Is Origins Cruelty Free? Does Origins Test On Animals?

Are you one of those people who want to stop and think before applying a beauty cream or lotion about whether or not it has been tested on animals first? If yes, welcome to the cruelty-free supporter group of which most vegans today are a part of. You can look into some completely vegan cosmetics brands with us.

And why not? Making ourselves beautiful at the cost of poor bunnies or innocent rats – is that fair? We don’t think so. And this is why we keep reviewing multiple popular beauty brands now and then. We have reviewed brands like Bare Minerals, Bosia cosmetics, Clinique Cosmetics and many more for their vegan status.

About Origins Cosmetics

Origins is a popular US beauty brand that specializes in offering natural skincare, makeup, and bath & body products. Founded by Leonard Lauder, the son of famous Estee Lauder, Origins is quite famous in the US and beyond. But that aside, does Origins test on animals? This is what we found.

Is Origins Cruelty Free?

As of 2019, No, the brand does not claim to be following cruelty-free practices for its range of products.

The reason: Origins sells its products in China – the notorious country that mandatory requires animal testing on all imported products before approving them for sale in its markets. That’s where the brand stands guilty; Origins tested on animals, silently complying with the Chinese law to continue sale of its products in the country.

But that’s not all. There’s yet another ground on which the brand stands guilty. The brand is owned by Estee Lauder, the parent corporation, which is also accused of animal testing where required by law.

Does Origins Test On Animals?

As on 2019, the official website of Origins stated that the brand does not believe in testing on animals for product safety, claiming “so we don’t do it.” Having said that however, the country does admit to the fact that “some countries where Origins is sold require animal testing on all imported cosmetics as part of their regulator safety process.”

On the one hand, the company claims that it does not directly involve itself in testing on animals of any kind to guarantee safety of its cosmetics for human use. But on the other, it does confess to obliging to law requirements that make these cruel practices mandatory. From the above, it’s pretty clear that origins test on animals.

So is Origins cruelty free? In short, Origins does stand guilty and is not cruelty-free.

As we all know, veganism and cruelty-free do go hand-in-hand these days, at least for a majority of the vegan community. While we now know that the company isn’t exempt of charges for animal testing, it isn’t vegan too as the company uses certain ingredients for its products which are derived from animal sources or are animal by-products.

For instance, beeswax that’s found in some of Origins’ lipsticks and honey in its charcoal honey mask. There are some vegans who consider beeswax as a vegan ingredient. You can check out our article ‘Is beeswax vegan‘ for confirming whether you want to use it or not.

There’s a bit of good news as well though. A few of Origins vegan products are available for sale too. However, it’s always recommended to check each label of every product carefully before purchase if you’re a vegan to be doubly sure.

Is Origins Sold in China?

As mentioned above in Origins’ animal-testing policy obtained from its website, the brand does agree to sale of its products in mainland China. Therefore, as part of the registration process, the company agrees to pay the Chinese government to conduct testing of all its products on animals. Once their safety is ensured for use on the human skin, these products are approved by the Chinese government for sale in its stores.

Is Origins Organic?

Origins is not a 100% organic brand but they do have range “Origins Organics” which is 100% organic. This range has received USDA certification for personal care organic line.

Is Origins Owned By Parent Company?

Yes, origins is owned by Estee Lauder which engages in animal testing.

Cruelty-Free Origin Brand Alternatives

Sadly, the answer to the question “is Origins cruelty free” is No. The brand did not pass the cruelty-free test which means that most vegans may not be comfortable using the brand anymore. After all, there is a strong push in the global community towards following “beauty without bunnies”. So if not Origins, here are some popular cruelty-free alternatives to turn to while you continue fighting for cruelty-free practices in cosmetics:

• Juice Beauty
• Dermalogica (Unilever)
• OSEA
• First Aid Beauty (P&G)
• Skyn Iceland (100% vegan too)

Conclusion

Origins cosmetics aren’t cruelty-free. Interestingly, the brand mentions in its animal-testing policy, “As a brand rooted in science, we’re doing everything we can to put an end to animal testing worldwide through science.” For this reason, the brand has also partnered with The Institute for In Vitro Sciences that works with the same mission in mind.

Isn’t it ironic that Origins still pays for animal testing of its products just to ensure their continued sale in China? You can rather look for some other brands for their vegan status like Stila Cosmetics, Maybelline and Pixi Cosmetics.