CoverGirl is 100% cruelty free. None of their ingredients or finished products are tested on animals.
Although CoverGirl does have some vegan options, they’re not 100% vegan as a brand.
Keep on reading if you want to learn more about this popular makeup brand.
And by the way, if you want to discover new CoverGirl products, check out the last section of this post where you can find some of their best (vegan) products.
Let’s dive right in!
Is CoverGirl cruelty free? Are CoverGirl products tested on animals?
CoverGirl doesn’t test on animals and is 100% cruelty free.
- CoverGirl finished products aren’t tested on animals by anyone, anywhere in the world
- The ingredients used in their products are never tested on animals by anyone, anywhere in the world
- Third parties never test CoverGirl products on animals
- CoverGirl is not sold in mainland China, or in any country where animal testing is still required by law
COVERGIRL does not test on animals! And now we’re Leaping Bunny approved by Cruelty Free International, which means we’re now a Cruelty Free makeup brand across ALL our products, EVERYWHERE we’re sold.
Source: CoverGirl’s cruelty free makeup page
CoverGirl is certified as a cruelty free brand by the Leaping Bunny program – one of the strictest cruelty free certification programs out there.
If you don’t know the differences between the different cruelty free certifications, check out my post Cruelty Free Certifications Explained: Who Can You Trust?.
CoverGirl actually has an interesting cruelty free story, and their story proves that boycotting brands that test on animals actually helps!
CoverGirl was founded in 1961 (yes, this brand is more than 60 years old!) and was owned by Procter & Gamble ever since their acquisition in 1989.
During this time, they weren’t cruelty free because their products were sold and tested on animals in mainland China.
However, back in 2016, Coty Inc. acquired CoverGirl.
After two years, in 2018, CoverGirl pulled out of the Chinese market and after an exhaustive audit by Cruelty Free International’s Leaping Bunny program, they officially became cruelty free certified.
This is the official answer by Coty as to why they went cruelty free:
Our purpose and vision is to enable all people to freely express themselves through the beauty products we create. A critical part of self-expression is offering ethical beauty products that are in line with our brand values and the values of our consumers. We believe harmless beauty should be accessible and it is our responsibility as an iconic, mainstream brand to make cruelty free beauty available for all.
Source: CoverGirl
In conclusion, CoverGirl is 100% cruelty free.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is CoverGirl sold in China?
No, CoverGirl products are NOT sold in physical stores in mainland China.
I’d like to note that (as mentioned above), they used to sell their products in China in the past, but have pulled out of the Chinese market and since 2018, they no longer sell their products there.
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 CoverGirl owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
CoverGirl is owned by Coty Inc., a company that is not cruelty free.
However, Coty’s impact on CoverGirl has been pretty positive, especially in the context of animal testing.
As I mentioned above, CoverGirl was owned by Procter & Gamble from 1989 to 2016. In 2016, Coty acquired CoverGirl, and it took them 2 years to decide to pull out from the Chinese market, stop animal testing to become cruelty free and get Leaping Bunny certified!
Coty Inc. is a multinational beauty company founded in 1904, and owns more than 77 brands. This includes brands that are not cruelty free, such as: Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabanna, and Rimmel, to name a few.
However, Coty also owns a couple of cruelty free brands including CoverGirl, Marc Jacobs and even 51% of Kylie Cosmetics.
Through partnership and collaboration with Cruelty Free International, we are committed to play our part in ending all animal testing in the beauty industry. Given our size and scale, our focus is on the following areas:
Exploring Leaping Bunny approval of other brands. We have started this process with COVERGIRL, and we are committed to at least one additional Coty brand becoming Leaping Bunny approved by 2018.
Using our role in industry associations and through engagement with diverse stakeholders to share the knowledge we have gained through this global supply chain certification process to promote cruelty free as an integral part of responsible beauty standards. Advocating for regulatory change.
Source: Coty
So, in conclusion: even though this brand is owned by a parent company that tests on animals, CoverGirl is 100% cruelty free and has their own animal testing policy, independent of their parent company.
Is CoverGirl vegan?
CoverGirl is not a vegan brand because some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
However, CoverGirl does have some vegan options.
In fact, they have an entire product line that is 100% vegan! It’s called CleanFresh, and you can check it out on their website.
Best CoverGirl products
CoverGirl is one of the biggest beauty brands that became cruelty free recently and got certified by the Leaping Bunny program.
They’ve been around for a long time (60+ years) and have become really popular, especially because their products are easily accessible and affordable.
I recommend that you check out any product from their Clean Fresh Collection, which is 100% vegan.
Say hello to the COVERGIRL® Clean Fresh Collection! Made with skin-loving ingredients like coconut milk and aloe vera, our vegan makeup collection is made without sulfates, formaldehyde, phthalates, parabens, and talc. Clean and simple, Clean Fresh vegan makeup gives you an effortless, healthy-looking glow that lasts all day. The collection features Clean Fresh Skin Milk Nourishing Foundation, Clean Fresh Cooling Glow Stick Highlighter, Clean Fresh Cream Blush, and Clean Fresh Lip Oil.
Source: CoverGirl
You can start with the Clean Fresh Hydrating Concealer and Clean Fresh Skin Milk Foundation, which are gentle, moisturizing and provide pretty good coverage.
CoverGirl products are available on Amazon.
Now, I’d like to hear from you!
What do you think about brands that used to test on animals but are now cruelty free, like CoverGirl?
Tell me in the comments below!