Ponds is not cruelty free because their products are tested on animals where required by law (in mainland China).
Additionally, Pond’s is not a vegan brand, as some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
To learn more about this brand and find out why they’re not cruelty free, keep on reading!
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 Pond’s cruelty free alternatives.
Let’s dive right in!
Is Pond’s cruelty free? Are Pond’s products tested on animals?
Pond’s 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 Pond’s official animal testing policy:
Does POND’S® test its products on animals?
POND’S® uses a wide range of non-animal approaches to assess the safety of its products for consumers and does not test products on animals.
Source: Pond’s
That’s a little misleading, and here’s why:
- They haven’t mentioned anything about their ingredients; usually, it’s the ingredients that get tested on animals by the brands (or third parties), and not the finished products (except when required by law).
- They haven’t mentioned anything about cases of animal testing of their products where required by law.
So, I researched this brand and found out that they sell in mainland China, where animal testing is still required by law.
Selling in China is in contradiction with one of the requirements for cruelty free brands.
Since Pond’s does sell their products in mainland China, their products may be subjected to animal testing there.
Therefore, Pond’s is not cruelty free.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is Pond’s sold in China?
Pond’s is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.
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 Pond’s owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
Pond’s is owned by Unilever, a company that tests on animals.
You can read more about Unilever’s animal testing policy and cruelty free status in my post dedicated to Unilever.
Unilever also owns other brands that aren’t cruelty free, including Dove, Rexona and Axe, but they also own some cruelty free brands such as Shea Moisture.
Is Pond’s vegan?
Pond’s is not 100% vegan. Some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Also, please keep in mind that since Pond’s products may be tested on animals in mainland China, I definitely wouldn’t consider them as a vegan-friendly brand.
Cruelty free and vegan alternatives to Pond’s
Pond’s is a skincare brand that sells face cream, cleansers and other types of 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 Pond’s are:
The Ordinary
Pacifica
Paula’s Choice
Krave Beauty
Youth to the People
Drunk Elephant
If you want to discover more cruelty free skincare brands, check out my post on The 7 Best Cruelty Free Skin Care Brands in 2021 That Are Also 100% Vegan and Sustainable.
Now it’s your turn!
What are your favorite cruelty free brands?
Let me know in the comments below!