La Mer is not cruelty free because their products are tested on animals where required by law (in mainland China).
Additionally, La Mer is not 100% vegan as a brand.
To learn more about this brand and find out why they’re not cruelty free, keep on reading!
By the way, if you’re looking for new cruelty free products to add to your skin care routine, make sure to check out the last section of this post where you’ll find some of the best La Mer cruelty free alternatives.
Let’s dive right in!
Is La Mer cruelty free? Are La Mer products tested on animals?
La Mer is NOT cruelty free.
In order to be cruelty free, brands:
- Must not test their finished products or ingredients on animals
- Must make sure that their suppliers don’t test on animals
- Must not commission third parties to test their products on animals
- Must not sell their products in stores in mainland China, or other countries where animal testing is still required by law
La Mer doesn’t have an official animal testing policy, and they didn’t respond when I reached out to them.
So, I researched on my own and discovered that La Mer products are sold in mainland China (more on that below).
Currently, all brands that sell their products in stores in mainland China have to agree to have their products tested on animals, so they can’t be cruelty free.
Therefore, La Mer is not cruelty free.
Additionally, La Mer is on PETA’s list of companies that test on animals.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is La Mer sold in China?
La Mer is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.
They have multiple stores in China as specified on the Chinese version of their website.
Additionally, this market analysis that explains when La Mer entered the Chinese market:
LA MER entered the Chinese market when its first special counter opened in 2004 in Sitech Plaza in Beijing(北京). Then, in 2007, it opened a second special counter in Shin Kong Place(新光天地), which, together with Sitech Plaza, gave it two locations within the CBD of Beijing. Later also in 2007, it opened a third special counter in the Lane Crawford on Finance Street in Beijing. Then in 2009, in addition, another counter opened in Yansha(燕莎) Friendship Shopping Mall.
Source: Daxue Consulting
Why can’t cruelty free brands sell in mainland China?
Animal testing is still happening for products sold in physical stores in mainland China.
Pre-market animal testing is required for all special-use imported products, and non-routine post-market testing on animals may also be done in cases of customer complaints.
However, please keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to products sold in stores at the airports, or in Hong Kong.
Also, products can be sold online and shipped to mainland China without being tested on animals.
Is La Mer owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
La Mer is owned by Estée Lauder, a company that tests on animals.
Is La Mer vegan?
La Mer is not 100% vegan, because some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Additionally, please note that since La Mer products may be tested on animals in China and are therefore not cruelty free, I wouldn’t consider them vegan-friendly.
Cruelty free and vegan alternatives to La Mer
La Mer is a luxury skincare beauty brand. They sell creams, serums, treatments for specific skin issues and more.
There are so many beauty brands that are cruelty free! That’s why, in my opinion, there’s really no excuse for supporting brands that test on animals.
Some of the best cruelty free alternatives to La Mer are:
If you want to discover more luxury and cruelty free brands, check out my post on the 12 Best Luxury Cruelty Free Brands: The Ultimate Guide.
Now it’s your turn!
What are your favorite cruelty free brands?
Let me know in the comments below!