List of FAKE “Cruelty-Free” Brands

Tired of being lied to by supposedly “cruelty-free” brands? This is a list of fake cruelty-free brands that claim to be, are frequently listed as, or are often assumed to be “cruelty-free,” but actually are NOT (and some fake vegan brands too).

About This List

A FAKE “cruelty-free” brand qualifies as one or more of the following:

How to use this list

THE BRANDS ON THIS LIST SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE because the money they receive will still fund cruelty to animals in some form or another.

For a list of companies you should NEVER buy from, see my List of Companies That Test On Animals.

For a list of SAFE companies to buy from, see my List of Cruelty-Free & Vegan Companies.

Key:

NV = not a 100% vegan brand

T = parent company tests on animals

C = sells products in mainland China

L = caught lying or being misleading about being vegan

NLB = not Leaping Bunny certified


A-Z

Ancient Egyptian Bath And Body ElixirsNV
AvedaNVTNLB
AvonNVTCNLB
BeccaNVTNLB
Bili BeautyNV
Bite BeautyNVT
Bobbi BrownNVTNLB
Bulldog SkincareT
Bumble and BumbleNVTNLB
Burt’s BeesNVT
CaldreaT
Cate McNabb CosmeticsNV
CliniqueNVTNLB
Coastal Classic CreationsNV
Color NoirNV
Common GoodNVL
CoverGirlNVT
DarphinNVTNLB
defy & InspireT
DermalogicaNVT
DoveNVTNLB
Dr. Mercola Healthy SkinT
Earth’s BeautyNV
EchocleanT
EcoverT
Elevé CosmeticsNVL
Espionage CosmeticsNV
Estée LauderNVTNLB
FitglowNVL
Gabriel CosmeticsNV
GlamGlowNVTNLB
Hello BelloNVL
hello productsT
Ingredients MatterNVL
Jo MaloneNVTNLB
KilianNVTNLB
Kino Hawaiian SkincareNVL
Le LaboNVTCNLB
Lime CrimeT
Little TwigNVL
Liz EarleNVT
LUSH CosmeticsNVNLB
MACNVTNLB
Mary KayNVTCNLB
MethodT
Michael KorsNVTNLB
Molton BrownNVT
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean DayT
Nature’s BrandsNVL
OgeeNVL
One Two CosmeticsNVL
OPINVTCNLB
OriginsNVTNLB
Rodin Olio LussoNVTNLB
SAINT CosmeticsNVL
Schmidt’s DeodorantT
Seventh GenerationT
Skin2SpiritNVL
Skin Essence OrganicsNVL
SmashboxNVTNLB
Tom Ford BeautyNVTNLB
Tommy HilfigerNVTNLB
Too FacedNVTNLB
Tory BurchNVTNLB
Tre’YoursT
TruSelf OrganicsNVL
TulipNVL
The Unscented CompanyNVL
Wet N WildNVTCNLB

More Ways to Make a Difference

Here are some more ways to maximize your impact and be ethically consistent:

Go Meat-Free

Go Dairy-Free

Go Egg-Free