Collection Cosmetics is a long-standing beauty brand that sells high-quality products at affordable prices. Sounds good in concept, but is it cruelty-free or vegan? We've decided to dig a little deeper into exactly how ethical Collection is by today's standards. What we found may surprise you.
Collection Cosmetics is cruelty-free. It doesn't conduct animal testing on its products, nor does it distribute its cosmetics where animal testing is required by law. While Collection Cosmetics does offer a range of vegan cosmetics, it is not considered a vegan brand.
Established in 1987 and currently owned by Meiyume, Collection Cosmetics prides itself on producing quality cosmetics at an affordable price.
It states that its integrity and British heritage remain the fundamental driving forces behind its success. Its manufacturing is currently based in Hong Kong.
Collection Cosmetics, otherwise known as Collection, is a multiple award-winning brand and a favorite of beauty journalists and bloggers. It offers a wide range of concealers and foundations in an attempt to cater to all skin colors.
Before deciding on what to buy, here's what you need to know about Collection current animal testing policies, vegan ranges, formulation, and sustainability.
Is Collection Cosmetics Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
Collection Cosmetics is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
Collection makes it clear that it has never conducted and will never conduct any animal testing on its products; nor has it used third party acting on its behalf either.
While it may not distribute to China, Collection's parent company, Meiyume, is based in Hong Kong.
Luckily, regulations there are much more animal-friendly than in mainland China.
This brings us to the next point:
Collection Cosmetics is Not Vegan
Although the brand is not entirely vegan, Collection is in a transformative stage.
Since 2020, they have only made and produced 100% vegan cosmetics. But that didn't stop them from making vegan products in the past.
The most important thing is just to check each product's information because the non-vegan products are still available.
If a product is vegan, you'll find the information beside its picture.
Some of the most common animal-derived ingredients that Collection Cosmetics uses include:
If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Collection's vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
Collection Cosmetics is transparently cruelty-free and always has been. They do not test any of their products on animals, nor do any third parties.
Despite being manufactured in Hong Kong, they do not distribute to China. They follow UK and EU restrictions and, as such, there is no legal requirement for animal testing in the distribution of their products.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2021
Here is a screenshot of Collection's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from their website:
Certification
Collection Cosmetics has no cruelty-free certification.
It is currently covered by the EU legislature, which is an ideal start. However, certain loopholes in the law make it far more reliable if a third party were to get involved.
Leaping Bunny certification proves that:
While you might know PETA very well – it surprisingly doesn't hold the strictest cruelty-free regulations. So having certification from an association like Leaping Bunny or Choose Cruelty-Free, is ideal.
If you see a bunny stamp at the back of your product bottle – that's an excellent sign. But don't be fooled by the image itself.
A lot of brands are using fake logos to fool consumers.
Do your homework and see which products are genuinely cruelty-free first. This article will help you: Which Cruelty-Free Logos Can You Trust?
Is Collection Cosmetics Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Collection Cosmetics does not distribute any of its products to China or any country that requires animal testing on any cosmetics by law.
China has a shocking track record. It is the country with the most amount of 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 to be aware of. Here's how to find cruelty-free cosmetics in China: Are Cosmetics Made in China Cruelty-Free?
What Collection Cosmetics Products Are Vegan?
Collection has a good range of vegan products that continues to grow – especially since 2020.
To save you some time, here are some of Collection's most popular and award-winning products to choose from:
For a full list of Collection Cosmetic's vegan products, you can find them listed here: Collection Cosmetics Vegan Product List
Vegan Alternatives to Collection Cosmetics
Collection offers a good range of vegan options and has committed to ensuring that every new product released is 100% vegan.
However, if you only want to support brands that are 100% vegan, then Collection Cosmetics might not be suitable for you.
Here are some 100% vegan alternatives within the same price range for you to try instead:
Is Collection Cosmetics Natural and Organic?
Collection is not natural or organic and doesn't claim to be. Their focus is on producing quality products at an affordable price.
Most brands will use synthetic ingredients in their formulas, and Collection is no exception – but they use a certain amount of clean synthetics where possible.
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.
But if natural, organic ingredients are a must-have for you, it is best to look at the brands leading the natural beauty movement. One that we're obsessed with is Bare Minerals.
Does Collection Cosmetics Use Safe Ingredients?
Although Collection does not have a clear allergen-free ranking, it is a moderately safe brand, especially since it is covered by EU Cosmetic Ingredient Regulations.
Certain products still use ingredients like parabens. But you'll also find that many of its products are free of allergens such as Gluten, Nickel, Lanolin, Topical Antibiotics, MCI/MI, Soy, and Oil.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because Collection is not 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be.
The EU/UK Have Stricter Ingredient Regulations
As a conscientious shopper, you must read up on any brand's ingredient list before you make a purchase – especially if you live within the United States.
This is because the FDA has only banned or restricted 11 harmful chemicals from cosmetics within the country. Europe and the UK, on the other hand, has banned 1,328!
Given Collection is a UK/EU-based brand with strict ingredient policies – you don't need to worry too much.
With skincare and cosmetics, you want to avoid these ingredients:
Are Cruelty-Free Ingredients Safe?
If you're worried about how safe it is to use cosmetics that are not tested on animals – please relax and take a sigh of relief.
There is no reason why cruelty-free products shouldn't be just as safe, if not safer, than anything tested on an animal.
Not only is it easy to test ingredients without using animals altogether, but there are so many pre-approved ingredients you can use to make cosmetics that there really is no need.
Here's more on the subject if you're interested: Are Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Safe?
Is Collection Cosmetics Sustainable and Ethical?
Unfortunately, we can't find any information about Collection's sustainability initiatives. This is disappointing for such a large beauty brand. Planet-first is an increasingly important stance for all businesses to adopt.
It's no secret that the world has a huge waste problem, and cosmetic brands are only making it worse by using unsustainable packaging and harmful ingredients.
After extensive research, we can see that Collection does use Mica and palm oil derivatives. However, the brand does not share its ingredient sourcing policies at all.
Collection also uses a variety of plastic and paper packaging – with no indication of whether it was sustainably sourced or if consumers can recycle it.
If environmentalism is important to you, there are many cruelty-free and vegan beauty brands that are also environmentally friendly.
Some of our favorite environmentally-friendly makeup brands include:
On a positive note, the one thing Collection does do is spread a lot of encouraging and strong body positivity messages to young individuals out there. It’s all about being kind, confident and strong.
Final Thoughts
It is hard not to see Collection as an older brand battling to keep up with the ethical requirements of a new era.
We applaud them for their cruelty-free policies and their focus on only manufacturing vegan products going forward. We also love the fact that they have a strong body positivity message.
However, with no third-party cruelty-free certification, no focus on natural or safe ingredients, and absolutely no sustainability initiatives – it leaves a lot to be desired.
It is safe to say that we would like to see more commitment from Collection to grow an ethical and sustainable business going forward.
Many other quality beauty brands offer highly ethical alternatives to Collection. We encourage you to browse our articles and unearth the hidden beauty gems buried there, just waiting for you.