Is Kiehl’s Cruelty free (2024)?

Kiehl’s is not fully Vegan. While they do provide specific vegan items, they are not entirely a vegan brand. This means that certain products may contain ingredients derived from animals. However, it’s important to note that since they are not a cruelty-free brand, we advise against investing your hard-earned money in purchasing products that have been tested on animals.

Yes. Kiehl’s is owned by a parent company L’oreal that tests on animals.

L’Oréal falsely advertises they are Cruelty free and they do not test on animals. However, L’Oréal sells their products in markets where animal testing is required by law, categorizing them as NOT Cruelty free.

You might have heard that animal testing laws in China have recently changed so brands can sell their products and still be Cruelty free. Does this mean Kiehl’s is Cruelty free?

Only Ordinary Cosmetics like skincare products, makeup etc. can be exempt from animal testing under certain conditions. However, special use cosmetics like sunscreen, hair dyes etc. are still required to undergo animal testing in 2024.

Yes, you’ll find Kiehl’s products on the shelves in Mainland China. I dissected their animal testing policy to provide a more detailed explanation.

Official Animal Testing Policy:

Below is the official Animal Testing Policy from their Website. Kiehl’s adheres to their parent company, L’Oreal’s animal testing policy. Although, they claim they “do not test on animals”, they do sell their products in Mainland China which implies they support animal testing.

The highlighted section below, stating “Certain health authorities may nevertheless decide to conduct animal tests themselves for certain cosmetic products, as it is still the case in China,” suggests that their products are available in regions where animal testing is mandated by law, such as Mainland China. Despite their claim that “L’Oréal has been the most active company working alongside the Chinese authorities and scientists for over 10 years to have alternative testing methods,” this assertion does not hold true for any companies selling in China. In the case of post-market animal testing, Kiehl’s is willing to pay the Chinese government to remove their products from shelves and conduct animal testing.

As explained in the section above, since animal testing remains obligatory for special use cosmetics, their products are subjected to such testing.

Below is a screenshot of their China website:

They are not certified by any of the 3 official cruelty free certificaitons since they are not Cruelty free.

PETA’s Website: