Is Clinique Cruelty Free and Vegan? (2024 Update)

Clinique is not cruelty free because their products are tested on animals where required by law (in mainland China).

Additionally, Clinique 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 luxury cruelty free 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 Clinique cruelty free alternatives.

Let’s dive right in!

Is Clinique cruelty free? Are Clinique products tested on animals?

Clinique 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

Let’s take a look at Clinique’s official animal testing policy (I’ve highlighted the important part):

Clinique Laboratories, LLC. is committed to the elimination of animal testing. We are equally committed to consumer health and safety, and bringing to market products that comply with applicable regulations in every country in which our products are sold.

We do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients, nor ask others to test on our behalf, except when required by law. We evaluate our finished products in clinical tests on volunteer panels.

Clinique Laboratories, LLC. fully supports the development and global acceptance of non-animal testing alternatives. To this end, the Company works extensively with the industry at large and the global scientific community to research and fund these alternatives.
Source: Clinique

In the highlighted point, Clinique is referring to mainland China, where animal testing is still required by law.

Since Clinique does sell their products in mainland China, their products may be subjected to animal testing there.

Therefore, Clinique is not cruelty free.

Clinique is listed on PETA’s list of companies that do test on animals.

Keep on reading for more information!

Is Clinique sold in China?

Clinique is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.

Regarding the stores, Clinique owns 100 of them around China. Unfortunately, none of them are in Shanghai.
Source: Marketing To China

You can read more about Clinique’s Chinese market here.

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 Clinique owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?

Clinique is owned by Estee Lauder, a company that tests on animals.

Is Clinique vegan?

Clinique is not 100% vegan. Some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.

Also, please keep in mind that since Clinique products may be tested on animals in mainland China, I definitely wouldn’t consider them as a vegan-friendly brand.