Laneige is not cruelty free because their products are tested on animals where required by law (in mainland China).
Additionally, Laneige is not 100% vegan as a brand as some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
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 skincare routine, make sure to check out the last section of this post where you’ll find some of the best Laneige cruelty free alternatives.
Let’s dive right in!
Is Laneige cruelty free? Are Laneige products tested on animals?
Laneige 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
This is Laneige’s official animal testing policy (I’ve highlighted the important part):
Are your products cruelty free?
source: Laneige’s website
As an enterprise seeking peaceful coexistence between nature, human beings and businesses, AMOREPACIFIC pledges elimination of unnecessary animal testing for cosmetics to respect all living creatures.
We have voluntarily discontinued animal testing on cosmetic ingredients and finished goods since 2008. And as of May 1, 2013, will expand the non-animal testing policy to our suppliers. Through continuous cooperation with academia, AMOREPACIFIC will further enhance our efforts to develop alternative testing methods.
*Exceptions to this principle will apply however, if animal testing is required or bound by local governments or laws.
In the highlighted point, they’re referring to mainland China, where animal testing is still required by law.
Selling products in mainland China is in contradiction with the cruelty free brand requirements.
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, Laneige is not cruelty free.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is Laneige sold in China?
Laneige is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.
Korean cosmetics brand Laneige has opened its first standalone concept flagship store in Beijing.
source: Fashion Network, May 11, 2017
They have published their store locations in China on their website.
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 Laneige owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
Laneige is owned by AmorePacific, a company which is not cruelty free.
Is Laneige vegan?
Laneige is not 100% vegan. Some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Additionally, please note that since Laneige 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 Laneige
Laneige is a popular K-Beauty brand, mostly popular for their skincare products.
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 Laneige 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!