Is Bath and Body Works Vegan or Cruelty-Free?

Bath and Body Works brands changed the entire look and feel of a simple everyday routine – bathing. The brand promotes handpicked fragrances for bath, luxurious body care products, hand soaps, as well as several gifting options such as fragrant aromatherapy candles and combo gift sets for someone you care for.

While the brand intends to instill a feel-good emotion through its range of products, lot of people, particularly vegans, aren’t feeling too good about its composition. Here we assess whether Bath and Body Works is vegan and cruelty-free?

About Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body works comes under the American retail “L Brands” umbrella which had the largest bath shop chain in the US since 1997. It specializes in several bath and body products like lotions, shower gels, creams, perfumes, candles and many more.

We found the same issue while we researched for Clinique brand. So, if you’re vegan, you must read it too.

Vegan Alternatives to Bath and Body Works Products

Now that you know Bath & Body Works products are not vegan, as they contain animal-derived ingredients or have animal by-products in them, we have researched some vegan alternatives for you. There are several best vegan body wash brands you can shift to and below are some good plant-based Bath and Body Works alternatives that works great for all skin types.

Product	Rating
1. The Body Shop’s British Rose Exfoliating Soap	4.7/5	Buy Now
2. Love Beauty And Planet Body Wash	4.9/5	Buy Now
3. Kopari Organic Coconut Melt	4.2/5	Buy Now
4. Finchberry’s Handcrafted Soap	4.5/5	Buy Now
5. Coco & Eve’s Coconut & Fig Hair Masque	4.4/5	Buy Now
6. Pacifica Lavender Moon Shower Oil	4.0/5	Buy Now
7. Sensitive Skin Body Wash by Tree to Tub	4.6/5	Buy Now

As an alternative, you can also go for Soap and Glory products, but before that, check the vegan status of Soap & Glory. Read below to understand why is Bath and Body works not vegan why is it important to make a switch from their products to the plant-based ones.

Is Bath and Body Works Cruelty Free?

Now this can’t be happy news for vegans who’re equally bothered about their favourite brand’s sensitivity meted out to animals.

To classify whether any brand is cruelty-free or not, we generally categorise it into one or more of the following:

Does Bath and Body Works sell in China? Sadly, Yes, and so, it adheres to all of the above, in which case it can be termed as not cruelty-free.

Like Bath and Body works products, even Wella Professionals follow the same procedures for their products. So, Is Wella Brand Vegan? You can analyze it with us.

Does Bath and Body Test on Animals?

To further explain Bath and Body Works animal testing stance, here’s what the brand stated on its official website in its latest 2019 update:

Bath & Body Works does not test any of our branded products, formulations or ingredients on animals. Period. The brand is expecting to pilot selling products in China during the summer of 2019. Any personal care products sold in China will be produced in China, which eliminates the Chinese government’s requirement for animal testing as that only applies to imported personal care products.

Before you’re led to believe, reading this statement, that Bath and Body Works animal cruelty isn’t proven, we’d like to elaborate here on what the above actually means.

The brand only claims that it isn’t involved in pre-market animal testing of its products in the Chinese market. However, this in no way suggests that the company would be exempted from possible post-market testing of the product on these innocent creatures.

Whatever and however it may be, there is a definite risk of animal testing in the picture which can’t be completely overlooked. As such, it’d be unsafe to brand the company as cruelty-free.

How to Determine if a Brand is Cruelty-Free?

Considering the ambiguous stance of Bath and Body Works on animal testing, here we clearly outline what to watch out for before picking a seemingly vegan or cruelty-free cosmetic brand at the drugstore:

Look for the word ‘China’

If a brand sells any or all of its products in China, it is obligated by the latter government to first test them on animals. Only then can they be allowed to be sold in mainland China market. If a brand claims on its website or otherwise to sell its products in China, then it can’t be a cruelty-free brand.

How does a Company word its Animal Testing Policy

This can also be tricky sometimes. For instance, a brand may claim on the animal testing statement on its website that it does not conduct animal testing of its products itself. However, the same company may be submitting its products to China and instead funding third-party animal testing of its products, for the same reason cited in the point above.

Brand’s Animal Testing Claim

A brand may claim that its products are not tested on animals – This is even trickier because the brand may try to evade the dishonour of not being cruelty-free by referring to its “finished products” not being tested on animals.

However, what needs to be looked at carefully here is whether the product’s raw ingredients undergo animal-testing practices. In this case, the brand’s suppliers may be conducting such practices but that does not exempt the brand from involvement, right?

Conclusion

Bath and Body Works may be a popular brand for gifting reasons but it has come under the scanner for all the wrong reasons. The decision to continue your loyalty with the brand is yours to make. There are several vegan cosmetics and body products you can use instead of Bath and Body works products. If not that, then you can check on brands like Stila Cosmetics vegan status with us.