Although MAC Cosmetics may not be conducting these animal tests themselves, they are knowingly allowing Chinese authorities to test their products on animals in order to sell in China. Many truly cruelty-free brands have chosen not to sell their products in China because of the country’s animal testing laws. This is a fantastic cruelty free alternative and is in the same price range as Hoola! Dupes: Chi Chi, Makeup geek & Anastasia beverly hills eye shadows! Mac eyeshadows and pigments have always been known in the beauty world as one of the best! But they barely compare to Makeup Geek & Anastasia Beverly Hills shadows! MAC is not cruelty free. Additionally, although sSome of MAC’s products are vegan, MAC is not 100% vegan as a brand. Generally, this brand’s cruelty free status is a little questionable and doesn’t fall within my criteria of “cruelty free”. Is MAC Cosmetics Cruelty-Free and Vegan? Beauty, Blog Posts, Search Vegan and Cruelty-Free, Tests on Animals / December 1, 2020 by The Vegan Abroad / Leave a Comment Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain some affiliate links, which means when you click I get a small percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you.
Cosmetics (Estee Lauder) cruelty-free? Search for cruelty-free and vegan companies and products using PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies database.
It’s a little confusing when you look up MAC cosmetics website and they have a statement saying that MAC does not test on animals. However when you dig further you find that this is actually not the case. So let’s get at the truth and discover if MAC Cosmetics is truly cruelty free in 2020 or not?
Under ‘animal testing’ on the footer tab of MAC cosmetics menu you’ll come across this statement:
WORKING TOWARD A CRUELTY-FREE WORLD
M·A·C does not test on animals. We do not own any animal testing facilities and we never ask others to test on animals for us. While some governments conduct animal testing to prove safety before they will allow us to sell our products, M·A·C has never tested on animals and we continue to be a leader in the movement to end animal testing globally. To this end, we are proud to partner with IIVS (INSTITUTE FOR IN VITRO SCIENCES) to expand the use and acceptance of non-animal testing methods worldwide.

WHAT DOES CRUELTY-FREE MEAN?
According to the dictionary, cruelty-free is a cosmetic or other product developed without being tested on animals; pertaining to a product created without being tested on animals.
They’re a bit more to that definition when it comes to cosmetics. For a product or company to be considered cruelty-free it needs to meet the following criteria:
- Does not test their products or ingredients on animals
- Does not authorize third-parties to test their products or ingredients on animals
- Does not sell in a country where animal testing is required
When a company is declaring their cruelty-free status they are talking about their manufacturing process and materials in the present time.
BUT!! MAC Cosmetics is not certified Cruelty Free by Leaping Bunny, Peta or Cruelty Free International! And Mac is also sold in China.

Mac is owned by Estée Lauder, whose animal testing policy is not to test on animals unless required by law. But because MAC is sold in China, where animal testing is required, MAC isn’t a cruelty-free company. Boo!
From The MAC Cosmetic Website:
Which countries require animal testing?
China tests on animals as part of its safety assessment of cosmetic products. We love our fans and we never want to exclude them anywhere.
How does M·A·C test its products for safety and efficacy?
We use human volunteers and we conduct or commission in vitro testing.


Does M·A·C own any animal testing facilities?
No. We don’t own any animal testing facilities anywhere in the world.
***Remember that brands willingly sell their products in China even though they know their products will be tested on animals.
The statement “We love our fans and we never want to exclude them anywhere.” tells you that MAC Cosmetics values profits over animal welfare. Please don’t support brands like these that are tested on animals when there are so many wonderful Cruelty free alternatives.
CONCLUSION

Based on all the facts above, MAC Cosmetics is NOTCRUELTY FREE. Their products are sold in mainland China and can be subjected to animal testing required by law.
Mac Cosmetics Animal Cruelty Free
Please sign the petition to stop harmful animal testing globally! We can do this!
More Articles of Interest
Is Maybelline Cruelty Free
When you look at a carnivorous diet and a herbivorous diet, the differences between the two are really quite vast. In restaurants or supermarkets, it’s now expected for menu’s to outline which dishes are suitable for vegetarians and which aren’t and it’s becoming increasingly more expectant for companies to state which dishes are vegan. With the vegan dishes, chefs may swap a pint of cow’s milk for that of the almond or soy kind or choose a tofu stir-fry for their specials board over a chicken and prawn.
Without sounding patronising, the most mainstream preferences are the dietary inclusion of meat, abstaining from meat and the complete exclusion of all animal by-products; there are clear differences in food for a variety of different motives. But when it comes to ‘vegan’ and ‘cruelty-free’ cosmetics, it seems the boundaries are still blurred.
Many cosmetics companies, among the likes of NYX, Elf and Urban Decay, are confirmed by PETA to be ‘cruelty-free’ and help ‘to end cruel tests on animals, while sending a powerful message to the companies that still test’ (PETA, no date). The practice within these cosmetics companies will reject the application of cosmetics to animals of any kind and instead propose a more ethical route for instance, volunteer studies with sophisticated scanning technology or through artificially curated human/animal cell structures in their laboratories. But, these methods do not make a company ‘vegan’.
Like the chefs in the restaurants or those deciding on vegan stock in Tesco’s, many cosmetics companies are also committed to removing all animal by-products from their ranges. Whether it just be a segment of their collection, at Charlotte Tilbury for instance, or foundation to their company, at OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) for instance, veganism in the beauty industry is growing but the distinctions between ‘cruelty-free’ and vegan can be easy to mistake.
Indeed, like cruelty-free brands, vegan companies still boycott the act of animal cruelty, animal testing and animal usage in-house. Vegan companies still continue to support the work of charities such as PETA or World Animal Protection and vegan companies still support the fight to end animal cruelty in the cosmetics industry. Yet, the un-obvious and most important difference is the boycott of all animal by-products; this including the likes of tallow (animal fat), gelatin (bones) and one of the most-used animal products in the industry: Carmine (crushed beetles) which you’ll find in your favourite MAC Cosmetics lipstick.
Don’t panic though, this isn’t wholly the mistake of consumers; the term ‘cruelty-free’ does get thrown about a lot. But when looking for cosmetics, consult PETA’s Vegan Beauty list and do your research because the distinctions made by these cosmetics companies are still blurred and there is really no excuse for it; especially when the amount of people switching to veganism is increasing. For example, take Anastasia Beverly Hills, famous for their Dipbrow Pomade and Contour Kits, who pride themselves as ‘cruelty-free’ yet still continue to use animal by-products. Although Anastasia aren’t testing on animals and do house some vegan products, the mislead and clarity of what ‘cruelty-free’ means in the beauty world is still a real issue for their customers.
Those who continue to test on animals can be expected to keep their inhumane acts act a whisper and include just a tiny disclaimer on their website’s ‘About’ page. Take a look on MAC Cosmetics‘ or Bobbi Brown‘s website for example (both non-cruelty-free brands), the ingredients for the majority of their products aren’t even listed which makes it more difficult for people to make a clear distinction for themselves. But, for those ‘cruelty-free’ brands, explaining exactly what is meant by ‘cruelty-free’ shouldn’t be a secret.
Ultimately, Cruelty-free brands still use animal by-products.
If your satisfied with animal derivatives in your cosmetics then so be it, but if your a vegan, do your research on the ‘cruelty-free’ brands out there because chances are, the wool could be being pulled over your eyes.
List Of Cruelty Free Cosmetics
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