Briogeo Acquired by Wella Company

Briogeo acquired by Wella Company. Wella Company is not cruelty-free. Will Briogeo have to test on animals?

Well known cruelty-free and Black-owned haircare brand Briogeo was just acquired by Wella Company. Started in 2013, this indepdent brand is now a household name in the cruelty-free space. You can find them in Ulta, Sephora, Cult Beauty, Beauty Bay, and so many other retailers. They also make lots of vegan-friendly products and are a staple in the haircare routine of many.

What does the acquisition by Wella Company mean for Briogeo? Will they stay a cruelty-free brand? Will Briogeo test on animals? There are a lot of questions right now about what this change might mean for the brand.

Popular vegan products from Briogeo:

Acquiring Briogeo marks Wella Company’s first portfolio expansion as an independent entity. Briogeo’s high-growth, eco-ethical and natural hair care products complement our existing hair portfolio and sustainable offerings and will fuel our growth momentum in the hair category, which is now the fastest growing segment in beauty. I’m proud of the growth our company has achieved so far in just 17 months – and in Briogeo we have found a truly special and complementary partner. Briogeo has been at the forefront of the clean and natural hair revolution since the company started in 2013, and its rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Together we’ll extend our sustainable product offerings even more, expand our premium retail footprint and drive both commercial and social impact to new levels.

– Annie Young-Scrivner, Chief Executive Officer of Wella Company said in a press release

Is Briogeo cruelty-free? Does Briogeo test on animals?

Currently Briogeo is cruelty-free! Briogeo does not test on animals. There are also a lot of vegan options from Briogeo.

At this time, there is no indication that this will be changing. It’s been important to Briogeo since the start. Hopefully it won’t be changing. It can be hard to tell so soon after an acquisition is anounced what could happen in the future. The business side of an acqusition takes time to complete. Merging brands takes time too. There are rarely immediate changes to animal testing policies when brands get acquired. But, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be in the future/

With this news, Briogeo is no longer an indepdently owned brand. They are now owned by a company that does test on animals. A lot of cruelty-free consumers avoid brands who have a parent company that is not cruelty-free. So this acquistion alone will impact the decision to purchase Briogeo products for some.

The strength of Wella Company’s Research & Development, digital marketing and global operations, and their ability to reach 91 million hair and nail professionals and followers they serve and support will take our Briogeo brand to the next level. This is a significant strategic partnership for both sides, and one that is compatible in ambition, philosophy and culture. In Wella Company we have a committed partner to help our business and our employees reach the next level of growth. We’re excited to accelerate our expansion and innovation, globally delighting more people in more geographies and through broader delivery channels.

– Nancy Twine, CEO of Briogeo said in a press release

Is Wella Company cruelty-free? Does Wella Company test on animals?

Wella Company is not cruelty-free. According to their own FAQ page, they do test on animals when required by law. In addition, Wella Comapny does not currently own any other cruelty-free brands.

Other brands owned by Wella Company include Wella, Wella Professionals, Nioxin, OPI, Clairol, Sassoon Professional, GHD, Sebastian Professional, and others. Briogeo is the first cruelty-free brand to be owned by Wella Company.

My thoughts on the Briogeo acquisition…

Wella Company owns a handful of other beauty brands, and none are currently cruelty-free. Personally, this is a bit concerning for me. I hope that Briogeo remains cruelty-free and that Briogeo does not test on animals. Maybe this signals a change from Wella Company to start to reconsider their current practices.

From a brand perspective, being acquired is likely exciting for the Briogeo team. As an independent brand they have done a great job of expanding their product range. They are also available in so many retail locations. Usually being acquired means a lot of growth and represents a lot of hard work by the current team.

It’s hard to know what the motivation behind acquisitions is. I know that many assume they are profit-based, which does have some merit. After all, most small brands have the goal of being acquired eventually.

For brands, it can be driven by more factors too. Access to better retailers, being able to place larger orders to lower prices, and being able to make products more accessible to all consumers tend to be often named. At the end of the day, it’s business. While ethics factor to a degree, business growth is the bottom line.

The addition of the Briogeo portfolio of prestige hair care complements Wella Company’s ambitions to deliver more diverse products for all hair types, while expanding clean and green products across its portfolio offerings.

– Wella Company Press Release on the Briogeo acquisition

It’s also hard to know what this means for the future of Briogeo. It usually takes brands some time to integrate into their new parent company and changes rarely happen soon after acquisition. This makes it a great time to let Briogeo know how much you value that they are cruelty-free and hope that they stay cruelty-free in the future.

When it comes to cruelty-free brands owned by parent companies that test on animals, I personally think we all have to pick what’s best for ourselves and our own situations. When mentioning these brands I include a disclosure for this reason. Everyone has access to different brands and I think any steps towards going cruelty-free are worth taking and worth supporting. I also think it’s always important to let the brand know if this impacts your decision to purchase from them going forward.

It’s helpful for big companies, like Wella Company, to hear that cruelty-free is important to consumers. If you are not purchasing their cruelty-free options until Wella Company stops testing on animals, let them know.

Will this change impact your choice in buying  Briogeo products?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. I think it’s so important to have these discussions among ourselves and with the brand too.

Popular vegan products from Briogeo:

Here on Logical Harmony, you can find a full list of cruelty-free brands as well as shopping guides to help you find the cruelty-free brands at Dermstore, Ulta, Nordstrom, Sephora, Beauty Bay, Beautylish, Cult Beauty, and tons more. There are also lots of vegan product lists for cruelty-free brands too.