L’Oréal Groupe stands as one of the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty companies. It was founded in 1909 by Eugène Schueller, a talented young chemist from France. Schueller’s vision was to provide innovative and high-quality beauty products accessible to a wider audience.
The company’s formation was driven by Schueller’s ambition to revolutionize the hair dye industry, initially focusing on hair-coloring products. Over time, L’Oréal expanded its product range to encompass skincare, makeup, haircare, and fragrances.
L’Oréal boasts an extensive brand portfolio, featuring both iconic and diverse labels. Some of its prominent brands include L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline, YSL Beauty, NYX, Lancôme, Kiehl’s, Garnier, CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, and Urban Decay, among numerous others.
In recent years, L’Oréal has placed a strong emphasis on digital transformation, adapting to changing consumer behaviors and preferences. The company invests significantly in digital technologies and e-commerce, aiming to enhance customer experiences and accessibility to its products.
L’Oréal’s dedication to innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity has positioned it as a trailblazer in the beauty industry, continually setting new standards and redefining beauty trends.
Its commitment to research and development, coupled with a diverse brand portfolio, solidifies its role as a global leader in the cosmetics and beauty market. But is L’Oréal vegan?
Is L’Oréal Vegan?
No. L’Oréal is not vegan. L’Oréal has a lot of brands in its portfolio and some of them use animal-derived ingredients. In addition, L’Oréal is not considered cruelty-free as it allows tests on animals. Therefore, L’Oréal as a whole is not vegan.
A vegan skincare product does not contain ingredients of animal origin. This means that none of its ingredients are derived from animals or their by-products. In addition, vegan skincare is never tested on animals. Meaning it is always cruelty-free.
Read more about Vegan And Cruelty-Free Skincare: Are They The Same?
L’Oréal Vegan Overview
Is a vegan firm: no
Owns vegan brands: no
Tests on animals: yes, where required by law
Sells where animal testing is mandatory: yes
Is L’Oréal Cruelty-Free?
No. L’Oréal is not considered a cruelty-free company. While some of its brands are certified cruelty-free, the company as a whole still allows animal testing. Particularly for products sold in markets like China where such testing is required by law.
Even though the beauty firm might refrain from directly conducting animal tests itself, its decision to sell in China involves consenting to potential animal testing by authorities in that market.
Consequently, this choice does not align with cruelty-free principles as it indirectly permits animal testing, thus disqualifying the company from being classified as cruelty-free.
L’Oréal Brands
L’Oréal is known as “a parent company”. It owns a diverse portfolio of prestigious beauty, skincare, fragrance, and makeup brands.
While L’Oréal permits animal testing where mandated by law, some brands it owns have separate policies. Among these brands, some are certified cruelty-free and abstain from selling in regions where animal testing is obligatory.
Please note, that even though some of its brands uphold cruelty-free practices, they are under the ownership of a parent company that isn’t classified as cruelty-free.
NYX
NYX Professional Makeup provides high-quality and affordable makeup products. While not fully vegan, NYX offers many vegan products and is PETA-certified cruelty-free, ensuring they do not conduct animal testing. Read more: Full NYX Vegan Product List
Urban Decay
Urban Decay, a well-known cosmetics brand, was founded in 1996. The company was established to provide bold and edgy makeup products that catered to individuality and self-expression. While not fully vegan, Urban Decay offers many vegan products and is PETA-certified cruelty-free, ensuring that they do not test on animals. Read more: Full Urban Decay Vegan Product List
IT Cosmetics
IT Cosmetics creates dermatologist-recommended and plastic surgeon-advised skincare and makeup. However, IT Cosmetics is not entirely vegan but it is certified cruelty-free. IT Cosmetics still uses animal-derived components in some of its products.
