What is a cruelty-free brand?
Before we dive into the specifics of Bare Minerals, let’s take a look at what it means when we say a brand is cruelty-free.
According to the criteria we define for a brand to be called “zero cruelty”, it must not test its products on animals in any form. This also includes testing ingredients through suppliers or paying third parties to conduct testing, even when the law requires that products be tested on animals for sale in the marketplace.
What does it mean to be cruelty-free
Is bareMinerals zero cruelty?
Now, let’s talk about Bare Minerals and its cruelty-free status.
bareMinerals’ Animal Testing Policy
On the official Bare Minerals website, they talk a lot about being cruelty-free. We will review their statements. The first statement can be found on the website page. It says, “What makes our cleansing skincare and cosmetics different is that it’s tested, proven to work, and can actually improve your skin. We’re also 100% cruelty-free – always have been and always will be.”
In addition, when you dig deeper or head to the FAQ, the company states the following:
On the other hand, when asked about animal testing, bareMinerals stated the following:
All content on the brand’s website is publicly available. It is considered to be the second piece of evidence that helps us feel more confident about Bare Minerals.
bareMinerals Receives PETA Accreditation
Three organizations offer certification for zero-cruelty brands: PETA, Choose Cruelty-Free and Leaping Bunny, and after some research, we learned that Bare Minerals has been recognized as a zero-cruelty brand by PETA. Specifically, on the agency’s official website, it says, “The company does not test on animals.
Also, the brand is a PETA Business Friend and is on PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies list. So, we get a second indicator that bareMinerals is not tested on animals.
About Bare Minerals
Bare Minerals is known as a makeup and skin care brand focused on clean beauty. It has a diverse product portfolio that includes foundations, loose powders, mascaras, lipsticks, gel cleansers, eyeliners, and more. They claim that up to 71% of their product formulations are vegan and 100% cruelty-free.
Bare Minerals was acquired by Orveon (Advent International), what does this mean?
In 2010, Bare Minerals was acquired by Shiseido of Japan. Since joining the company, the brand’s products have sold strongly in the US and European markets.
So, does Bare Minerals follow this policy on its own? Yes, it does, and the brand remains cruelty-free. After being acquired by Shiseido, the brand still claims that animal testing is not allowed. It still maintains the cleanliness principle for all its products, which means it is still 100% cruelty-free.
But it doesn’t end here.
According to the latest news, Shiseido has resold the brand. Specifically, in August 2021, a series of articles reported that Shiseido had signed an agreement to sell its bareMinerals and two other cosmetic brands, Buxom and Laura Mercier, to Orveon, the brand name of Advent International, the company that manages three beauty brands, including including bareMinerals.
Ron Gee, president and CEO of Shiseido, revealed why: “Today’s announcement represents another step in our strategy to become a leading beauty and wellness company.” Other sources also said that the acquisition is part of the company’s plan to redirect its market. They will focus on high-end cosmetic brands in the Asian market, rather than the U.S. market as before.
Advent Managing Director Tricia Glynn said Advent will focus on continuing to develop bareMinerals products while expanding its portfolio and markets. (Source)
Considering their efforts and brand statements to date, it is clear that the brand stays true to its zero cruelty commitment.
bareMinerals seeks to reinforce its “clean beauty” philosophy
In addition to the zero cruelty and vegan statements, Bare Minerals has many other extraordinary activities to reinforce its ideal of “clean beauty”. The following campaigns can be mentioned:
“Do Good for the Planet”: Their goal is to use recyclable or reusable packaging to minimize their impact on the environment. The proof is that they have switched from using cardboard boxes to using certified paper.
“Recycle”: They have a program called “Give Back, Recycle Recycle”. The program encourages consumers to return empty boxes of old products to their stores to be sent to recycling/reuse programs. 2021 saw the expansion of the program to the UK and the US, with expected success.
So, what is the final verdict?
Based on our research and evidence above regarding bareMinerals’ zero cruelty claims, there is no doubt that the brand is zero cruelty.
Not only does bareMinerals claim this, but it is also on PETA’s list of brands that do not test on animals. Also, the brand has no products sold in China and therefore is not required to follow the country’s animal testing laws.
While there are other issues related to its old parent company Shiseido and Advent, which recently acquired the brand, we have no evidence that it would change our ideals.
Please let us know what you think in the comments section below. Also read more about similar brands that have not been tested on animasl, such as Dove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bare Minerals a vegan brand?
Aside from zero cruelty, we confirm that Bare Minerals is not completely vegan. Why is that?
Since 2020, they have declared themselves to be vegan with only 71% of their products. This means that the remaining 29% contain ingredients from animals. In fact, it has some products that contain honey, beeswax, silk and carmine. In addition, it uses animal hair in its brushes. This is the most tangible evidence of the problem.
Who owns bareMinerals?
bareMinerals was acquired by Orveon (Advent International) from Shiseodo in December 2021. So now, Orveon owns bareMinerals.
Does bareMinerals sell its products in China?
As you know, China is one of the countries that require animal testing for products imported from abroad. As a result, most brands sold in this market are subject to animal testing laws. However, Bare Minerals has confirmed that it does not sell its products here. This is the ultimate proof that the brand has zero cruelty.
