Last Updated on April 9, 2021 by Eco Elsie
The Olay brand, previously known as Oil of Olay, has been around since 1952 and it is one of the big giants within the world and markets of beauty cosmetics and skin products.
It’s an inescapable name, found worldwide, and considered to be one of the best and most renowned. This American skincare brand is currently owned by Procter & Gamble, and they keep coming up with new and innovative products to enhance skincare and beauty, especially for women.
But a brand being popular and well known isn’t enough. It is also important for the brand to be good, in regards to how it operates, and how the products are manufactured.
So let’s ask some of the important questions, starting with: is Olay cruelty free?
Well, if you look at the many different products that Olay offers, none of them claim to be cruelty free, but the company advocates against animal testing. So where does the brand really stand?
The thing is, Olay is completely against testing their products on animals, and they stay away from doing so.
However, they are aware that in some countries where their products are sold, it is required by law for them to be tested in laboratories where animals are used.
So despite Olay being against animal testing, and despite them not doing as such as a company, they are aware that some countries still test their products on animals, so they cannot claim to be cruelty free.
So technically, no, Olay is not fully cruelty free. However, the brand makes a conscious effort to promote cruelty free products, and it is currently working with governments all over the world to provide alternative research methods so that eventually no country mandates animal testing.
In fact, the way that Olay itself tests its own products during the manufacturing stage is completely cruelty free.
They use unique Olay-invented laboratory skins that replicate natural skins, but that is created without using any ingredients derived from animals. And they then test their products on this lab skin, so that the entire process is cruelty free!
Other things that Olay has done to bring about an end to animal testing is partnering with the Humane Society, in support of the International #BeCrueltyFree campaign, which aims to put a stop to animal testing in all major cosmetic markets, by 2023. We really hope this succeeds!
Procter & Gamble, who own Olay, also upholds the same ideals, and they have already devoted around 410 million dollars to help develop cruelty free alternatives for the beauty and skincare industry.
Is Olay vegan?
For all those that are vegan, or that are trying to consume vegan-only products, it’s important to be aware of whether cosmetic and skincare products are also viable. Is Olay vegan?
As a brand, Olay is not 100% vegan, as many of its products are in themselves not vegan suitable. However, Olay does offer a selection of products that are vegan, so you have to check the products individually and find those that are vegan if you wish to make sure.
It should also be noted that Olay does not have a section dedicated to their vegan products on their website, which indicates that they don’t really have that many.
So if you’re looking for a cosmetic and skincare brand that is vegan, Olay is definitely not it. You might find a few vegan products, but you have to search for them individually and should check the ingredients list carefully, just in case.
Is Olay an ethical company?
On various ethical consumer guides, the Olay brand is listed pretty far down and received more criticism than praise, which indicates that it is sadly not a very ethical company.
Olay supports many ethical ideals, and it is making a conscious effort to shift its operation methods so that the brand is more sustainable, eco-friendly, cruelty free, and overall ethical. However, as it stands nowadays, they are still not at that level, and it is very much a plan, rather than a reality.
In the 2019 Sustainable Brands Conference, which took place in Detroit, Olay put forth a detailed program to make all of their packaging environmentally friendly, and more and more of their products are becoming recyclable.
Olay also has several pledges and partnerships to help develop alternative research methods, so that animal testing can be fully banned worldwide.
As for other ethical aspects, it’s important to look at how the workers are treated, so there are no red flags to do with exploitation of any kind.
Olay itself doesn’t have any reported serious issues, but Procter & Gamble, which owns Olay, has often received reports of palm oil workers being severely exploited.
Basically, Olay is working towards becoming an ethical company. But it isn’t at the moment.
Does Olay test on animals?
We’ve already established that Olay is not cruelty free, because their products are sold in many countries, some of which mandate by law that these products have to be tested on animals upon importation.
Olay, as a brand, actively advocates against animal testing, and they invest in developing alternative research methods. The company itself does not test on animals, in any of the Olay labs, as they have developed other methods.
But as some of the countries in which Olay sells products mandate animal testing by law, Olay as a whole cannot claim to not test on animals.
Are Olay products toxic?
It’s important to ensure that the beauty cosmetic and skincare products that you use are not toxic, and safe to be used. Are Olay products safe or are they toxic?
As a whole, Olay’s products are decently safe, and there are no major problems. However, some of their products contain parabens, which can be considered toxic.
So if you want to avoid risks, make sure to look for products that use more natural ingredients.
We wouldn’t state that Olay is toxic, but it’s also not non-toxic. As a customer, you will have to take care to choose the products that are 100% guaranteed to be safe, as this is not the case with them all!
