Eye of Horus is a goddess-inspired luxury beauty brand. It is all about premium “clean, conscious, and considered” cosmetics that are cruelty-free and natural – so why isn’t it vegan yet?
Eye of Horus 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.Eye of Horus does offer a range of vegan cosmetics, but it is not considered a vegan brand.
While Eye of Horus might be an Australia-based cosmetics company – it’s actually inspired by Ancient Egyptians' holistic beauty and rituals.
It started with a simple yet effective mascara designed for sensitive eyes and has now expanded into a full cosmetics company.
The more Eye of Horus grows – the more it seems to give back to the community, improve its ethical offerings and promote its cruelty-free approach to cosmetics.
Sure – this brand has a clear ethos it must be proud of. But we want to know what’s holding it back from going 100% vegan? And how many products can vegans actually use within their range? Here’s what you need to know.
Is Eye of Horus Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
Eye of Horus is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
Eye of Horus takes a clear stand on its cruelty-free policies. It states that it never has and never will test on animals.
It is protected by Australian law that prohibits all animal testing on cosmetic products. However, certain loopholes in the law make it far more reliable when a third party gets involved.
Luckily, Eye of Horus is Choose Cruelty-Free accredited (which falls under the Leaping Bunny program umbrella).
The brand is also independently owned, so you don’t have to worry about any large parent company with dodgy animal testing policies.
This brings us to our next point:
Eye of Horus is Not Vegan
Eye of Horus may not be vegan – but it comes really close!
The brand is actually entirely vegan, except for two products that use a single animal-derived ingredient:
If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Eye of Horus vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
Eye of Horus has been clear on its anti-animal-testing stance since the start. The brand has been committed to creating clean, effective, and cruelty-free cosmetics since launching in 2010.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2022
Here is a screenshot of Eye of Horus’ official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from its website:
Certification
Eye of Horus is Choose Cruelty-Free certified (which falls under the Leaping Bunny program umbrella).
It is also covered by Australian law, which prohibits any animal testing for cosmetic purposes. This law aligns with the EU Cruelty-Free Cosmetic Policy too.
It holds rigorous standards and does regular audits to ensure they are upheld. It ensures 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 on 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 Eye of Horus Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Eye of Horus does not distribute any of its products in retail stores in mainland 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?
What Eye of Horus Products Are Vegan?
For a brand that is not 100% vegan, it does really well at providing a wide range of vegan products. Eye of Horus only uses beeswax in their Goddess Mascara and Goddess Pencils – that’s it!
Nothing else has animal-derived ingredients. All other products are 100% vegan, including their makeup brushes.
Eye of Horus has a dedicated page for its vegan products on its website. (Although you really don’t have to worry about using this category as long as you stay clear of the Goddess Mascara and Pencils!)
To save you time, here are some of Eye of Horus’ most popular and award-winning vegan products to choose from:
You can visit the Eye of Horus’ website for a complete list of its vegan products.
Vegan Alternatives to Eye of Horus
Eye of Horus values its ethical and sustainability initiatives, and it actively listens to its customers.
But if it’s not easily accessible to you, or you don’t feel comfortable supporting a brand that’s not 100% vegan, it may not be the right fit for you.
Luckily we’re here to give you some awesome vegan alternatives that are worth a try:
Is Eye of Horus Natural and Organic?
Eye of Horus is all about using natural and certified organic ingredients. It has made an effort to be transparent about its ingredients.
Part of their transparency means admitting that it’s not 100% natural as it uses clean synthetic ingredients necessary for your skin’s safety.
If you’re a die-hard natural beauty lover – you don’t need to swipe left just yet.
Eye of Horus has come out with a BIO range of mascaras, lipsticks, pallets, and lip elixirs that are 98-100% naturally derived! It’s won many awards and the hearts of quite a few customers.
Clean vs. Natural Ingredients
The term "natural" is not regulated for cosmetics and skincare. In other words, it doesn't hold one specific meaning.
Usually, it means a product is free of certain more toxic synthetic ingredients, including parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and more. But people also interpret "natural" to mean ingredients of immediate plant origin.
Here's the thing: "natural" is not necessarily good. Just because an ingredient is natural (take egg whites, for example) doesn't mean you should rub it on your skin and risk a salmonella infection!
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas. Eye of Horus is no exception – but it can 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 Eye of Horus uses to enhance its cosmetics include:
Does Eye of Horus Use Safe Ingredients?
Eye of Horus only has one product listed on Skin Safe, and it has a 91% allergen-free ranking.
However, many Eye of Horus’ products are free of allergens such as parabens, lanolin, nickel, gluten, soy, dyes, common preservatives, propylene glycol, and MCI/MI.
Only certain products contain ingredients you want to avoid, like propylene glycol, BHT, and PEG.
While Eye of Horus aims to create products suitable for sensitive skin, it does not claim to be 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic. So make sure to read the ingredient list if you have any concerns.
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, have banned 1,328!
Australia’s laws are also not as strict as the EU or UK, so it’s worth reading all your labels carefully.
Although Eye of Horus is proud of its clean and natural formulas, it’s worth knowing that you should always avoid the following ingredients in skincare cosmetics:
Are Cruelty-Free Ingredients Safe?
If you’re worried about how safe it is to use cosmetics not tested on animals – please relax and take a sigh of relief.
There is no reason why cruelty-free products shouldn’t be as safe as anything tested on animals.
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 is no need.
If you’re interested, here’s more on the subject: Are Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Safe?
Is Eye of Horus Sustainable and Ethical?
Eye of Horus has gained the respect of its customers through being transparent about its sustainability and ethical initiatives.
For example, the brand has partnered with i=Change to donate $1 of every sale and has raised over $19 000 UD to date.
It has gone to finding shelter for women, counseling for abused children, and cleaning plastic and debris from seas and harbors.
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.
Eye of Horus has also made an effort to think of things like recyclable and biodegradable products and responsible sourcing.
Some of the ways it is taking strong environmental accountability are by:
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to love about Eye of Horus. It has a firm commitment to being natural and sustainable.
The brand also has a lovely and unique connection to the rich history of the Ancient Egyptian cosmetics and rituals that it has built their brand on.
That being said, there are some developments this relatively new brand needs to undergo.
Of course, Eye of Horus is not 100% vegan. Still, it seems to have a genuine interest in doing away with their only animal-derived ingredient, beeswax, as soon as it finds a suitable replacement.
It would also be great to see them kick certain synthetic ingredients like propylene glycol to the curb!
If you feel the same way – the best thing to do is reach out to the brand and share your thoughts. It’s the only way to spark change.
We look forward to seeing how Eye of Horus grows and adapts, especially because of how interested it is in hearing what its customers have to say.
