So it's a nice day and you're in the mall with your friends or family. You go into Watsons, intending to buy new makeup because you need something, want to try something out, or you finally went cruelty-free (congrats btw!)
Now, you want to try something from a foreign brand, and you're all excited. But you step over to the makeup counters and suddenly, you find yourself stuck.
Wait, which ones are cruelty-free again?
Fear not! This comprehensive list of international makeup brands that I was able to confirm to be cruelty-free and which ones you should likely avoid.
Flormar Cosmetics
Flormar is a drugstore brand that was founded in Italy but is produced and based in Turkey. It's a European brand that I have only seen European YouTubers talk about and was fairly surprised when I found it on Philippine shores in Watsons.
While Flormar is still a smaller brand that hasn't quite gotten popular so while there aren't any big cruelty-free blogs that have called them cruelty-free, I found smaller reputable blogs who have said so, like Dandelion Whiskers.
So Flormar Cosmetics is cruelty-free but they are not vegan, though they are Halal. That means that while they may incorporate animal-derived ingredients in their products, they do not have pig-derived ingredients.
BYS Cosmetics
If you're familiar with my blog, I have talked about BYS Cosmetics quite a bit here. They are an Australian drugstore brand that puts out interesting and exciting collections - which isn't common for a drugstore brand. I have a couple of palettes that I really like from this brand and I have some eye products from them that I use in my kit when I do makeup on others. BYS makes some awesome products (some are vegan too!).
As for their CF status, BYS Cosmetics is recognized by PETA and also by Logical Harmony. Tashina puts a lot of effort research and integrity into her blog so when she says a brand is cruelty-free, you best believe that it is!
Jordana Cosmetics
Owned by the same company as Milani, Jordana is the more affordable and laid-back sister with a wide array of staple makeup products, from lip products to face powders. While I personally haven't tried anything from Jordana yet, I know that a lot of people would love to try their products, especially when they're starting out as cruelty-free - and they totally can!
Jordana certified by both PETA and Leaping Bunny (which is more reputable as they have stricter regulations) and has vegan products as well. For more information, you can check out this blog post from Cruelty-Free Kitty.
ELF Cosmetics
Hooray for affordable brands that are cruelty-free AND vegan! ELF has been around for years and has made their mark in the beauty world as a ridiculously affordable and high-quality brand. They have taken things a step further by revealing that all their products (makeup, brushes, and skincare) are completely vegan as well!
I have had a few ELF products in the past but I think I like their brushes and skincare a lot more than their makeup. Still, highly recommend this brand. Check out this in-depth feature by Ethical Elephant on the brand.
Essence
Another recent discovery I've made from the drugstore with a lot of gems. I really loved their Matte About You! powder and their brushes as well. After wearing falsies more frequently, I have since switched to more affordable mascaras (because it's not worth it anymore) and found some really great waterproof mascaras from them too!
Being a European brand (German), is cruelty-free as they are a part of the European Union (which is the case for many European brands). While they're not completely vegan, here's a long list of their products that are.
Brands to Stay Away From
Now here are the brands you need to steer clear of if you're looking to purchase cruelty-free from Watsons. These are really popular brands who may twist words with marketing BS, which can be easy to fall for. But don't be fooled and simply avoid purchasing these brands as they are confirmed to not be cruelty-free.
L'oreal
While they do own a lot of cruelty-free brands and have vegan products, L'oreal is still not cruelty-free. This is largely due to the fact that they sell in Mainland China, where international brands are required to undergo animal testing by law. It might be easy to believe that they are CF, but they are not.
Remember that vegan and cruelty-free are defined by brands as two completely different things, so don't fall for that label. Just like how some cruelty-free brands don't have vegan products, some non-CF brands can have some or all vegan products too.
Maybelline
Much like L'oreal, Maybelline also sells in Mainland China and is also not cruelty-free. As stated in their company policy, they will only engage in or finance animal testing if it's necessary. That still means that while they don't test on animals in the Philippines, they still test on animals somewhere else in the world. Definitely avoid this brand too.
Wet n Wild
In a shocking revelation made by Cruelty-Free Kitty that shook the CF beauty world last year, Wet n Wild was found to not be cruelty-free. In fact, they haven't been cruelty-free for a while. Basically, Wet n Wild had been lying to people about their cruelty-free status until it was found that they had displays in Watsons in Shanghai, which is in mainland China.
Wet n Wild has denied these allegations by stating that selling in China is part of a pilot program and that they are still cruelty-free. However, this pilot program is only for Leaping Bunny certified brands. Wet n Wild isn't Leaping Bunny Certified, so they are still partaking in animal testing. The brand has continued to lie about their status across their social media and on their website. But don't fall for it - they're not cruelty-free at all. Avoid this brand at all costs.
Revlon
Another popular drugstore brand, but they're not cruelty-free either. Revlon does sell in Mainland China, where animal testing is a legal obligation. While they do claim to advocate for government authorities to switch to other more human testing methods, it doesn't change the fact that they and all their brands still test on animals. Don't buy from here either.
My Final Thoughts
When I started this blog, I wanted to help other Filipinos learn more about cruelty-free makeup and how to find it in places that are accessible. That means that this blog is a resource that can be consulted for that kind of information.
I admit that I prefer to buy my makeup online because it's easier to avoid getting confused, but not everyone can do that. So this is my way of helping with that. I will also be doing a high-end version of this feature, and I'll do the same for other makeup retailers as well. So stay tuned for that.
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