Huda Beauty is the OG influencer cosmetics line, focusing on empowering beauty and the confidence for everyone to express themselves. But is the cult-status brand cruelty-free and vegan?
Huda Beauty is cruelty-free but not 100% vegan, meaning some products contain animal-derived ingredients. They do not conduct animal testing on their products or distribute cosmetics where animal testing is required by law.
Huda Kattan was a makeup artist turned beauty blogger turned international business mogul.
Her makeup brand (Huda) has reached iconic status in the beauty industry as it shares high-quality, affordable luxury cosmetics.
Product reviews are glowing, and the brand has expanded to include a skincare and fragrance line.
But fun branding doesn’t make a product ethical, sustainable or kind. Can you trust Huda Beauty’s cruelty-free and vegan policies?
Huda Beauty's Ethical Overview
Huda Beauty Is 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.
NO
The brand is privately owned with funding from TSG Consumers, a San Francisco-based investment firm focusing on consumer goods.
This brings us to our next point:
Does Huda Beauty Test on Animals?
Huda Beauty has been committed to creating cruelty-free products since it was founded.
What Is Huda Beauty's Cruelty-Free Status in 2022?
Here is a screenshot of Huda Beauty’s official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from its website:
Huda Beauty Has No Cruelty-Free Certification
Huda Beauty has no cruelty-free certification.
And when a multi-million dollar brand that could easily be certified claims to make “cruelty-free products” without any backing – we have to ask ourselves why?
In an ideal world, all brands that consider themselves cruelty-free should be Leaping Bunny certified as it’s the only globally recognized organization.
Is Huda Beauty Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Huda Beauty does not distribute any of its products to retail stores in mainland China or any country that requires animal testing on cosmetics by law.
It does distribute online through third parties, which eliminates the
China has a shocking track record. It is the country with the most animal testing globally, with over 20 million animals used per year.
Please note that while some Huda Beauty products are manufactured in China, it does not test on animals at all.
This law is purely enforced on international cosmetic products entering China and not on products being made within the country itself.
Huda Beauty is Not Vegan
Huda Beauty has a wide range of vegan products you can choose from – but it’s not 100% vegan.
Some of the most common animal-derived ingredients that Huda Beauty uses include honey, beeswax, lanolin, and carmine.
Luckily, all vegan products are stamped and easy to locate on the Huda website:
What Huda Beauty Products Are Vegan?
If you’re looking for some vegan products from Huda Beauty – you’re in luck. It has an extensive range that continues to grow.
To save you some time, here are some of Huda Beauty’s most popular products to choose from:
Huda Beauty does offer a variety of products for vegans, and they have a clean track record
But if you’d prefer to support a completely vegan brand, we have some alternatives you might like to try instead.
Vegan Alternatives to Huda Beauty
Brand | price range | 100% vegan | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
$15 - $30 | Yes | PETA | |
$20 - $50 | Yes | Leaping Bunny | |
$18 - $50 | Yes | Leaping Bunny | |
$15 - $30 | Yes | PETA | |
$20 - $50 | Yes | None | |
$20 - $60 | No, vegan-friendly | None |
Huda Beauty Isn't Considered Natural or Organic
Huda Beauty isn’t considered natural or organic. However, it claims to use safe, simple, clean ingredients.
Its whole ethos is to make clean formulas and products that anyone can use.
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.
Huda Beauty Has a 91-100% Allergen-free Ranking
According to Skin Safe, Huda Beauty has a 91- 100 % allergen-free ranking for each product.
Many of Huda Beauty’s products are free of allergens such as parabens, MCI/MI, nickel, gluten, soy, propylene glycol, and SLS.
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, Huda Beauty sets out to use safe ingredients, so you shouldn’t have to worry about any serious hidden nasties in its products.
Huda Beauty Has Some Sustainable & Ethical Initiatives
Some of the ethical causes Huda Beauty supports is food insecurity, having raised over $21,200,000 towards the 100 Million Meals Project.
The brand has worked with Doctors Without Borders to support healthcare workers on the frontline.
Huda Beauty also donated $500,000 to the NAACP Legal Defence Fund in 2020 and helped keep makeup artists afloat during the pandemic lockdowns earlier that year.
Some of the ways Huda is taking strong environmental accountability is by:
Final Thoughts
Huda Beauty is a well-developed cosmetics brand that considers various ethical factors. The fact that it's cruelty-free is a step towards a more sustainable future in cosmetics.
We appreciate the fact that it's open to the public about its testing, purchasing, and distribution policies.
Of course, since Huda Beauty is not 100% vegan – it might not be the best choice for activists who go the extra mile. Especially since the brand also uses palm oil as an ingredient. (And we can’t say if it's sustainably sourced.)
Lastly, we’d love to see some cruelty-free accreditation! This brand is developing and listening to your needs, so let them know what you will and won’t stand for.