Garnier
Garnier is a well-known beauty brand that offers a wide range of affordable and high-quality skincare and hair care products from shampoos, and conditioners to hair dyes. The brand has been around since 1904 and is based in France. While Garnier is not a 100% vegan brand, it does have a range of vegan products that are clearly labeled. Read more: See Garnier Vegan Product List
Lancôme
Lancôme was founded in 1935 by Armand Petitjean, aiming to capture the essence of French beauty and elegance. The brand offers a wide range of luxury beauty products, including perfumes, makeup, and skincare, for women around the world. Lancôme is not a vegan brand and uses animal-derived ingredients in its products. It is also not considered cruelty-free, as it allows animal testing where required by law. Read more: Is Lancôme Vegan & Cruelty-Free?
Maybelline
Maybelline, the iconic American cosmetics brand, was founded in 1915. Its inception was rooted in a mission to offer affordable and innovative cosmetics. The brand’s debut product, mascara, quickly gained popularity. However, Maybelline is not vegan or cruelty-free as it allows animal testing where required by law. Read more: Is Maybelline Vegan & Cruelty-Free?
YSL Beauty
Yves Saint Laurent, often abbreviated as YSL, is a prestigious French fashion and luxury brand known for haute couture, ready-to-wear fashion, accessories, and fragrances. YSL also has a cosmetics and fragrance division. However, YSL is not a vegan or cruelty-free brand, as it uses animal-derived ingredients and allows animal testing when required by law. Read more: Is Yves Saint Laurent Vegan & Cruelty-Free?
Kiehl’s
Kiehl’s is a skincare brand founded already in 1851. It originated as an old-world apothecary in New York City. The brand’s mission is to provide high-quality skincare products using natural ingredients and scientific knowledge. While Kiehl’s offers a wide range of effective products, it is not vegan. Kiehl’s is also not considered cruelty-free as it permits animal testing when required by law. Read more: Is Kiehl’s Vegan & Cruelty-Free?
CeraVe
CeraVe is a skincare brand founded in 2005 and it focuses on developing effective and affordable skincare products for individuals with various skin concerns. However, CeraVe is not a vegan or cruelty-free brand as it uses animal-derived ingredients and conducts animal testing. Read more: Is CeraVe Vegan & Cruelty-Free
La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay is a skincare brand founded by French pharmacist René Levayer in 1975. René Levayer aimed to develop skincare products specifically for sensitive and problematic skin. However, the brand is not vegan, as it uses animal-derived ingredients and tests on animals. La Roche-Posay is not certified cruelty-free, and none of its products can be considered vegan. Read more: Is La Roche-Posay Vegan & Cruelty-Free
L’Oréal Paris
L’Oréal Paris was established in 1909 with a mission to create innovative and high-quality beauty products. The brand started with hair dyes and expanded its offerings over the years. Despite its enduring commitment to innovation and accessibility, L’Oréal Paris is not a vegan or cruelty-free brand. The company uses animal-derived ingredients and allows animal testing where required by law. Read more: Is L’Oréal Paris Vegan?
FAQ About L’Oréal Groupe
No. L’Oréal is not vegan. L’Oréal has a lot of brands in its portfolio and some of them use animal-derived ingredients. In addition, L’Oréal is not considered cruelty-free as it allows tests on animals. Therefore, L’Oréal as a whole is not vegan.
No. L’Oréal is not considered a cruelty-free company. While some of its brands are certified cruelty-free, the company as a whole still allows animal testing, particularly for products sold in markets like China where such testing is required by law.
Brands like NYX, Urban Decay, IT Cosmetics, and Garnier are cruelty-free and offer vegan products despite being under L’Oréal which is a non-cruelty-free parent company.
Yes. L’Oréal sells in China.
The owner of L’Oréal Groupe is Francoise Bettencourt Meyers.
Summary
L’Oréal Groupe is one of the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty companies. It was founded in 1909 to provide innovative and high-quality beauty products accessible to a wider audience. As a parent firm, L’Oréal Groupe is not cruelty-free.
However, it owns various brands, some with separate cruelty-free policies. Brands like NYX, Urban Decay, IT Cosmetics, and Garnier are cruelty-free and offer vegan products despite being under a non-cruelty-free parent company.
We hope that L’Oréal Groupe will take on the goal of going cruelty-free and vegan one day. Until then, keep checking Vegan Avenue for an updated vegan brands list.
See also: Best Vegan Skincare Brands, Best Vegan Makeup
