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You’re here because you want to know the answer to “Is Pyunkang Yul cruelty-free?” and you’re at the right place. We at Conscious Bunny do thorough research to discover everything about a brand, including whether Pyunkang Yul is cruelty-free, vegan, and/or sustainable, and also whether it’s clean, fragrance-free, and/or paraben-free.
Let’s face it: The world of cruelty-free, vegan, and clean beauty can be a bit of a maze and even misleading. Green-washing, faking logos, and using deceiving terms are still common today. It’s our mission to cut through the noise because we believe you deserve to make choices based on facts, not fluff.
Is Pyunkang Yul Cruelty-Free?
It’s uncertain whether Pyunkang Yul is cruelty-free. The brand does not enclose any information about its animal testing policies, and contacting them hasn’t been successful either.
Is Pyunkang Yul Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?
Pyunkang Yul is not owned by a parent company. The brand is independent under the larger umbrella of Pyunkang Oriental Medicine Clinic in South Korea.
This renowned clinic has been providing holistic treatments for various ailments for more than 40 years, and they’ve applied their expertise to create a skincare line that focuses on safe and effective products.
In the beauty industry, it’s pretty standard for brands to have a bigger company behind them, which we call parent companies. These parent companies are usually big global players like L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, or Procter & Gamble.
You might be wondering why this is important information. Now, here’s the thing: many of these parent companies aren’t cruelty-free themselves because they do some level of animal testing. And, to complicate matters, they might own a bunch of brands that also aren’t cruelty-free.
No immediate worries, though; some of the brands under these parent companies are proudly cruelty-free and have really strict policies against animal testing. So, you can still find ethically conscious options within these bigger brand families.
We do like to mention this because some consumers don’t buy from cruelty-free brands with an animal testing parent company. We respect everyone’s choice in this!
Is Pyunkang Yul Cruelty-Free Certified?
Pyunkang Yul is not certified as cruelty-free by any major animal rights organizations such as Leaping Bunny or PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). These certifications often serve as a seal of approval for consumers looking for ethically produced beauty products.
Is Pyunkang Yul Sold in China?
Pyunkang Yul is sold in China, meaning the brand may still test on animals. As we don’t know anything about Pyunkang Yul’s current animal testing policies, chances are that they still test on animals.
Starting in 2023, Brands now can enter China and avoid animal testing, so companies can now enter the Chinese market without funding animal cruelty.
However, not every brand can 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.
It’s not stated anywhere that Pyunkang Yul has taken any steps to meet the preconditions in order to avoid animal testing while selling in China.
On top of that, this doesn’t mean that China completely banned animal testing – they didn’t. If a brand wants to test on animals, it’s still possible to do so in China. While it’s great that China is slowly relaxing its animal testing laws, I just want to warn you that it doesn’t mean that all brands sold in China are now cruelty-free.
We’re in a quite vague phase, which makes shopping cruelty-free a little harder. However, brands selling in China don’t have to be an immediate no-no anymore.
Please make sure a brand is certified by Leaping Bunny or Cruelty-free International. Both these organizations help brands to sell in China without having to test on animals. In this case, Pyunkang Yul is not certified by any organization.
Is Pyunkang Yul Vegan?
Pyunkang Yul is not vegan, meaning some of its products still contain animal-derived ingredients or by-products. They may sell products that are considered vegan, but as we don’t know anything about their animal testing policies, I wouldn’t expect their products to be (fully) vegan either.
If you want to learn more about vegan beauty products, check out our What Makes A Beauty Product Vegan guide or our List Of 13 Vegan Ingredients In Beauty Products.
Is Pyunkang Yul Considered A Clean Beauty Brand?
Let’s start with a little background on what exactly “clean” means. The term “clean beauty” is controversial because it isn’t regulated; this means that brands can slap ‘clean,’ ‘green,’ ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ on their products whenever they want.
How I personally approach “clean beauty” is the same as Goop explains it: clean beauty products are those made without ingredients shown or suspected to harm human health, animal health, or the environment.
Pyunkang Yul can’t be considered a clean brand. The company prides itself on creating formulas with minimal ingredients and says that they don’t include unnecessary chemical ingredients just for better color or fragrance. However, they don’t explain what that means for them or which chemical ingredients they don’t use. Some of their products have an EWG safety grade, but not all of them. On some product pages, I noticed that they mention “paraben-free,” but again, not on all of their product pages.
I believe that Pyunkang Yul works with natural ingredients, but I’m not sure they exclude harmful ingredients entirely. There’s clearly a lack of transparency, sadly.
What Are Harmful Ingredients?
Sadly, there are quite a few (actually… thousands) of harmful ingredients or ingredients that are suspected to be harmful to humans, animals, and/or the environment. Here are some of the most frequently used ingredients:
Ingredient | Concerns |
Parabens | Potential hormone disruption, allergenic potential |
Phthalates | Reproductive and developmental issues |
Formaldehyde | Skin irritation, potential carcinogenic effects |
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) | Skin irritation, oil-stripping potential |
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) | Skin irritation, oil-stripping potential |
Synthetic Fragrances | Allergenic potential, often not fully disclosed |
Is Pyunkang Yul Fragrance-Free?
Pyunkang Yul offers fragrance-free products; however, since not all of its products are marked as fragrance-free, I’m not 100% sure if the brand is fully fragrance-free. They say they don’t include unnecessary ingredients for color or fragrance, but this doesn’t mean they don’t use fragrance at all.
Is Pyunkang Yul Paraben-Free?
It’s uncertain if Pyunkang Yul is paraben-free. Like I already said, on some product pages, I noticed that they mention “paraben-free,” but not on all of them.
I do believe that Pyunkang Yul works with natural ingredients, but I’m not sure that they entirely exclude harmful ingredients such as parabens. There’s clearly a lack of transparency, sadly.
Is Pyunkang Yul Sustainable?
No, Pyunkang Yul isn’t committed to sustainability. By using fewer ingredients and opting for natural ingredients over chemical ingredients, Pyunkang Yul is making a small step toward being more sustainable. However, it’s unclear whether they participate in any other programs or make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint.
How To Find Out If A Brand Is Cruelty-Free And/Or Vegan Yourself?
The easiest way to tell if a brand is cruelty-free and vegan is to look for third-party certification. Several organizations, such as Cruelty-Free International, PETA, and Leaping Bunny, offer cruelty-free certifications for companies that have agreed to adhere to their strict guidelines for animal testing.
Similarly, the Vegan Society provides a Vegan Trademark to companies that do not use any animal-derived ingredients in their products. Look for these certifications as a sign that a brand is truly cruelty-free and vegan.
It’s also important to look beyond the label. Many companies may claim to be cruelty-free and vegan but may not actually adhere to those standards. Check the company’s website for information about their animal testing policies and ingredients, or ask the brand the following questions:
Questions |
Does your brand test products or ingredients on animals? |
Do the companies you get your supplies from, test on animals? How do you ensure they don’t? |
Are there any other companies that test on animals for you? |
Do you test on animals when the law says you have to? |
In which countries can you find your products in physical stores (not counting online sales)? |
Finally, look for reviews from other cruelty-free and vegan consumers. They may have had firsthand experience with the brand and can provide insight into the company’s actual practices. Moreover, they may be able to recommend alternative cruelty-free and vegan brands that meet your needs.
By following these steps, you can determine if a brand is truly cruelty-free and vegan. If you would like more information and tips, check out this cruelty-free makeup and skincare guide.
With more and more companies offering animal-friendly products, it’s easier than ever to find cruelty-free and vegan products that fit your lifestyle.