ColourPop is a globally recognized beauty and cosmetic brand that sells products based on the “cruelty-free” notion. The brand has PETA’s “Global Beauty Without Bunnies” logo, which assures its cruelty-free commitment. Is ColourPop really cruelty-free, or is the brand hiding something from its customers?
This detailed review is about to find out the answer!
What Does ‘Cruelty-Free’ Actually Mean?
The “cruelty-free” tag on cosmetic products means that neither the final product nor its ingredients were tested on animals at any stage of development.
However, various companies use the term differently. Many brands claim to make their products cruelty-free but often buy their ingredients from ventures that religiously test animals.
A genuinely cruelty-free company has certifications that prove its status. Some of these certifications are:
- Leaping Bunny (Cruelty-Free International): To receive this certification, a company must ensure that both the final product and its ingredients are free from animal testing at all stages of development.
- PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies: If companies require this certification, they must pledge no animal testing. PETA has more lenient standards than Leaping Bunnies.
- Choose Cruelty-Free (CCF): CCF is an Australian certification with very strict no-animal testing policies.
Here is something that you should know. Cruelty-free doesn’t mean vegan. A cruelty-free product doesn’t need to be free from animal-derived ingredients. For instance, cruelty-free products can have ingredients like beeswax or lanolin.
If a product is labeled as both vegan and cruelty-free, it means that it contains no animal-derived ingredients and has never been tested on animals.
ColourPop’s Cruelty-Free Claim
ColourPop is a famous American cosmetics brand founded in 2014 by two siblings, Laura and John Nelson. It is loved by beauty lovers for its affordability. You can easily find a great product within the $5 and $20 range.
The company is cruelty-free and doesn’t test its products on animals. Here are some details about this claim.
- ColourPop doesn’t conduct nor commission animal testing on its products.
- The brand also ensures that its ingredients are not sourced by suppliers who test them on animals.
- ColourPop also doesn’t sell in countries that require animal testing by law.
The Grey Areas: What They Don’t Tell You
ColourPop claims to be a cruelty-free, vegan brand. Seed Beauty, the parent company behind ColourPop, is also cruelty-free.
According to the brand, they do not sell its products in countries where animal testing is required by law.
China is among the countries that have tested its products on animals. In fact, the country requires animal testing for all products made and sold within its borders. ColourPop does not sell its products in mainland China in a way that requires animal testing.
However, since ColourPop is a US brand that sells from the US, the rule doesn’t apply to it. ColourPop only sells online to Chinese customers. This helps the brand avoid any animal testing laws.
But despite all these facts, there are potential loopholes in cruelty-free labeling that you must know about.
ColourPop does not test finished products on animals. However, some raw ingredients may have been tested on animals by third-party suppliers before reaching ColourPop.
Unfortunately, terms like “cruelty-free” and “not tested on animals” are not always legally regulated. Many big corporations self-certify without any third-party verification, misleading consumers.
Certifications and Recognition
ColourPop has received many certifications that prove the company’s vegan-friendly and cruelty-free status. It prides itself on being bunny-approved. However, the brand is not certified by the prestigious Leaping Bunny Organization.
Instead, ColourPop is recognized by PETA as a cruelty-free brand. But you must know that PETA’s standards are not very strict. The certification doesn’t make it compulsory for brands to audit their cruelty-free suppliers. Therefore, trusting this certification alone may be tricky.
In addition to the mentioned certifications, ColourPop has also won several makeup beauty awards from Glamour Allure, Influenster, Temptalia, and OK!
Is ColourPop Vegan Too?
In 2021, ColourPop became 100% vegan. This means that its products do not contain animal-derived ingredients like carmine, beeswax, or lanolin.
Yes, to find vegan ColourPop products, always do the following:
- Check the vegan-friendly labels on the products available in stores and online.
- You can also go through the list of ingredients to find the status of the product.
- Avoid products in red and pink shades as they often contain carmine, a red pigment derived from crushed cochineal insects.
ColourPop’s Ingredients
ColourPop has a large variety of products with different ingredients used to make their formulas.
For instance, the Pressed Powder Eyeshadow contains Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Talc, Boron Nitride, Zinc Stearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Magnesium Stearate, and Dimethicone as some of the primary ingredients.
Similarly, the Super Shock highlighter is made from Dimethicone, Alumina, Isononyl Isononanoate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, and Trimethylsiloxysilicate as some of its ingredients.
Some of the top ingredients used in ColourPop products are:
- Shea Butter: This ingredient helps in softening and moisturizing the skin.
- Coconut oil: It hydrates the skin while providing a creamy texture.
- Candelilla Wax: This ingredient is often used instead of beeswax in ColourPop products. It is a plant-based wax that provides structure to lipsticks and balms.
- Iron Oxides: These are natural minerals that help add color to some of the products.
- Dimethicone: Considered as an effective smoothing agent, Dimethicone is often found in ColourPop foundations and primers.
ColourPop Test: Finished Products and Alternative Methods
When it comes to finished product testing, ColourPop clearly doesn’t test on animals. Moreover, if claims have to be believed, the company’s manufacturers and suppliers also don’t test on animals.
The company also does not sell directly in China, where animal testing is mandatory for imported cosmetics.
Instead of animal testing, ColourPop performs the following tests to test the quality of its products.
- Human Volunteer Testing: In this procedure, new products created by the brand are tested on human panels to check for their safety and effectiveness.
- Ingredient Safety Databases: ColourPop’s research and development teams use any available data on ingredient safety to label products as good or bad.
- In-Vitro Testing: The brand uses lab-grown skin cells to assess product safety in this test.
Final Verdicts
So, is ColourPop certified cruelty-free?
Well, it is safe to assume that it is a cruelty-free brand. However, it is always wise to do your homework before reaching a conclusion.
Make sure that you read the labels on the back of any product that you buy from ColourPop. Additionally, verify any instances of self-certification that ColourPop may have practiced.
Last but not least, buy with a ColourPop coupon code. It’s always better if it’s animal-friendly and, at the same time, budget-friendly.
