Innisfree is not cruelty free because their products are tested on animals where required by law (in mainland China).
Additionally, Innisfree 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 Korean 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 Innisfree cruelty free alternatives.
Let’s dive right in!
Is Innisfree cruelty free? Are Innisfree products tested on animals?
Innisfree 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
Innisfree doesn’t have an official animal testing policy.
However, Innisfree products are sold in mainland China, which is in contradiction with the last bullet point above.
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, Innisfree is not cruelty free.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is Innisfree sold in China?
Innisfree is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.
They have several stores in mainland China. Some examples can be seen listed on their Brand History page.
Some more information about Innisfree’s China market entry:
In 2004, Amore Pacific’s store brand Innisfree (In Chinese 悦诗风吟) came into China for the first time in the form of department store counters. Facing strong competition, it was just in April 2012, with the adjusted channel and product’s strategy, that Innisfree got back to the Chinese market. As of 2014, the company opened more than 100 stores in China.
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 Innisfree owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
Innisfree is owned by Amore Pacific, a company which tests on animals.
Is Innisfree vegan?
Innisfree is not 100% vegan. Some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Additionally, please note that since Innisfree 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 Innisfree
Innisfree is a popular K-Beauty brand. They’re mostly known for their skincare products, but they also sell makeup, body and hair care products, fragrance 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 Innisfree 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!