Lancome is not cruelty free. This means that their products are tested on animals.
Additionally, Lancome is not 100% vegan as a brand because some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
If you’d like to know why they’re not cruelty free and learn more about this brand, keep on reading!
And by the way, if you’re looking for new 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 Lancome cruelty free alternatives.
Let’s dive right in!
Is Lancome cruelty free? Are Lancome products tested on animals?
Lancome 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
It seems that Lancome has deleted their animal testing policy from their website (possibly because of criticism as it was misleading?).
Regardless, during my research, I discovered that Lancome products are sold in mainland China. This is in contradiction with one of the requirements for cruelty free brands.
Even though China has relaxed their animal testing requirements, brands that sell in China still can’t be cruelty free.
Therefore, Lancome is not cruelty free.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is Lancome sold in China?
Lancome is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.
In 1997, Lancôme became the first high-end overseas brand entering the cosmetics market in China. In 2018, Lancôme China had 272 stores in 115 cities. Additionally, Lancôme has been the No. 1 best seller of high-end cosmetics market in China since 2005. “The sales revenue of Lancôme in China has increased 400 times in 22 years” according to Ma Xiaoyu, the GM of Lancôme China. The high growth revenue has proved the economic boom of China and Lancôme’s ability to keep pace with the times.
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 Lancome owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
Lancome is owned by L’Oréal, a company that isn’t cruelty free.
I have an entire post dedicated to L’Oréal’s cruelty free status and animal testing policy, so if you want to learn more, check it out.
Is Lancome vegan?
Lancome is not 100% vegan.
They have some vegan products, but a lot of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or by-products, which means they can’t be vegan.
Also, please note that since Lancome 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 Lancome
Lancome is a luxury beauty brand mostly focused on makeup, fragrance and skincare.
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 Lancome 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 do you think about Lancome’s animal testing policy? What are your favorite cruelty free brands?
Let me know in the comments below!