Millie Bobby Brown was only 15 when she founded her cosmetics line Florence by Mills! And yes, the The Stranger Things star made everything 100% cruelty-free and vegan. But was this enough? Especially since Millie even admitted that she knows nothing about skincare.
Florence by Mills 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. Florence by Mills is also 100% vegan – it doesn't use any animal-derived ingredients.
In 2019, Millie Bobby Brown launched a cosmetics brand built to inspire all GenZers and level up their skincare game.
The actress, who plays Eleven in the Netflix special Stranger Things, has a massive fan base. Everyone loves her bad-ass onscreen character and her real-life glam-chic personality.
But does she have what it takes to run a cosmetics line?
In an interview with US Allure magazine, the actress even admits that she started Florence by Mills as a pastime.
“I don’t know anything about beauty and skin care,” she shared with the publication.
She started Florence by Mills to learn about skincare and ingredients with her customers.
Cool... we think.
Wait, is this reassuring or nerve-racking?
Nonetheless, Millie found a gap in the market for young people just starting out with makeup.
And yes! It is cruelty-free and vegan – but does that mean we trust Millie Bobby Brown’s novel expertise in designing Florence by Mills?
Is Florence by Mills Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
Florence by Mills is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
Florence by Mills is proudly cruelty-free brand with PETA certification to back it up.
Millie bought most of the company shares from Beach House Group, that assisted in its development and launch – making her and her family majority stakeholders.
Beach House Group is also not associated with any known animal testing. This means there is no pesky parent company with differing values.
This brings us to our next point:
Florence by Mills is Vegan
Yup – this trendy skincare brand is entirely vegan. It does not use any animal-derived ingredients in any of its products.
However, it's worth knowing that Florence by Mills is the exception and not the rule.
Most mainstream skincare brands are not 100% vegan. These are certain animal-derived ingredients to look out for in general:
The only animal-derived ingredients that Bondi Sands uses are:
If you're interested in finding the best Florence by Mills vegan products or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Florence by Mills vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
Florence by Mills is against animal testing and has been since its launch in 2019. Although the brand is new – they are setting an excellent example of what other cosmetic brands can do to create kind yet effective formulas.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2022
Here is a screenshot of Florence by Mills' official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from its website:
Certification
Florence by Mills is PETA certified, which is not a bad start. You are likely to find the little cruelty-free PETA bunny next to each one of its products.
However, it would be nice to see more certification from Florence by Mills since it’s a proudly cruelty-free brand.
While you might know PETA very well – it surprisingly doesn't hold the strictest cruelty-free regulations. It seems only to require a brand's written consent that abides by the PETA code of conduct.
Certification from Leaping Bunny is ideal because it holds rigorous standards and does regular audits to ensure they are upheld.
The Leaping Bunny association is very strict and reliable, which ensures that:
If you see a bunny stamp on the back of your product bottle – that's an excellent sign. But don't let the image itself fool you. A lot of brands are using fake logos to deceive 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 Florence by Mills Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Florence by Mills does not distribute any of its products to China or any country that requires animal testing on cosmetics by law. We emailed and received this response to confirm it.
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?
The Best Vegan Florence by Mills Products
All Florence by Mills products are vegan and their formulas are continuously improving.
We also like that they take what consumers say seriously. And with Millie being adored by her huge fan base, we’re glad to hear she’s listening to what they want.
To save you some time, here are some of its most popular skincare products:
For a complete list of Florence by Mills vegan products, you can find everything on the website.
Vegan Alternatives to Florence by Mills
We can’t deny that any brand Millie Bobby Brow launches will be inherently popular because… it’s freakin’ Millie Bobby Brown!
You can’t help but love her bubbly personality, charm, and infectious smile.
And as for launching a global brand at 15 – she’s doing much better than most!
However, there are still some mixed reviews on specific products (like its foundation) that may make you want to look at other brands.
Florence by Mills is also a brand aimed at teenagers, but we can’t say the prices match the demographic.
In our opinion, each product is a little bit more $$$ than most people under the age of 21 can afford.
So if the brand isn’t easily accessible, or you don’t believe it’s worth the price – we have some 100% vegan cosmetic alternatives you’ll love:
Is Florence by Mills Natural and Organic?
Florence by Mills is all about creating natural and clean formulas. Millie is obsessed with using vitamins, antioxidants, and botanicals to make safe and effective products. We must say – it shows!
Although they use some organic ingredients, Florence by Mills is not certified organic, nor does it advertise as an organic brand.
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. Florence by Mills 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 Florence by Mills uses to enhance its cosmetics include:
Does Florence by Mills Use Safe Ingredients?
According to Skin Safe, Florence by Mills has an 82-100% allergen-free ranking for each product.
All Florence by Mills products are free of allergens such as parabens, lanolin, soy, nickel, gluten, and MCI/MI. The brand also avoids coconut, propylene glycol, and other common preservatives.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because Florence by Mills is not 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be.
However, certain 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!
Although Florence by Mills has a safe set of ingredients – you can never be too careful!
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 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 Florence by Mills Sustainable and Ethical?
It seems we’ve reached a bit of a dead end here.
Florence by Mills lacks clarity around its sustainability and ethical initiatives.
The biggest project the brand supports and donates to is the Olivia Hope foundation. This charity runs in memory of Millie’s friend, Olivia Hope LoRusso, who passed away of leukemia in 2017.
But it's also no secret that the world has a huge waste problem, and cosmetic brands only make it worse by using unsustainable packaging and harmful ingredients.
Unfortunately, the brand’s sustainability values seem to begin and end with their clean formulas.
Florence by Mills does admit to using single-use plastics. Some products also come in recyclable packaging, although this doesn’t seem to be an intentional decision.
At least cleaner formulas have a less negative impact on the environment when used.
Some of the ways Florence by Mills could take strong environmental accountability is by:
Millie’s Fake Skincare Demo Backlash
Something fans took really badly to was a skincare demo run that Millie did on Instagram… without actually applying any product!
She was caught lathering imaginary product on her face, and her fans were so confused! Why would she fake using her own products?
It's safe to say Millie Bobby Brown is still finding her way around developing a holistic and authentic brand.
Unfortunately, the actress deleted social media for a while to recover from the endless mean and abusive comments she received.
The young star later made a public announcement that really helped everyone back off and cut her some slack:
“I’m still learning the best way to share my routines as I get to know this space better — I’m not an expert,” she wrote. “I thought doing a quick video replicating my personal process for that night was okay, but that’s not what was conveyed. I understand, I appreciate all of your feedback on this journey, please keep sharing your thoughts, and I will too!”
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to love about Florence by Mills. It’s a skincare and cosmetics brand that actively supports cruelty-free, vegan, and natural beauty.
It’s great to see such a famous brand prove that you can be kind to animals and free of toxic chemicals while still being effective.
But even Millie admits to not being a skincare expert. She is simply using the brand to learn more about the industry with her fans – so here’s some advice we can share.
Florence by Mills could do much more in the sustainability and ethical department. Or at least be more transparent about their supply chains, environmental policies, and social support.
We’re so happy they’re using natural ingredients, but it’s not enough to consider the brand “sustainable.”
It would also be nice to see better certification from other reputable organizations regarding their cruelty-free policies. PETA is a great start, but Leaping Bunny is way more trustworthy.
In our opinion, the best thing about the brand is that they are willing to listen to what their customers want!
This is one of the most important aspects of any modern cosmetics brand because consumers are becoming more informed about what they want (and, more importantly, what they don’t)!
So, please speak up if you want to see change. We want to see this brand continue to succeed in the right direction.
