If youโre wondering, โIs ILIA 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 ILIA 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 ILIA Cruelty-Free?
ILIA is cruelty-free. They have confirmed that they donโt test finished products or ingredients on animals, nor do their suppliers or third parties. They also donโt sell their products where animal testing is required by law.
Is ILIAย Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?
ILIA is owned by a parent company that tests on animals, Clarins, which is not a cruelty-free company.
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 ILIA Cruelty-Free Certified?
Yes, ILIA is certified by Leaping Bunny.
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 ILIA Sold Where Animal Testing Is Required By Law?
ILIA is not sold in China or other countries where animal testing is required by law or may still occur.
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 ILIA Vegan?
Almost all ILIA products are vegan, except 6 of their products. The only ingredient the brand uses that is not vegan is beeswax, which is ethically sourced, and no bees were harmed while making those products.
For their mascara, the beeswax is produced in Europe, and they work with local suppliers to supply it. When creating a mascara with a more natural formula, you usually have to use natural or synthetic beeswax. Synthetic beeswax always contains mineral oil, so ILIA chose to forego it.
Their manufacturer guarantees that the beeswax is organic and sustainably harvested. Europe has much stricter laws than the U.S. in this regard.
The only non-vegan products are Limitless Lash Mascara, Fullest Volumizing Mascara, Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm, Lip Wrap Hydrating Mask, Multi-Sticks, and Balmy Days.
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 ILIA Clean?ย
Yes, ILIA is a clean beauty brand. Their products are thoughtfully formulated without gluten, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, BHA/BHT, propylene glycol, PEG, cyclomethicones, and chemical screens.ย
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 ILIAย Fragrance-Free?ย
Most ILIA products are free of synthetic and natural fragrances, with the exception of the following:
- Their Color Block High Impact Lipsticks and Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm contain less than 2% synthetic fragrance.
- The Balmy Nights, Balmy Gloss, Blue Light Face Mist, Color Haze, and Lip Wrap Hydrating Mask contain natural fragrance.
Is ILIA Paraben-Free?
Yes, ILIA is paraben-free.
Is ILIA Gluten-Free?ย
Yes, ILIA is gluten-free. The following ILIA Beauty products are certified gluten-free:
- Balmy Days
- Balmy Nights (discontinued)
- Multi-Sticks
- Radiant Translucent Powder SPF 20 (discontinued)
- Soft Focus Finishing Powder
All other ILIA ย Beauty products areย formulated without gluten, but we cannot say that they’re certified gluten-free because they’re not produced in a certified gluten-free manufacturing environment.
Although they may not have any gluten-derived ingredients in the formula, they may contain traces of gluten due to the nature of our manufacturing processes.
Is ILIA Nut-Free?ย
I don’t think that ILIA is 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 ILIA Soy-Free?ย
While ILIA is not completely soy-free, a lot of its products are made without soy-derived ingredients. The products listed below are not formulated without soy because they include a soy-derived ingredient:
- True Skin Radiant Priming Serum
- Color Haze Multi-Use Pigment
- True Skin Serum Concealer
- True Skin Serum Foundation
- Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil
- Blue Light Face Mist
- Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm
- Fullest Volumizing Mascara
- Limitless Lash Mascara
- The Base Face Milk
Is ILIA Dairy-Free?
ILIA Beauty certifies that based on their ingredient suppliersโ documents, their facility does not use any dairy-derived ingredients in the manufacture of ILIAโs finished good products. The brand does use Lactic Acid in other formulations, but this ingredient is actually sourced from non-dairy ingredients, i.e., plant-based.
All in all, ILIA cannot claim to be a 100% dairy-free facility since it is not always a guarantee that the supplier chain will be completely free of dairy.
All they can do is go based on the Food Allergen statements the ingredient suppliers provide to them and do their due diligence with the cleaning/sanitization process, where they ensure to clean and sanitize all equipment used from a previous production run before proceeding to the next project in both compounding and filling phases.
Is ILIA Certified Organic?
ILIA Beauty products are not certified organic (only the ingredients listed) as their organic percentages vary, and in the U.S., there is little monitoring of ingredients or their origin.ย
The brand shares: “We are very thankful that we have done the legwork to sell abroad and have everything reviewed, which ensures our vendors and their certificates are up to date. We are registered in the European Union, and we must submit every ingredient document for review before being approved to sell.
We must also list all trace elements and allergens when selling in the EU and have decided to change all of our ingredient lists globally to reflect this and be fully transparent.”
Is ILIA 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.
ILIA is conscious. I want to give the brand extra credit for being so transparent, including all information needed on their website and explaining everything thoroughly! This is based on the following:ย ย
Where Is ILIA Made?ย
Most ILIA Beauty products are made in the U.S. except the following:
- Made in Canada:ย Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil
- Made in China: All Brushes
- Made in Italy: Blue Light Face Mist, Color Haze, Fullest Volumizing Mascara, Liquid Light Highlighting Serum, Liquid Powder Eye Tint, and Limitless Lash Mascara,
- Made in Korea: Clean Line Gel Liner, Clean Line Liquid Liner
Is ILIA Sustainable?
ILIA is committed to sustainability. ILIA’s mission is to protect and revive both your skin and the Earth. Since 2011, ILIA has dedicated itself to giving back to the planet we call home, cultivating a better future with every product.
One of ILIA’s key initiatives involves donating 1% of Super Serum Skin Tint sales to reforestation efforts. Their ambitious goal is to plant 1 million trees in partnership with One Tree Planted. This effort is vital, considering that 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are due to deforestation, and 1.6 billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods. Despite their importance, 15 billion trees are cut down every year.
Trees are essential for a thriving world as they clean the air, filter water, and absorb carbon emissions. However, they are disappearing rapidly. ILIA has focused its reforestation efforts in the Amazon rainforest, which is vital for climate regulation. By planting 831,000 trees in Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador, ILIA has supported over 80 mammal and bird species, created 467 local jobs, aided 783 families, and reforested 3,817 acres.
ILIA embraces a growth mindset, recognizing that sustainability is a continuous journey. They are committed to exploring ways to reduce their environmental footprint, from product creation to disposal, believing that small changes can lead to a significant impact.
Is ILIA Socially Responsible?ย
It looks like ILIA is mostly focusing on being sustainable – however, by partnering with One Tree Planted, they not only participate in sustainable actions like planting trees. This also helps create jobs for local communities. So, indirectly, ILIA is somewhat socially responsible.
Is ILIA B Corp Certified?ย
ILIA 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 ILIA. 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:
Hello! I just found your website and I’m soooo happy I did! THANK YOU for all your research and efforts, sooooo appreciated!
I have a question about your alphabetical list of clean products, though… why are some of the brands (like ILIA and MILK) underlined? I could not find the answer to that anywhere.
Thank you again, I’m so glad to be here!
Hey Lynn! Thank you sooo much for your sweet words! ๐
Great question about the underlined brands. Itโs just a way to show that theyโre links to my full reviews on the brands, in case you want more details about their animal testing policies, ingredients used, sustainability practices, etc. Hope that clears it up!