Let’s look into the Almay brand’s current animal testing policy and cruelty-free status in 2022.
Is Almay Cruelty-Free?
Is Almay a cruelty-free brand? NO!
Almay is a make-up brand founded in 1931 and is based in the United States. It is owned by Revlon which itself is a cosmetic brand but has acquired several smaller brands in the skin care, makeup and fragrance range. Revlon and its sub brands are available in more than 150 countries and though many countries have over the years banned the law of testing cosmetics on animals, China continues to do so and any brand that is available in China plays a part towards animal abuse by abiding by the mandatory law of animal testing and cannot be considered cruelty-free.
Almay is certified by PETA as a company that DOES test on animals.
Is Almay Sold In China?
Is Almay sold in China? YES!
When local brands agree to an acquisition by multinational companies, one of the major reasons is Expansion. Expanding to global markets and growing the brand to make it more accessible all over the world; the access which a multinational holds. Almay was acquired by Revlon and is available in China.
The Chinese law states that products that fall under the cosmetic category which include make-up, perfume, skin-care, sunscreen etc (except oral care and soaps) and are manufactured outside China have to undergo mandatory testing on animals before they can be permitted for sales in stores in China.
Apart from pre-market tests, products are also pulled out from shelves and tested, especially after a consumer complaint.
And this is the main reason why products that sell to mainland China cannot be considered completely cruelty free as it always runs a risk of being subjected to animal abuse.
Brands that care about being cruelty-free choose to not sell in mainland China and may instead import to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan where the animal testing policies of China are not applicable.
Is Almay Vegan?
Is Almay vegan? NO!
For a brand to be vegan, not only should the products have ingredients (active and inactive) which are derived from plants entirely but also it should not be involved in any process, directly or indirectly in which animals are subjected to any form of cruelty.
Almay has ingredients that contain animal derivatives. They also do not have a complete list of ingredients on the product pages on their official website. Most cosmetics contain ingredients derived from milk solids, beeswax, honey and also derivatives of cetyl and stearyl alcohol. These are fatty alcohols obtained from pork or beef tallow and are used as thickening agents.
And since Almay indirectly plays a role in animal abuse by being available in China neither is it cruelty-free and that is why Almay cannot be considered a vegan brand.
What Is Almay’s Animal Testing Policy?
Almay mentions its animal testing policy on the Our values page of its official website,
This is how we are cruelty free
Almay loves its furry friends. We do not test our products on animals and, instead, we substantiate the safety of all of our products the humane and modern way–using state-of-the-art product-safety principles and methodologies.
Almay on its website claims to be cruelty-free and showcases the cruelty free logo on its homepage. However it has no mention of PETA or any accreditation that can verify these claims. Neither have they mentioned that they abide by laws in countries where testing is mandatory and if they claim to not sell in such countries then that should have been stated too.
This can clearly be interpreted as greenwashing its consumers as complete information is not made available and just by stating that they love animals and are cruelty-free does not make it true. Brands need to be conscious about how they portray themselves and the best way to gain consumer trust is honesty.
Is Almay Owned By A Parent Company?
YES! Almay is owned by Revlon and Revlon is also listed on PETA as a company that tests on animals.
What Does Almay Sell?
Almay is a drugstore cosmetic brand targeted for sensitive skin and is known for its hypoallergenic products that include foundations, concealers, primers, eye makeup, lip makeup etc.
What Is Almay’s Current Cruelty-Free Position?
Almay’s position in 2022 is that it is NOT a cruelty-free brand.
It breaks at least two of the below Cruelty-free 5 criterias
– A company directly engages in animal testing
– A company’s supplier’s engage in animal testing
– A company permits a third party to test on their behalf
– A company tests on animals when required by law
– A company sells products in stores in mainland China despite being aware of the country’s mandatory animal testing policy
I Use Almay Products. What Can I Do To Help?
Brands should be honest and open and they owe this to their customers. Many believe the claims that Almay is cruelty free and continue to use their products. And when a brand truly is cruelty-free, they should have every proof to support the claim. Being cruelty-free is not just about displaying a logo on your website. Honesty goes a long way to garnering more loyalists in the long run.
