Is Paula’s Choice Cruelty-Free? Here’s The Astounding Truth

The idea of living a cruelty-free and vegan lifestyle has recently gained a lot of traction as more and more people become aware of animal suffering and the impact of animal products on the environment. 

Consumers are increasingly looking for brands committed to animal welfare and the environment, creating a demand for cruelty-free and vegan products. 

Many companies have responded to this demand by offering products that are free from animal testing and animal-derived ingredients. But how can you tell if a brand is truly cruelty-free and vegan? 

And in this case, specifically, is Paula’s Choice cruelty-free? Let me help you find the answer. 

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 Paula’s Choice 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 to buy their products. 

Is Paula’s Choice Cruelty-Free? 

Paula’s Choice is cruelty-free. They have confirmed that they don’t test finished products or ingredients on animals, nor do their suppliers or third parties. They also don’t sell their products where animal testing is required by law.

Paula’s Choice is part of the Leaping Bunny Program, which means they have eliminated animal testing from their company and their ingredient suppliers.

Paula’s Choice supports many charities focused on animal welfare, such as the Humane Society, ASPCA, and NAVS. Paula’s Choice is a dog-friendly office, with most employees bringing their canine companions to work daily.

Is Paula’s Choice Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?

Paula’s Choice is owned by a parent company that tests on animals. The parent company is Unilever, and this is not a cruelty-free company.

Even though the brand is cruelty-free, keep in mind that it’s owned by a company that is not cruelty-free. It depends on your preferences and values if you want to buy from them. Some people don’t mind the parent company, and others do. If you prefer avoiding brands owned by a company that tests on animals, it’s better to avoid this brand.

Is Paula’s Choice Sold In China?

Paula’s Choice is not sold in China or other countries where animal testing is required by law.

Cruelty-Free Alternatives

Skincare Brands	Makeup Brands
Skinfix	Kosas**
Derma E	MERIT**
Fenty Skin	Rose Inc**

See more cruelty-free makeup and skincare brands here.

Is Paula’s Choice Vegan? 

Paula’s Choice is not entirely vegan. Most Paula’s Choice Skincare products are vegan because they do not contain animal or animal-derived ingredients. However, some of their products contain animal or animal-derived ingredients, either due to formulary necessity or because an equivalent vegan ingredient was unavailable.

Non-Vegan Ingredients To Avoid

If you’re interested in going vegan regarding your beauty routine (or complete lifestyle), then I recommend checking the ingredients list on the following most well-known and frequently used animal-derived ingredients that you should avoid:

1. Lanolin 
2. Beeswax 
3. Collagen 
4. Keratin 
5. Gelatin 
6. Carmine 
7. Guanine 
8. Honey 
9. Silk 
10. Squalene
11. Animal fats/oils

Mind you, there are vegan versions of some of these ingredients. So, for example, if you spot Squalane on an ingredient list, it doesn’t have to be shark derived as it can be plant-derived too. 

Vegan Ingredient Alternatives To Look For

There are many other vegan options for animal-derived ingredients. Squalene can be derived from plants such as olives, wheat germ, and amaranth, while collagen can be derived from sources such as seaweed and algae.

Carmine can be derived from vegetable sources such as beetroot and carrots. Lanolin can be replaced by vegetable oils, such as shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. Beeswax can be replaced with plant-based waxes, such as candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and vegan wax.

Keratin can be replaced with plant proteins such as soy, wheat, and oat. Gelatin can be replaced with agar agar, carrageenan, and guar gum. Guanine can be replaced with synthetic mica or bismuth oxychloride.

Honey can be replaced with vegan honey substitutes, such as maple syrup and agave syrup. Silk can be replaced with plant-based fabrics, such as bamboo and hemp. Animal fats and oils can be replaced with plant-based oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil.

Vegan Brand Alternatives

Skincare Brands	Makeup Brands
Versed*	KVD Beauty*
Youth To The People*	Haus Labs*
Glow Recipe*	LYS Beauty*

See more vegan makeup and skincare brands here.

Is Paula’s Choice Considered Clean? 

No, Paula’s Choice is not entirely considered a clean beauty brand. They still use harsh chemicals like parabens in their products. However, they also use natural ingredients in their formulas and avoid using several harsh ingredients such as alcohol, nanoparticles, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, synthetic fragrance, and toluene.

On top of that, Paula’s Choice is working on removing parabens from their formulas entirely, so I think Paula’s Choice is becoming a clean brand in the future. For now, Paula’s Choice may not be the cleanest option; they’re definitely not a bad option either.

The term “clean beauty” is controversial because it isn’t regulated; this means that brands can slap ‘clean,’ ‘green,’ and ‘natural’ on their products whenever they want. 

In broad terms, clean beauty products are those made without ingredients shown or suspected to harm human health (source: Goop) or the environment. 

To me, clean beauty is defined by mindfully created products without any proven or suspected toxic ingredients. Clean beauty products include ingredients made with the health of our bodies, animals, and the environment in mind. 

So to conclude: A clean beauty brand sells products that don’t contain harmful ingredients for humans, animals, and the environment. 

Harmful Ingredients You Want To Avoid

Sadly, quite a few (actually… thousands) of harmful ingredients or ingredients that are suspected to be harmful to humans, animals, and/or the environment.

Some examples of the ingredients that don’t make the cut in clean beauty products are sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, pesticides, petroleum derivatives, artificial coloring, and synthetic fragrances.

Is Paula’s Choice Fragrance-Free? 

Paula’s Choice is entirely (synthetic) fragrance-free. 

Is Paula’s Choice Paraben-Free? 

Paula’s Choice is not entirely paraben-free. However, Paula’s Choice is working towards being completely paraben-free. This is their statement: “Despite parabens being great ingredients, because we value your opinions and concerns, we have chosen to take steps to remove parabens from our products. We still have a couple of formularies that couldn’t be replicated as easily without parabens, and so they still contain these ingredients.”

Is Paula’s Choice Sustainable? 

Paula’s Choice is committed to sustainability. They’re reducing their contribution to the climate crisis through materials sourcing, product development & shipping. Their end goal is net zero emissions by 2030.

Paula’s Choice partnered with TerraCycle, which offers a recycling option that’s kept 500k empties out of the landfill. They partner with Tree-Nation to plant trees to offset all employee air travel emissions, and they’re improving their packaging to be more recyclable and FSC-Certified.

Sustainable Alternatives

Skincare Brands	Makeup Brands
rhode skin	ILIA Beauty
The Inkey List	bareMinerals
Supergoop	Tower 28

See more clean makeup and skincare brands here.

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 Choose Cruelty-Free, Leaping Bunny, and PETA, 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 to sign that a brand is truly cruelty-free and vegan.

It’s also essential 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

We found the answer to the question “is Paula’s Choice cruelty-free?” and the answer is yes, Paula’s Choice is cruelty-free. They have confirmed that they don’t test finished products or ingredients on animals, nor do their suppliers or third parties. They also don’t sell their products where animal testing is required by law.

FAQ