MAC Cosmetics Is No Longer Cruelty-Free
Is MAC Cosmetics no longer cruelty-free? For a long time, one of the most well-known cruelty-free brands has been MAC Cosmetics. It was also a common rumor in the vegan community that all of their products are also vegan. Sadly, things have changed and MAC Cosmetics is no longer cruelty-free.
Known for their bright and bold collections as well as their wide range of classic shades, MAC seems to have something to offer to everyone. This is why they have been such a popular and iconic brand over the years. They have always heavily marketed that they are cruelty-free as well. Sadly, the MAC Cosmetics cruelty-free stance has changed. Keep reading for more details.
Is MAC Cosmetics no longer cruelty-free?
MAC Cosmetics is not cruelty-free.
MAC Cosmetics is owned by Estee Lauder. This cosmetics giant has openly tested on animals for a long time and has recently come under fire for conducting secret tests on cosmetics in China. It was this controversy that sparked me to check in with MAC about their status as a cruelty-free company who offers vegan options. By some standards, MAC being owned by Estee Lauder is enough to not consider them cruelty-free. However, I’ve always found it best to support the cruelty-free brands and let people make their own decisions about the parent companies.
Sadly, in my recent response from MAC, I noticed a change that affects their status as a cruelty-free company. In order for Logical Harmony to promote a company as cruelty-free, I want to make sure that there is no testing on animals at any point during the production of the products or in the materials used to create the products. This includes by the company itself or third parties that may provide ingredients. If a company can’t give a straight response to those questions, I don’t endorse them and I don’t feature them on Logical Harmony.
Normally I post the entire email response from companies, but this email from MAC has a disclosure that prohibits me from doing so without permission. I have emailed asking for permission to copy the entire email but have received no reply. So I am only going to re-post one sentence here, and it’s the only sentence that matters.
M.A.C has a longstanding policy to not test on animals, nor ask others to test on our behalf, except when required by law.
“Except when required by law” is a phrase often used by brands who are selling their products in markets, such as China, that do require animal testing to sell there. Since these tests are done by a 3rd party, the brands often still try to claim to be cruelty-free. This means that MAC, long known for being cruelty-free, does test on animals. I emailed them back asking for clarification on what the terms for “required by law” are but have not received a reply. I also noticed that while PETA has endorsed them in the past, MAC has been removed from their list of companies who don’t test on animals. It’s not on the list of companies who do test, but it being removed from the don’t test list says a lot.
Because of this response, Logical Harmony will no longer be featuring any MAC Cosmetics products. All previous posts featuring MAC will be deleted or have the brand removed from the post. This just shows how important it is to support the vegan cosmetic companies out there. Cruelty-free may mean no testing on animals, but there are animal ingredients used in the production that do cause harm to animals to produce. “Cruelty-free” is far from actually being free from cruelty to animals. Cruelty-free products are featured on Logical Harmony as a step for people who are concerned about becoming animal-friendly but aren’t ready to transition to vegan cosmetics.
So what can you do?
- If you are concerned about buying cruelty-free cosmetics, please no longer purchase MAC items.
- If you are a cruelty-free blogger, please don’t feature MAC on your blog anymore. Please do a post about their change in testing policies and spread the word to your readers!
- Promote this post on social networking sites to let your friends know!
- Let your friends who use MAC know about the change!
- I urge you to contact MAC yourself and ask them to change their stance on animal testing!
I also urge you all to consider trying cruelty-free brands. There are so many out there who produce amazing products without any harm to animals!
apparently estee lauder bought most of mac in the 90s?
what a huge disapointment. i truly love mac, its my favorite makeup brand. its a shame i wont purchase their products anymore until they stop testing on animals.
*smaller companies
Very upsetting news
I’ve been a MAC fan for quite sometime, but it looks as though I may have to find another brand :/
Unfortunately I came across this article a little late, and have purchased MAC products in the past few months (when I was under the impression that they did not test on animals).
I was wondering if anyone knew whether or not the brand Makeup Forever tested on animals. I’ve tried to do some research, but there are so many contradicting statements.
I will, in the meantime look into some of the smaller brands suggested! 🙂
I am beyond disappointed in MAC !!! brutal…guess its time to find a new brand of make up.
It is a DEFINITE law in China to test on animals. If you want to sell a product used on the body, it has to be tested on animals. This isn’t something the company decides, it’s something the GOVERNMENT decides. As it’s a communist-moving-into-socialist-capitalist economy, the companies DO NOT and WILL NOT have ANY control on the government for a WHILE. (Unless it has to do with electronics. They can do whatever the fuck they want, *cough cough*, apple, *cough cough*.) (I can say the same that if you have any MAC[seriously lol what a pun!] product/iphone you ARE supporting depression, poverty, and suicides in China. Just saying.)
I recommend that you email estee lauder and OTHER companies that are trying to sell in China(they have a much larger consumer base there, they are able to sell so much more there than they can in the US. It’s a bad business idea to not sell in China, and they are a business, don’t hate on them for being a business and trying to make money. It happens.) urging them to ask China to stop requiring them to test on animals. There are companies for “progressive change”. We need to urge more companies to do that, with enough companies urging China to stop the requirement, and if people would sign this petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/805/419/509/china-stop-mandatory-animal-cosmetics-testing/ hopefully it will work. The problem is China, not most of the companies. Sign the petition please! It won’t have much influence by itself, but with the companies pressuring them, foreign and natives, I’m sure it will eventually work! Please! Spread awareness about it. 🙂
Great article. Like many, the issue I have is not whether the mac products I purchased here in the USA were tested an animals, its whether the company as a whole is testing when required in other places. I have now asked a hand full of mac employes about this who continue to respond with “we test on human models- not animals” with a rehearsed tone. If this is the case, why doesn’t mac appear to pop up on any updated cruelty free lists? I have e mailed mac directly about this but sadly I’m anticipating a canned response.
I’ve been using MAC foundation and eye shadow for several years. I was about to restock the MAC Studio Tech foundation and MAC Studio Fix powder when a girlfriend of mine mentioned MAC was no longer cruelty-free because they are selling in China which requires cosmetics to be tested on animals before being allowed on the market in China.
I was gobsmacked. I thought it was a cruel joke. But after some Googling I came across your website (and why haven’t I found you before now?!?!) and it is true! Oh gosh, I am so disappointed with MAC. I read what you suggested about sending an email to MAC and I did so (using that awesome template from Phyrra) and I expressed my extreme disappointment they are compromising their long history of cruelty-free beauty all in the name of the dollar and I won’t be purchasing their products anymore.
Having done that, I am now stuck wondering how to replace my long-standing MAC foundation and powder. What can I use in place of the MAC Studio Tech and Studio Fix? They were so awesome for my makeup and I have no idea where to start to find the same kind of products that are cruelty-free. I wonder if you might have suggestions to what products would be the same as MAC Studio Tech and MAC Studio Fix.
I also want to commend you on your awesome website. I have bookmarked it and will be sure to refer to it often.
Thank you very much for this information.
It is so hard for me to find cruelty free products.
MAC was the only thing that I can physically go and try before purchasing.
At least now I know they are not cruelty free. I won’t be supporting them in any way anymore.
I was/am shocked and disappointed to read MAC is no longer cruelty-free, as I was a devout MAC user for many, many years. I have now thrown the rest of my MAC in the bin, and am going to be trying some Urban Decay instead, which I know to be cruelty-free.
As for China requiring animal testing by law, I can’t say I’m surprised at their antiquated stance on this, considering their Human Rights record… :-O
Sorry but Urban Decay is also no longer cruelty free. 🙁