Benton is very proud of their clean beauty status, and they’re absolutely thriving in the Korean skincare game worldwide. They have a green image and are cruelty-free, but could they ever be 100% vegan too?
Benton is cruelty-free but not 100% vegan, meaning some products contain animal-derived ingredients. It does not conduct animal testing on its products or distribute cosmetics where animal testing is required by law.
The brand is one of the few Korean skincare brands certified cruelty-free and has an easy-to-find vegan range.
Since Benton is most known for its bee venom and snail mucin products – it's unlikely this brand will ever be 100% vegan.
Currently, it has strong sustainable and ethical brand values but is it actually true? How much are they really doing to be clean and ethical?
Benton Ethical Overview
Benton is 100% Cruelty-Free
Test any of its products or ingredients on animals
NO
Purchase any ingredients tested on animals within its supply chain
NO
Distribute its products to any countries that require animal testing by law.
YES
We can confirm that Benton is 100% cruelty-free!
The brand is owned by creator JangWon Lee and not by a parent company that tests on animals.
Does Benton Test on Animals?
Benton is clear that it will always stand against animal testing.
As of 2020, it began removing the ‘cruelty-free’ mark from packaging to comply with EU Cosmetic Regulations but rest assured they are still 100% cruelty-free
What Is Benton’s Cruelty-Free Status in 2023?
Here is a screenshot of Benton’s official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from its website:
Benton is PETA Certified
PETA certification is a good start but ideally, all brands that consider themselves cruelty-free should be Leaping Bunny certified.
While you might know PETA very well – it surprisingly doesn't hold the strictest cruelty-free regulations. Leaping Bunny certification is the gold standard to live up to.
Leaping Bunny certification proves that:
Is Benton Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Benton does not distribute any of its products to China or any country that requires animal testing on cosmetics by law.
China has a shocking track record. It is the country with the most animal testing globally, with over 20 million animals used per year.
However, if you live in China or are concerned about its cruel beauty policies, there are a couple of loopholes.
Here's how to find cruelty-free cosmetics in China: Are Cosmetics Made in China Cruelty-Free?
Benton is Not Vegan
Benton isn’t 100% vegan, but they have a great range of vegan products to choose from, and they’re all registered by The Vegan Society.
Some of the most common animal-derived ingredients that Benton uses are: propolis extract, bee venom, and snail secretion filtrate
If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Benton vegan products.
What Benton Products Are Vegan?
Benton has some great vegan products in their range to choose from. If you’re looking to dip your toe in the Korean skincare scene but keep it vegan, we’d suggest these popular products:
You can find a complete list of Benton vegan products on its website.
Vegan Alternatives to Benton
Brand | price range | 100% vegan | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
$20 - $80 | Yes | PETA, Leaping Bunny | |
$30 - $80 | Yes | PETA, Leaping Bunny | |
$5 - $20 | Yes | PETA | |
$5 - $20 | Yes | Leaping Bunny | |
$15 - $30 | Yes | Leaping Bunny |
Benton is Considered Natural, and Organic
Benton has minimal formulas with naturally derived ingredients. The brand prioritizes giving us high-quality, clean products without all the nasty ingredients.
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas. Benton is no exception – but it does choose to use better or clean synthetics.
If a synthetic ingredient is "clean," it means it is safe and non-toxic for us. Its purpose is to preserve the stability of a beauty formulation.
A few naturally-derived ingredients Benton uses to enhance its cosmetics include:
Benton Has A 91% Allergen-Free Ranking
According to Skin Safe, Benton has a 91% allergen-free ranking for each product.
Many of Benton’s products are free of allergens such as gluten, coconut, nickel, top common allergy-causing preservatives, lanolin, paraben, topical antibiotic, propylene glycol, MCI/MI, soy, irritant/acid, dye, and SLS.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because Benton is not 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be.
However, many products are specifically for these concerns, so make sure you buy what your skin needs.
The EU/UK Have Stricter Ingredient Regulations
We don’t want to scare you, but you HAVE to read up on any product’s ingredient list before you make a purchase – especially if you live within the United States. The reason why will shock you.
The FDA has only banned or restricted 11 harmful chemicals from cosmetics within the country. Europe and the UK, on the other hand, have banned 1,328!
Luckily, Benton sets a great example of what true clean beauty is meant to be, and you shouldn’t have to worry about any serious hidden nasties in its products.
With skincare and cosmetics, you want to avoid these ingredients:
Benton Is Moderately Sustainable and Ethical
One of the ethical causes Benton supports is social welfare.
The brand has recently donated 30,000 sponsored items to the Gangwon-do Social Welfare Association.
It's no secret that the world has a huge waste problem, and cosmetic brands only make it worse by using unsustainable packaging and harmful ingredients.
Benton takes environmental accountability by:
Final Thoughts
Benton is one of the better options if you’re really seeking to get into a Korean skincare routine.
The brand is 100% cruelty-free and has some vegan products that are certified. Having more than 16 options would be great, but it’s still a good start.
As they continue to grow exponentially worldwide, it would be great if they continue to grow their vegan line, increase the sustainability initiatives, and lastly, get a better cruelty-free certification under their belt.
Of course, PETA is a good start, but if they can get certification for their vegan products through The Vegan Society, they can definitely get a Leaping Bunny certification.