Last Updated on April 9, 2021 by Eco Elsie
Is Revlon cruelty-free?
Unfortunately, Revlon isn’t cruelty-free. They state that whilst their company hasn’t tested products on animals since 1989, they admit to selling their products to countries that do require mandatory testing of imported goods.
China is one of these countries, as they hold the right to take products off the shelves to test on animals to prevent customer dissatisfaction.
Not only this, but PETA has claimed that Revlon betrayed their trust as they claimed to be cruelty-free. In 2012, PETA discovered that Revlon sold their products to China, and have since cut ties with them. This is because cosmetic companies can technically state that they are cruelty-free even if they are not.
Revlon has confirmed that they contribute to third-party animal testing, but the lines are somewhat blurred when it comes to the ingredients and suppliers.
This is a loophole that a lot of cosmetic companies use when claiming to be cruelty-free, as they cannot confirm which ingredients or suppliers have tested on animals.
Revlon is owned by Revlon Inc, which owns other cosmetic brands including Elizabeth Arden and Almay – which aren’t considered cruelty-free either. If you are looking to buy ethical and cruelty-free products, it is safe to say that you should avoid Revlon.
Is Revlon vegan?
Unfortunately, Revlon is not a vegan brand. They don’t claim to be vegan as they use animal by-products in their products – including beeswax, honey, and carmine. However, they do claim to have some vegan products.
Whilst they might have vegan products, this does not erase the fact that Revlon is not a cruelty-free company. If you are vegan or looking to buy from vegan brands, Revlon cannot be considered vegan due to its animal testing policies.
They don’t test on animals directly, but they have admitted to selling to third-party countries that require testing imported products on animals – not to mention whether their suppliers test ingredients on animals.
Some people may not feel guilty about buying one or two Revlon products. After all, what is one mascara going to do? However, others will argue that their money is still supporting a brand that isn’t vegan – both morally and literally. Is a product still vegan if it comes from a company that allows testing on animals?
Revlon has a vegan hair dye that does not contain animal by-products, but PETA still says that Revlon is neither vegan nor cruelty-free. Despite such confusion, Revlon is still a popular cosmetic company in the beauty world.
Is Revlon an ethical company?
According to Revlon Inc, Revlon are dedicated to sourcing their ingredients sustainably. This includes supporting workers legally worldwide (because their ingredients are sourced globally) through worker’s rights and environmental health and safety.
However, Revlon does admit to using palm oil in some of its products. Whilst they claim it is in low-volume, there is no denying that the use of palm oil is unethical.
Palm oil is one of the leading factors to deforestation, which destroys an essential biodiversity and contributes to habitat destruction to endangered species such as tigers and orangutans.
Revlon claims to be a part of the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) which works to provide safer working conditions to source mica.
Mica is an ingredient that some cosmetic companies use to create shimmer and shine in their products, however is highly unethical as children are often subjected to harsh and illegal working conditions to source it.
In terms of packaging, Revlon has made little effort to make sustainable choices. Whilst some hair dye boxes may be recyclable, Revlon still uses single-use plastic on cosmetic products for safety reasons.
However, Revlon claims to have supported women’s health initiatives for the last 25 years through regular charity and volunteering efforts.
Does Revlon test on animals?
Whilst Revlon claims they haven’t tested on animals since 1989, this doesn’t mean the company does not contribute towards animal testing. In fact, PETA has made statements claiming their disappointment and betrayal from Revlon, who has consistently claimed their cruelty-free status with no certification.
Companies can get away with saying they don’t test their products on animals because of loopholes. The main reason why PETA decided to distance themselves from Revlon is that Revlon continues to sell their products to mainland China.
China still requires mandatory testing on animals from imported products if there is a risk of customer dissatisfaction. In short, they can pull stock from the shelves to test the products on animals to prevent complaints.
Not only this, but Revlon is suspiciously quiet on whether their ingredients or suppliers test on animals. Their ingredients are globally sourced, which means there is always a chance that suppliers will test ingredients on animals before confirming they are safe for human use.
Likewise, Revlon is not a vegan company. This means that, whilst they claim they don’t directly test on animals, they still are comfortable using animal-derived ingredients including honey, beeswax, and carmine.
Are Revlon products toxic?
Revlon claims to have ditched toxic ingredients in their products from 2014. This was a decision made by Revlon when complaints were made by millions of women who believed such harmful toxins can be linked to cancer and fertility issues.
It is somewhat a shame that it took so many complaints about health concerns for the message to be heard, but this can be considered good news nonetheless.
The main toxic ingredients to avoid in makeup products include parabens, BHA, and toluene. Fortunately, Revlon has claimed to have pulled these toxins from their products, as well as styrene, triclosan, and phthalates among others.
Revlon has never claimed that its products are made from natural or organic ingredients. Despite the fact they have pulled the most dangerous toxins from their products, some chemicals still remain.
These chemicals include carbon black, titanium dioxide, ethylene oxide, and more. Such chemicals have concerned the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
To answer the question: yes and no. Revlon has committed to avoiding the most harmful toxins from their cosmetic and hair products, but this does not limit the other chemicals they continue to use.
