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The Inkey List, a trendy and affordable brand, has been making waves in the skincare world for offering high-quality ingredients without breaking the bank – but is The Inkey List cruelty-free? Well, I’m here to help answer that burning question while also letting you know a bit more about this intriguing brand.
As an animal lover, I understand how important it is to support companies that share our values regarding cruelty-free practices.
The first step is to understand the difference between cruelty-free and vegan. Cruelty-free means that the products were not tested on animals, while vegan implies that the products do not contain any animal ingredients or byproducts. Some companies claim to be both cruelty-free and vegan, while others may focus on one or the other.
In this article, I will share if The Inkey List is cruelty-free, vegan, and/or sustainable. But also if it’s clean, non-toxic, fragrance-free, and/or paraben-free. This way, you can easily decide whether you want to buy their products.
Is The Inkey List Cruelty-Free?
Yes, The Inkey List is cruelty-free. They don’t test their products on animals and don’t work with suppliers who do. They also won’t enter any market that requires animal testing either by themselves or a third party on their behalf. The Inkey List is also in line with EU regulations on animal testing.
Is The Inkey List Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?
The Inkey List is not owned by a parent company that tests on animals. However, Unilever Ventures and John Mills Limited have invested in the brand (which means they each own a percentage of The Inkey List), and both these companies are not considered cruelty-free.
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 The Inkey List Cruelty-Free Certified?
The Inkey List is Leaping Bunny certified. All of their brand cosmetic and personal care products are approved under the Cruelty-Free International Leaping Bunny program, the internationally recognizable gold standard for cruelty-free products.
The Inkey List adheres to a fixed cut-off date policy and proactively monitors their suppliers to ensure their products adhere to the Leaping Bunny criteria. Their supplier monitoring system is also independently audited.
Companies can be fully cruelty-free without being certified, but the certifications are a good indicator of their ethical practices.
Is The Inkey List Sold In China?
The Inkey List is not sold in China or any other country where animal testing is required by law.
China, for example, has mandatory animal testing policies for certain imported cosmetic products. To comply with these regulations, some brands choose to sell their products in physical stores in China, where animal testing may occur.
Starting in 2023, brands will have the possibility to 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.
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.
Since The Inkey List does not sell its products in countries where animal testing is required by law, you don’t have to worry about this. This ensures that their commitment to cruelty-free practices extends beyond borders.
Is The Inkey List Vegan?
No, The Inkey List is not completely vegan (93% of their range is vegan), but all products are Vegetarian-friendly. They highlight on their product pages which products are Vegan Certified and highlight any products that contain animal derivatives (for example, beeswax).
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 The Inkey List A Clean Beauty Brand?
Let’s start with a little background on what exactly is meant by “clean.” 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.
Yes, The Inkey List is a clean beauty brand. Their products do not contain any harmful ingredients such as Parabens, Sulfates, Fragrances, and more (confirmed by the brand). On top of that, The Inkey List is also on the “Clean At Sephora” list, which is also a good indicator.
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 The Inkey List Fragrance-Free?
Yes, The Inkey List is fragrance-free. You will see this on the specific product pages as well, where the products are marked as fragrance-free.
Is The Inkey List Paraben-Free?
Yes, The Inkey List is paraben-free. The products do not contain parabens, sulfates, fragrances, etc.
Is The Inkey List Sustainable?
Yes, The Inkey List is sustainable. They’re B-Corp certified: B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
They’ve reached the following goals:
- 100% of their products are now recycle ready.
- 100% using a minimum of 65% recycled PCR plastic, in the process of shifting to 70% for all packs
- All of their tubes and pumps are mono-material to improve their recyclability massively.
- All of their packs used FSC-certified boards.
- They had hoped to save 48 tonnes of virgin plastic, but… in fact, they have saved a massive 120 tonnes of virgin plastic by making these changes.
- They’re certified NET-ZERO, which means they have offset 100% of their carbon from their entire supply chain in 2021 and 150% of their office emissions!
On top of that, they’re also giving back to the community by supporting several projects such as projects for the youth, mental health, education, and more.
How Do You 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.
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.
Conclusion On Is The Inkey List Cruelty-Free
So, we’ve come to the end of this blog post, and I hope that by now, you have a better understanding of whether The Inkey List is cruelty-free or not. After thorough research, it’s safe to say that The Inkey List is indeed a cruelty-free brand.
Choosing cruelty-free products is not only beneficial for animals but also for our planet and ourselves. Making conscious choices when buying beauty products can create a better world for everyone.
If you’re looking for effective skincare products that are ethically made and don’t harm any furry friends in the process, then The Inkey List might be just what you need! Always do your own research and support brands that align with your values. Together, we can make a difference!
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