If youโre wondering, โIs Clinique cruelty-free?โ youโve come to the right place. At Conscious Bunny, weโre dedicated to providing thorough and reliable information about various brands. We research whether Clinique 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 youโre 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 Clinique Cruelty-Free?
Clinique is not cruelty-free. The brand states: “We do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients, nor ask others to test on our behalf,ย except when required by law.ย We evaluate our finished products in clinical tests on volunteer panels.”
This means that Clinique tests its products on animals themselves or lets others do it for them when required by law.
Is Clinique Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?
Clinique is owned by a parent company, Estรฉe Lauder, which tests on animals.ย Estรฉe Lauder states that it does tests on animals where required by law; this policy still makes it a company thatย tests on animals.
In the beauty industry, brands are often owned by larger parent companies like LโOreal, 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 theyโre 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 theyโre cruelty-free. However, a small group of shoppers choose to boycott brands owned by a parent company that tests on animals.
We donโt mind which option you choose; we want to make it easy for all our readers. Thatโs why we decided to mention whether or not a parent company is involved.
Is Clinique Cruelty-Free Certified?
No, Clinique 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 Clinique Sold Where Animal Testing Is Required By Law?
Clinique is available for sale in countries, including China, where mandatory animal testing is required.
With the recent changes toย Chinaโs animal testing laws, cosmetic companies can now export and sell some of their cosmetics in China without animal testing (explained below). However, itโs not stated anywhere that Clinique has taken any steps to meet the above preconditions to avoid animal testing.
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 Clinique Vegan?
Clinique is not vegan, meaning that their products contain animal-derived ingredients. The brand claims to offer some vegan options, but since Clinique still engages in animal testing (whether themselves or paying others to do this for them), so we wouldnโt consider any Clinique products 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 โ100% vegan.โ
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 Clinique Clean?ย
No, Clinique is somewhat of a clean beauty brand. The brand is paraben, phthalate, and fragrance-free, which is amazing. However, I did find ingredients like EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, and Titanium Dioxide in their products, and these ingredients are not considered clean. So, while Clinique is a better option than some other brands, it’s not the cleanest option either.
The term โclean beautyโ is controversial because it isnโt regulated; this means that brands can label their products as โclean,โ โgreen,โ โorganic,โ and โnaturalโ 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. Thatโs 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 Clinique Fragrance-Free?ย
Clinique is fragrance-free.ย
Is Clinique Paraben-Free?ย
Clinique is paraben-free.ย
Is Clinique Gluten-Free?ย
Clinique is not completely gluten-free, butย it has products that don’t include gluten ingredients. However, they’re not advertised as gluten-free or gluten-free certified.
Is Clinique Nut-Free?ย
Clinique is not completely nut-free but has products that don’t include nut-related ingredients.
Is Clinique Soy-Free?ย
Clinique is not completely soy-free but has products that don’t include soy-related ingredients.
Is Clinique Conscious?ย
At Conscious Bunny, weโre 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, weโve done our homework on these topics. We’ve answered the big questions to help you pick products that match your values.
Clinique is not so conscious (yet?). This is based on the information below and the fact that Clinique still participates in animal testing in some capacity.
Where Is Clinique Made?ย
Clinique Laboratories, LLC is an American manufacturer, so Clinique products are made in the US. However, whether all products are made in the US or the brand uses multiple manufacturers worldwide is unclear.
Is Clinique Sustainable?
Clinique is working towards being more sustainable. Right now, I mostly see promises and goals for the future, which is impressive but doesn’t show that a brand is sustainable already.
Clinique’s goal is that by 2025, 75% of its packaging will be recyclable, refillable, reusable, recycled, or recoverable, and 100% of its secondary packaging will be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.
Clinique is taking steps to offset carbon emissions from US shipping by funding the Doe Mountain Improved Forest Management Project. This initiative aims to offset CO2e emissions from deliveries made from Clinique’s US fulfillment center to consumers’ homes, excluding buying online and picking up in-store and same-day delivery.
The Doe Mountain project protects 8,600 acres of mixed-hardwood forest in Northeastern Tennessee, promoting natural forest growth and non-commercial maintenance harvests to enhance forest health and support carbon sequestration.
Is Clinique Socially Responsible?ย
Clinique is not socially responsible – or at least, I couldn’t find any information on community projects or programs the brand is supporting.
Is Clinique B Corp Certified?ย
Clinique 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 Clinique. If not, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach out through the contact form. Iโm more than happy to help!ย
Thank you for being here because it means that you are interested in cruelty-free beauty and are educating yourself about this subject. If youโre willing to learn even more, here are some of the resources we provide to help you on your journey:
What ingredients does Clinique use that are harmful?
Clinique is paraben-free, fragrance-free and phthalates-free which is a very good thing already! However, I couldn’t find any information on the use of ingredients such as talc, Propylene Glycol (PPG), Polyethylene Glycol (PEGS), Phenoxyethanol, Petrolatum, Aluminium and Dimethicone which are considered harmful.