Last Updated on April 9, 2021 by Eco Elsie
Glossier is a brand that has taken the beauty world by storm. Their minimalistic make-up emphasizes your natural features and has become almost as popular as their iconic baby pink packaging.
Glossier’s range is very much based on products that are designed to fit into your everyday beauty routine to keep things simple and sweet. Think dewy skin, a dab of blush, thick, brushy brows, and a slick of lipgloss.
Their products were born out of the Into the Gloss blog and were based on products that readers wished existed. So if there’s a product that you’ve always looked for but you’ve never been able to find, there’s a good chance you’ll find it at Glossier.
But before you purchase from this highly sought-after brand, perhaps you’re wondering whether or not Glossier is cruelty-free. Well, we’ve scoured the internet to find the answer to this question – and a bunch of others.
Is Glossier cruelty-free?
You’ll be pleased to know that Glossier is indeed cruelty-free.
Cruelty-free means that the brand does not test on animals at any stage of product development, and, Glossier also states on their website that they only work with vendors who feel the same way.
Glossier products are certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny, so you can rest assured that it’s certified by the only internationally-recognized cruelty-free logo.
As they’re approved by Leaping Bunny, Glossier is also subject to regular independent audits to ensure they’re compliant with these standards.
Is Glossier vegan?
‘Vegan’ differs from ‘cruelty-free’ in that it requires products to not be derived from any animal products, as well as not to be tested on animals at any stage.
While Glossier is cruelty-free, not all of their products are vegan, however, they do offer an extensive range of vegan products, and these are all clearly labeled on their website.
At the time of writing, here are some of Glossier’s vegan products:
Vegan Glossier Makeup
- BROW FLICK
- GENERATION G LIPSTICK
- LIP GLOSS
- NITESHINE
- PERFECTING SKIN TINT
- PRO TIP
- SKYWASH
- VINYLIC LIP
- WOWDER
Vegan Glossier Skincare
- BUBBLEWRAP
- FUTUREDEW
- INVISIBLE SHIELD SUNSCREEN
- MEGA GREENS GALAXY PACK
- MILKY JELLY CLEANSER
- MILKY OIL
- SOLUTION
- SOOTHING FACE MIST
- ZIT STICK
Vegan Glossier Body Care
- BODY HERO DAILY OIL WASH
Glossier’s products that aren’t vegan contain ingredients such as beeswax, honey, lanolin, carmine, and Ambrettolide, which is a synthetic musk.
Ambrettolide is found in Glossier’s perfume, and, while it is synthetic, Glossier can’t call it vegan, as the lab uses sap from tree bark to make it, therefore it may contain saliva from bugs that live in the trees.
However, the main thing is that some of the most popular Glossier products are vegan, including Generation G, Wowder, Milky Jelly, and FutureDew.
Is Glossier an ethical company?
Glossier includes lots of information on their website in relation to the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010. Here they state that they are committed “to doing business in an ethically responsible manner.”
Not only is Glossier based upon strong ethical principles, but it extends these to their suppliers too.
Glossier says it seeks to only partner with those who “embody Glossier’s core values in their own operations” and therefore the company expects its suppliers to be in full compliance with the applicable laws of the countries and regions in which they operate. They also expect suppliers to respect the rights of their employees in accordance with “internationally recognized standards.”
You can read Glossier’s Supplier Code of Conduct in full on their website, which includes a zero-tolerance policy on forced labor, human trafficking, child labor, harassment, and abuse. The brand insists that they clearly communicate their Code of Conduct and its requirements to their suppliers.
Glossier also states that suppliers should have “a regard for preserving the environment”, and this is reflected in the brand’s commitment to limiting unnecessary packaging, as well as their shipping boxes, which are made out of 100% recycled content.
So based on this information, yes, Glossier is an ethical company.
Does Glossier test on animals?
As we mentioned earlier, Glossier is 100% cruelty-free, and, as a result, it does not test on animals at any point in the development process. It also ensures that its suppliers adhere to the same standards, and Glossier is a leaping bunny-certified brand.
Whereas some other brands who have enjoyed as much success as Glossier have pushed their morals to the wayside when it comes to expanding their market, you’ll be relieved to find out that Glossier does not sell their products in China, where they would be subject to animal testing.
Are Glossier products toxic?
Glossier’s products are dermatologist-tested, and, according to their website, are ‘appropriate for all skin types,’ however, when it comes to whether or not they’re ‘clean’ – they fall short slightly.
‘Clean’ beauty is usually considered to be products that are mindfully created and produced without any proven or suspected toxic ingredients. They usually include ingredients that are ethically sourced and are good for the environment as well as for our skin.
Some of Glossier’s products claim to be Paraben-Free, Sulfate-Free, Alcohol-Free, Fragrance-Free, and Gluten-Free. However, these labels don’t apply to every product, so annoyingly you’ll have to check the ingredients of a specific product to see whether or not it contains these.
EWG Skin Deep is a rating website that rates a wide range of products and ingredients on the market to provide the public with the information to “protect yourself and your family from everyday exposures to chemicals.”
Glossier didn’t rate terribly on their scale of 1 to 10, but it didn’t do great either. For example, their Milky Jelly cleanser scored a 3, and their Invisible Shield Sunscreen a 6. The 3-6 range is ‘amber’, which indicates a ‘moderate hazard’ of ingredients. 1-2 is very low, and 7-10 is very high.
With this in mind, Glossier has quite a way to go before it can be considered a ‘clean’, non-toxic beauty brand, but it’s also worth considering that we have different perceptions on what makes a product ‘clean’ or not.
