Cruelty-Free Beauty Brand Comparison Tool
Cruelty-Free Status Explained
True cruelty-free means a brand:
- Doesn't test on animals directly or through third parties
- Has official certification (Leaping Bunny or PETA)
- Doesn't sell in markets requiring animal testing (like China)
| Brand | Cruelty-Free Status | Sells in China | Vegan Options | Price Range | Availability |
|---|
Maybelline has been a household name in makeup for nearly a century. You’ve seen their mascaras on drugstore shelves, their lipsticks in your mom’s purse, their foundation in every college dorm. But if you’ve been asking whether Maybelline is truly cruelty-free, you’re not alone. Millions of shoppers want to know: can you trust this brand if you care about animals?
Maybelline’s current stance on animal testing
As of 2025, Maybelline is not cruelty-free. The brand still tests on animals when required by law - specifically in mainland China. That’s because Chinese regulations still demand animal testing for most imported cosmetics sold in physical stores. Even if a brand doesn’t test on animals voluntarily, if they sell in China, they’re subject to mandatory testing by third-party labs.
Maybelline is owned by L’Oréal, a multinational corporation that has invested heavily in alternative testing methods like lab-grown skin and AI-driven simulations. But L’Oréal hasn’t pulled Maybelline out of China. Why? Because the Chinese market is too big to ignore. In 2024, L’Oréal reported over $2.1 billion in sales from mainland China alone. For a mass-market brand like Maybelline, that’s not just revenue - it’s survival.
What does ‘cruelty-free’ actually mean?
There’s a big difference between a brand that says, “We don’t test on animals,” and one that’s certified cruelty-free. Many companies claim they don’t test directly - but if their products or ingredients are tested by third parties, or if they sell in countries with mandatory animal testing, they don’t qualify as truly cruelty-free.
Certifications matter. Look for the Leaping Bunny logo (managed by Cruelty Free International) or the PETA Bunny. These mean the brand has been audited, their supply chain is verified, and they don’t sell in markets requiring animal testing. Maybelline doesn’t carry either of these logos. That’s not an accident - it’s a signal.
Why Maybelline won’t go fully cruelty-free anytime soon
It’s not about lack of technology. L’Oréal has spent over €1 billion on non-animal testing methods since the 1980s. They’ve developed 3D skin models, organ-on-a-chip systems, and even AI tools that predict skin irritation without animals. So why doesn’t Maybelline use them?
Because going cruelty-free would mean walking away from China’s $30 billion beauty market. And that’s not just a financial decision - it’s a corporate strategy. Maybelline’s parent company prioritizes global reach over ethical consistency. If they removed Maybelline from China, they’d lose shelf space in Watsons, Suning, and JD.com - places where millions of Chinese consumers buy their first makeup.
Other L’Oréal-owned brands like NYX and Urban Decay are cruelty-free. They chose to exit China’s physical retail market to keep their certifications. Maybelline didn’t. That tells you everything you need to know.
What about vegan makeup? Is Maybelline vegan?
Being cruelty-free doesn’t mean a product is vegan. Vegan means no animal-derived ingredients - no beeswax, carmine, lanolin, or collagen. Maybelline uses several of these. Their popular SuperStay Matte Ink lipstick contains carmine, a red pigment made from crushed cochineal insects. Their Great Lash mascara includes beeswax.
There are no fully vegan Maybelline lines. Even their “clean” or “natural” labeled products still contain animal-derived ingredients. If you’re looking for vegan makeup, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Alternatives that are truly cruelty-free and vegan
You don’t have to sacrifice quality or affordability to avoid animal testing. Brands like:
- NYX Professional Makeup - owned by L’Oréal, but certified cruelty-free and vegan by PETA. Their lipsticks, eyeshadows, and concealers are widely available in the US, UK, and Europe.
- ColourPop - affordable, colorful, and 100% cruelty-free. They don’t sell in China, so they maintain their certification.
- IT Cosmetics - dermatologist-backed, with a strong focus on ethical sourcing. Their Bye Bye Foundation is a cult favorite.
- Real Techniques - makeup brushes and tools that are 100% synthetic and cruelty-free. Great for beginners.
- E.L.F. Cosmetics - priced under $10 for most items, certified by Leaping Bunny, and fully vegan. They’ve built a loyal following by staying true to their values.
These brands don’t just say they’re cruelty-free - they prove it. They get audited. They publish their supplier lists. They refuse to sell in China. And they still deliver high-performance products.
Can Maybelline change? Is there hope?
China is changing. In 2021, they started allowing certain imported cosmetics to skip animal testing if they meet strict safety standards. By 2024, over 70% of imported cosmetics could be sold without animal testing - if they’re labeled as “ordinary cosmetics” and sold only online.
That’s a loophole. Brands like The Ordinary, Drunk Elephant, and Paula’s Choice are already using it. They sell in China - but only through cross-border e-commerce. No physical stores. No mandatory testing.
Maybelline could follow. They could pull out of physical retail in China and go fully online. That would let them keep their global presence while becoming cruelty-free. But they haven’t. And they haven’t even announced plans to try.
Until they do, their cruelty-free status remains unchanged.
What you can do
If you love Maybelline’s products but care about animals, you have a few choices:
- Switch to a certified cruelty-free brand. You’ll find better performance, cleaner ingredients, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing no animals were harmed.
- Buy Maybelline only if you’re okay with supporting animal testing. That’s a personal decision - but be honest with yourself about what you’re funding.
- Use your voice. Sign petitions. Tag Maybelline on social media. Ask them: “Will you stop selling in China to go cruelty-free?” The more people ask, the harder it becomes to ignore.
There’s no shame in wanting affordable makeup. But there’s power in knowing where your money goes. And right now, Maybelline’s choice is clear: profit over principle.
Final verdict
Is Maybelline cruelty-free? No. Not now. Not likely anytime soon. They’re part of a corporate structure that chooses market access over ethics. Their products are widely available, affordable, and effective - but they come at a cost. Animals are still being tested on because of their sales in China.
If you want makeup that’s kind to your skin and kind to animals, there are plenty of better options out there. You don’t need to compromise. You just need to know where to look.