Etude House is not cruelty free because their products are tested on animals where required by law (in mainland China).
Additionally, Etude House 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!
And if you’re looking for new K-beauty products to add to your beauty routine, make sure to check out the last section of this post where you’ll find some of the best Etude House cruelty free alternatives.
Let’s dive right in!
Is Etude House cruelty free? Are Etude House products tested on animals?
Etude House 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
Etude House doesn’t have an official animal testing policy posted on their website.
However, during my research I discovered that Etude House products are sold in mainland China, which is in contradiction with the last bullet point above about cruelty free brands.
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, Etude House is not cruelty free.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is Etude House sold in China?
Etude House is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.
AmorePacific’s affordable makeup brand Etude House opened its Shanghai flagship store on Aug. 8 [2014].
Source: The Korea Herald
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 Etude House owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
Etude House is owned by Amore Pacific, a company which tests on animals.
Is Etude House vegan?
Etude House is not 100% vegan. Some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Additionally, please note that since Etude House 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 Etude House
Etude House is a popular K-Beauty brand. They’re mostly known for their skincare products, but they also sell makeup, nail products, beauty tools and brushes, 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 Etude House are:
If you want to discover more Korean beauty skincare brands, check out my post on Cruelty Free Korean Skin Care: 7 Best K-Beauty Brands (2021 Update).
Now it’s your turn!
What are your favorite cruelty free brands?
Let me know in the comments below!