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If you’re wondering, “Is Hourglass cruelty-free?” you’ve come to the right place. At Conscious Bunny, we’re dedicated to providing thorough and reliable information about various brands. We research whether Hourglass is cruelty-free, vegan, clean, and conscious. Additionally, we examine if a brand is sustainable, contributes to the community, and considers allergens in its products.
The world of cruelty-free, vegan, and clean beauty can be complex. With so many unregulated terms and labels, it can be challenging to know what to trust. Our mission is to make it easier for you by providing clear, fact-based insights. We delve into the details so you can make informed choices with confidence.
By relying on our comprehensive research, you can be sure you’re supporting brands aligning with your values. We believe in transparency and aim to empower you with the knowledge you need to choose products that are genuinely cruelty-free and conscious.
Is Hourglass Cruelty-Free?
Hourglass is cruelty-free. The brand has confirmed that it doesn’t test finished products or ingredients on animals, nor do its suppliers or third parties.
Is Hourglass Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?
Hourglass is owned by a parent company that tests on animals. The parent company is Unilever, and this is not a cruelty-free company.
In the beauty industry, brands are often owned by larger parent companies like L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, or Procter & Gamble, many of which conduct animal testing to some extent.
While most parent companies are not cruelty-free, some of the brands they own adhere to strict policies against animal testing. This means that brands under these parent companies are still cruelty-free.
However, this gives you as a consumer two choices: You can choose not to support these brands because they’re part of a bigger, animal-testing parent company, or you can choose to support them because they are 100% cruelty-free even though their parent company is not.
We personally believe that since these brands operate independently from the parent company, you can support them as they’re cruelty-free. However, a small group of shoppers choose to boycott brands owned by a parent company that tests on animals.
We don’t mind which option you choose; we want to make it easy for all our readers. That’s why we decided to mention whether or not a parent company is involved.
Is Hourglass Cruelty-Free Certified?
Yes, Hourglass is certified by PETA.
Companies can be fully cruelty-free without being certified, but certifications are a good indicator of their ethical practices. The most trusted organizations that give out certifications are PETA and Leaping Bunny.
Is Hourglass Sold Where Animal Testing Is Required By Law?
No, Hourglass is not sold in China or any other country where animal testing is required by law.
In countries like China, certain cosmetic products may be subject to mandatory animal testing regulations. If a brand wants to sell its products in physical stores in China, it has to comply with these regulations, where animal testing may occur.
Starting in 2023, brands can enter the Chinese market without funding animal cruelty. However, not every brand may qualify. Certain ingredients, products, and claims may still trigger animal tests during the registration process, and post-market testing involving animals, while rare, is still a possibility.
To avoid animal testing in China, companies must meet specific criteria:
- Sell only ‘general’ cosmetics in China (such as makeup, skincare, haircare, nail polish, and perfumes).
- Avoid selling ‘special’ cosmetics like sunscreens or hair dye.
- Refrain from selling products for infants, children, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, or products containing ‘New Cosmetic Ingredients.’
- Have a policy in place to recall products if post-market testing is required rather than allowing them to be tested on animals.
Furthermore, products can avoid animal testing in China if they are manufactured in China or if their final assembly occurs in China. If manufactured outside of China, companies must obtain the proper safety certificates from their country of origin.
Brands that have been selling in China must ensure that all their products meet the exemption criteria while providing the proper safety certificates from specific authorities. This means that many brands currently sold in China may not yet be entirely cruelty-free.
It’s essential to note that while China is gradually relaxing its animal testing laws, it does not mean that all brands sold in China are now cruelty-free. While this phase may raise questions, brands selling in China no longer have to be an immediate no-no for cruelty-free shoppers.
To provide shoppers with extra assurance, Leaping Bunny offers the China Qualification Program, which you can check before purchasing. This program ensures that Leaping Bunny-certified companies selling domestically in China remain cruelty-free.
Is Hourglass Vegan?
Hourglass is not completely vegan yet, but they’re working hard to become so. Many of Its products are already produced without animal-derived ingredients, and you can shop all vegan-friendly products on its vegan makeup page.
A company can have vegan products even if not all their products are vegan. If all their products are vegan, the brand is considered “100% vegan.”
Several organizations, similar to PETA and Leaping Bunny, offer vegan certifications to help you identify vegan brands. For example, Vegan Action, The Vegan Society, and The Vegetarian Society provide a Vegan Trademark to companies that use no animal-derived ingredients.
