Is Vaseline Cruelty-Free, Vegan Or Clean?

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read the full disclosure here.

If you’re wondering, “Is Vaseline cruelty-free?” you’re in the right place! At Conscious Bunny, we’re committed to providing thorough and reliable information about beauty brands.

We research whether Vaseline is cruelty-free, vegan, clean, and conscious. This means that beyond just checking its cruelty-free and vegan status, we also examine its ingredients, sustainability efforts, community contributions, allergen considerations, and much more.

Is Vaseline Cruelty-Free?

Image credit: brand

No, Vaseline is not cruelty-free. Although Vaseline itself says it doesn’t test on animals, it references the website of its parent company, Unilever, for more information, which means that Vaseline follows Unilever’s animal testing policy. Unilever is not a cruelty-free company.

Unilever also states that they don’t support animal testing and are “doing their best to ban animal testing completely”; however, they also mention the following:

“Occasionally, across our wider product portfolio, some of the ingredients we use have to be tested by our suppliers to comply with legal and regulatory requirements in some markets; and some governments still test certain products on animals as part of their regulations.“

Unilever, in particular, talks a lot and has multiple huge documents and articles to show that it’s against animal testing and that it’s committed to ending it globally, but with just that one sentence above, it completely contradicted its own words.

Unfortunately, Unilever and Vaseline state they will allow their products and ingredients to be tested on animals if the law requires it. For those reasons, Vaseline is NOT cruelty-free.

Is Vaseline Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?

Vaseline is owned by Unilever, a company that tests on animals.

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 Vaseline Cruelty-Free Certified?

No, Vaseline is not certified by any organization.

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 Vaseline Sold Where Animal Testing Is Required By Law?

Yes, Vaseline is sold where animal testing is required by law.

In China, for example, some cosmetics may still be subject to mandatory animal testing, especially for brands selling in physical stores. While recent changes allow some brands to enter the market without funding animal tests, not all qualify—certain ingredients, claims, or products can still trigger testing.

So although China is easing its laws, this doesn’t mean all brands sold there are cruelty-free. The situation is evolving, and cruelty-free shoppers may need to evaluate brands individually.

Check out our Animal Testing Laws in China post for a detailed breakdown of the current laws, requirements, and changes!

Is Vaseline Vegan?

No, Vaseline is not vegan. This means that some of its products may contain animal-derived ingredients. Vaseline might offer some vegan products; however, because this company is not cruelty-free, avoiding any products it offers is recommended, even if they are vegan.

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 Vaseline Clean?

No, Vaseline is not a clean beauty brand. The brand mentions that its Vaseline® Jelly is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, non-irritating, and held to the highest purity standards.

However, they don’t mention parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, etc. I reached out to the brand to see if they have more information, but I got a standard, not answering my questions kind of reply.

After researching their ingredient lists myself, I found several types of parabens, EDTA, mineral oil, Phenoxyethanol, and more. So, it’s safe to say that Vaseline is not a clean brand.

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.

Is Vaseline Fragrance-Free?

No, Vaseline is not fragrance-free.

Is Vaseline Paraben-Free?

No, Vaseline is not paraben-free.

Is Vaseline Talc-Free?

Based on my research through random sampling, Vaseline’s products are talc-free. However, I recommend checking the ingredients of the specific product you want to purchase to be sure.

We mention this information because it might be important to some beauty consumers who are concerned about the potential health risks of talc. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to read my in-depth article about talc in makeup.

Is Vaseline Non-Comedogenic?

No, Vaseline will not clog pores. Third-party industry experts have scientifically proven that Vaseline® is non-comedogenic, which means it will not clog pores, irritate skin, or cause acne.

If you haven’t heard about this term before, non-comedogenic means a product is less likely to clog your pores, which can help prevent breakouts and blackheads. These products are specially formulated with ingredients that won’t block your skin, making them a great choice for people with acne-prone or sensitive skin.

Use our free Pore-Clogging Ingredients Checker to determine if a product is non-comedogenic or contains pore-clogging ingredients.

Is Vaseline Allergy-Safe?

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 Vaseline Gluten-Free?

No, Vaseline is not gluten-free. However, Vaseline® Jelly only contains one ingredient: petroleum jelly, which is gluten-free. This doesn’t mean that the company or its manufacturers are gluten-free, though.

Is Vaseline Nut-Free?

No, Vaseline is not nut-free. Some of its products contain ingredients derived from nuts.

Is Vaseline Soy-Free?

No, Vaseline is not soy-free. Vaseline does not have information on its website about soy-free products, so I assume that its products may contain soy.

Is Vaseline 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.

Vaseline is not conscious. This is based on the following:

Where Is Vaseline Manufactured?

Vaseline is made in both the United States and Kenya, where Unilever has a factory.

Is Vaseline Sustainable?

Vaseline is not committed to sustainability. Although Unilever claims to be a responsible sourcer, the ingredients used in its products are not earth-friendly. In addition, Vaseline uses plastic for most product packaging.

Is Vaseline Socially Responsible?

Vaseline is somewhat socially responsible. It provides access to care with Direct Relief, which has been an ongoing partner for over six years through The Vaseline® Healing Project. This partnership helps to support a network of nonprofit health centers and clinics that provide affordable and comprehensive services to those who need them most.

Is Vaseline’s Mica Sourced Ethically?

It looks like Vaseline doesn’t use any mica in their products.

Is Vaseline B Corp Certified?

Vaseline is not B Corp Certified, but its parent company, Unilever, is. Since Vaseline is not mentioned in their B Corp information, I don’t think it is part of their conscious promises.

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.

Final Thoughts: Is Conscious Bunny Reliable?

I hope that this post answered all your questions about Vaseline. If not, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach out through the contact form. I’m more than happy to help!

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. We reach out to brands directly to gather details about their full animal testing policy, as well as details on their ingredients, sustainability efforts, and more.

If a brand answers all our questions and confirms that no animal testing occurs at any stage of production or beyond, we add them to our cruelty-free list. Every brand included has verified this information with us.

We continuously monitor changes and update our database, cruelty-free list, and brand pages in real time whenever we receive new information. To learn more about our thorough process, check out how we rate brands.

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:

Vaseline