Because Estée Lauder is not cruelty-free, all of its acquired brands are owned by a non-cruelty-free parent company and are not Free The Bunnies approved cruelty-free at this time, whether the brands themselves are cruelty-free (CF) or not.
Major brands owned by Estée Lauder:
- Aveda (CF)
- BECCA Cosmetics (CF)
- Smashbox (CF)
- Too Faced (CF)
- Origins (not CF)
- Bobbi Brown (not CF)
- Clinique (not CF)
- M.A.C. Cosmetics (not CF)
- Glamglow (not CF)
- Tom Ford (not CF)
- La Mer (not CF)
All of these brands are owned by non-cruelty-free parent company Estée Lauder and are not considered 100% cruelty-free.
Estée Lauder and Cruelty-Free International Partnership
The new partnership between Estée Lauder and Cruelty-Free International (CFI) shows Estée Lauder’s commitment to making a positive change in animal testing. Estée Lauder will support CFI’s efforts to embed cruelty-free production and consumerism in the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Estée Lauder has also committed to work towards a Leaping Bunny certification, starting with some of its acquired brands.
Estée Lauder and Humane Society International Partnership
Estée Lauder will be supporting HSI in their efforts on the #BeCrueltyFree campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics. They will encourage authorities to seek non-animal testing alternatives and spread awareness on non-animal cosmetics safety assessments,
What does this announcement mean for Estée Lauder and its acquired brands?
I want to start by saying that as of today, nothing has changed for Estée Lauder’s cruelty-free status and its acquired brands. These brands are still not cruelty-free, so please don’t get that confused. They are not safe to run out and buy if you’re a cruelty-free consumer.
What this announcement means is that Estée Lauder is working towards getting some of their brands Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free. This is the first step in Estée Lauder themselves becoming Leaping Bunny certified, which is HUGE. I am extremely hopeful for this massive change.
Why these partnerships are a POSITIVE thing:
Even though Estée Lauder is not cruelty-free at this time, these partnerships are a positive thing. Because Estée Lauder sells in China, they serve as a connection to the Chinese authorities, and can help further CFI’s and HSI’s global efforts in spreading awareness on non-animal cosmetics safety assessments. They have also committed to begin the process with CFI to become Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free. While it seems hypocritical for Estée Lauder to be selling in China and partnering with CFI and HSI, it’s hopefully going to bring massive change to Estée Lauder’s cruelty-free status and the efforts in banning animal testing globally.
When will Estée Lauder and Its Acquired Brands Be Safe To Buy as Cruelty-Free?
As Estée Lauder’s brands become Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free, it’s important to remember that these brands will still be owned by a non-cruelty-free parent company. They will not be Free The Bunnies approved cruelty-free UNTIL Estée Lauder (their parent company) is also cruelty-free.
Estée Lauder cannot be Leaping Bunny certified until their brand and all of its acquired brands are cruelty-free first. So while this may take some time, certifying their brands with Leaping Bunny as cruelty-free is a great first step in the process for Estée Lauder to become 100% cruelty-free.
Takeaways from this announcement:
- Estée Lauder is still not cruelty-free.
- Their acquired brands are still owned by a non-cruelty-free parent company and are not Free The Bunnies approved at this time.
- Estée Lauder is working towards certifying some of their brands with Leaping Bunny as cruelty-free.
- As these brands become Leaping Bunny certified, remember that they are still owned by a non-cruelty-free parent company.
- Estée Lauder cannot be considered cruelty-free until all of their acquired brands are cruelty-free first.
- This is a great step in the right direction for Estée Lauder becoming cruelty-free.
While Estée Lauder and its acquired brands are still not cruelty-free, this announcement is a HUGE positive step and I am very hopeful that they will be cruelty-free in the future. If Estée Lauder does become 100% cruelty-free, their acquired CF brands will also be 100% cruelty-free and that’s super exciting. So while nothing has changed today, this lets us be hopeful for the future.
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XO, Stephanie
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