Check out our 100% Vegan Beauty Brands A-Z list, or use our free Vegan Ingredient Checker to determine whether a specific product contains animal-derived ingredients.
Is Hourglass Clean?
No, Hourglass is not a clean beauty brand. While many Hourglass products are produced without the use of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, GMOs, Triclosan, and nanoparticles, the brand is not completely free of these ingredients.
This means that Hourglass is doing really well and could eventually even become a clean beauty brand (if they want to). Either way, Hourglass is a cleaner option than many other (luxury) brands.
The term “clean beauty” is controversial because it isn’t regulated; this means that brands can label their products as ‘clean,’ ‘green,’ ‘organic,’ and ‘natural’ without strict guidelines.
For us, clean beauty means choosing products made without ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances that have been shown or even suspected to harm human health, animal health, or the environment.
Check out our Clean Beauty Brands A-Z list, or use our free Clean Ingredients Checker to determine whether a specific product contains toxic ingredients.
Allergens In Beauty Products
Besides letting you know whether a product contains harmful ingredients, we also understand that living with allergies can be tough. That’s why we discuss whether the brand contains any allergens in its products, helping you make informed decisions that suit your individual needs and preferences.
*The information provided is not medical advice. For any health concerns, please consult with your doctor before using the products.
Is Hourglass Fragrance-Free?
No, Hourglass is not completely fragrance-free. However, many Hourglass products are produced without the use of synthetic fragrances. Please consult Hourglass packaging for the complete list of “free of” ingredients.
Is Hourglass Paraben-Free?
No, Hourglass is not completely paraben-free. However, many Hourglass products are produced without the use of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, GMOs, Triclosan, and nanoparticles. Please consult Hourglass packaging for the complete list of “free of” ingredients.
Is Hourglass Gluten-Free?
Many Hourglass products are produced without gluten (wheat, barley, and rye) extracts, and you can shop all gluten-free products on their gluten-free page.
Is Hourglass Nut-Free?
No, Hourglass is not nut-free. The brand does not share any information on the use of nuts in their products, which probably means their products may contain nuts.
Is Hourglass Soy-Free?
No, Hourglass is not soy-free. The brand does not share any information on the use of soy in their products, which probably means their products may contain soy.
Is Hourglass Conscious?
At Conscious Bunny, we’re all about supporting brands that do good. We believe that brands who are conscious show this with their actions in environmental sustainability, ethical sourcing, social responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
For those of us who care about making conscious choices, we’ve done our homework on these topics. We’ve answered the big questions to help you pick products that match your values.
Hourglass is conscious. This is based on the following:
Where Is Hourglass Made?
Hourglass is based in Venice Beach, California, but I couldn’t find information on whether they manufacture their products in the US as well. If Unilever provides the manufacturing, then it could be worldwide. Again, this is unclear.
Is Hourglass Sustainable?
Yes, Hourglass is somewhat sustainable. The brand uses its Curator Eyeshadow as an example. This is a customizable eyeshadow collection that utilizes refillable packaging innovation. Instead of virgin plastic, the palettes are consciously crafted from tin and post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, and each eyeshadow pan is made from recyclable aluminum.
However, it is unclear to me if Hourglass takes other actions to become more sustainable.
Is Hourglass Socially Responsible?
Yes, Hourglass is socially responsible but focuses mostly on animals instead of people.
The brand gives back by donating 1% of annual net profits from hourglasscosmetics.com to its partner, the Nonhuman Rights Projects, a U.S. organization that works to secure fundamental rights for animals. In addition, Hourglass donates 5% of annual net profits from Unlocked products to the NhRP’s efforts.
Is Hourglass B Corp Certified?
Hourglass is not B Corp Certified. However, a brand can still be conscious without this certification.
When a brand earns B Corp certification, it pledges to consider everyone impacted by its decisions, beyond just its owners. This entails workers, the communities in which they operate, suppliers, consumers, and the environment. This certification can reassure consumers, emphasizing the brand’s dedication to considering the broader impact of its decisions.
Thank You For Being Here!
I hope that this post answered all your questions about Hourglass. If not, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach out through the contact form. I’m more than happy to help!
Thank you for being here because it means that you are interested in cruelty-free beauty and are educating yourself about this subject. If you’re willing to learn even more, here are some of the resources we provide to help you on your journey: