Our shelves are packed with influencer skincare, and KraveBeauty is in the lineup! We like its philosophy of effective skincare using minimal products. It’s definitely better for the planet – but what about the animals? Is it cruelty-free and vegan too?
KraveBeauty is cruelty-free. It doesn't conduct animal testing on its products, nor does it distribute its products where animal testing is required by law. KraveBeauty is also 100% vegan – it doesn't use any animal-derived ingredients.
Influencer and KraveBeauty founder Liah Yoo realized that we are overloading our skin and the earth with these 11-step skin regimens.
Instead of hoarding our bathrooms with numerous products, Yoo developed a simplified skincare regimen. Enter KraveBeauty.
The brand was founded in 2017 with a range of products that anyone can use. KraveBeauty keeps it small with five products: two in the core range and three ‘supplements.’
They compare it to your good, ol’ dependable morning cup of coffee (the Core Collection) and an espresso when you need a boost (The Supplement Collection).
With such a simple range – surely the brand should manage to maintain a cruelty-free, vegan and sustainable ethos? Here’s what we know.
Is KraveBeauty Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
KraveBeauty is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
KraveBeauty is proudly cruelty-free with certification to back it up!
On top of that, Yoo bootstrapped the brand using $50,000 of her capital to start up, and the brand is still privately owned.
She is now paying it forward by investing KraveBeauty profits in Press Start Ventures. More on this, under sustainability.
This brings us to our next point:
KraveBeauty is Vegan
Yup – this minimalist and earth-first skincare brand is entirely vegan. It does not use any animal-derived ingredients in any of its products.
However, it's worth knowing that KraveBeauty 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:
If you're interested in finding the best Krave vegan products or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: KraveBeauty's vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
KraveBeauty has been committed to creating clean, effective, and conscious skincare that’s also cruelty-free. This was its intention since it was founded in 2017.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2022
Here is a screenshot of KraveBeauty's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from its website:
Certification
KraveBeauty is PETA certified, which is not a bad start. You might even find the little cruelty-free PETA bunny next to each one of its products.
However, it would be nice to see more certification since it’s so proudly cruelty-free.
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 KraveBeauty Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
KraveBeauty 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?
The Best Vegan KraveBeauty Products
KraveBeauty has a simple range of vegan products that all have raving reviews. By focusing their energy on five simple products, they ensure each one is highly effective.
KraveBeauty prides itself in developing a product with you (the consumer) and the planet in mind.
To save you some time, here it's five and only very popular skincare products:
You can visit KraveBeauty’s website for a complete list of its vegan products.
Vegan Alternatives to KraveBeauty
We love what KraveBeauty represents. It's a 100% cruelty-free, vegan, and simplified beauty brand that users love!
But if the brand is not easily accessible to you, here are some other options to choose from:
Is KraveBeauty Natural and Organic?
KraveBeauty is not considered natural or organic. But it attributes its products' slight diversity in color and scent to the fact that they use a high amount of natural ingredients.
KraveBeauty still makes safe, simple, and clean formulas that anyone can use.
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. KraveBeauty 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 KraveBeauty uses to enhance its skincare include:
Does KraveBeauty Use Safe Ingredients?
According to Skin Safe, KraveBeauty has a stellar 91- 100% allergen-free ranking across its products.
KraveBeauty’s products are free of fragrance, essential oils, colorants, and potential allergic sensitizers like lanolin, parabens, nickel, dyes, and soy.
One product- the Oat-So-Simple Water Cream, contains gluten, but all other Krave Products are gluten-free.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because KraveBeauty is not 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be.
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!
Krave has good ingredient policies, so you shouldn’t worry about nasty hidden toxins in your products. However, here are some harsh chemicals to watch out for when shopping for skincare:
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 KraveBeauty Sustainable and Ethical?
Something commendable about KraveBeauty is that it wants to be transparent with its customers. It spends a lot of time improving its carbon footprint and ensuring its consumers can easily find more about their efforts.
The brand is also clear that there’s room for improvement and asks customers to be part of that conversation.
KraveBeauty’s founder is also hoping to encourage other beauty brands to do the same with Press Rest Venture.
This fund will support sustainable and eco-conscious beauty brands, helping them grow while reducing the impact of the beauty industry on the planet.
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.
As it stands, Krave is taking strong environmental accountability by:
Final Thoughts
KraveBeauty has held true to its philosophy of doing more with less.
This skincare takes various ethical factors into consideration- being cruelty-free is one way they’re working towards a more sustainable future in cosmetics.
We appreciate that it has a transparent supply chain and is open to the public about its testing, purchasing, and distribution policies.
Add that to their eco-efforts, and being 100% vegan – makes it a good choice for activists who go the extra mile.
However, KraveBeauty knows they aren’t ‘perfect’ and strives to improve on a social and sustainable front. This young brand is developing and listening to your needs, so keep following its movements.
