Is Mamonde Cruelty-Free and Vegan in 2023?

Being flower obsessed is a trademark for Mamonde, but solid cruelty-free and vegan policies aren’t on the priority list for this brand.

Mamonde is not 100% cruelty-free or vegan, as its products are sold where animal testing is required by law. It also cannot be considered vegan as it is not cruelty-free.
Over 30 years of developing high-quality formulas filled with the hidden benefits of flowers are what put Mamonde on the map in the K-beauty world.

Today Mamonde is openly claiming to be vegan certified, but with non-existent animal testing policies and proudly selling in China, it’s hard actually to accept their claims as true.

So before you jump into Mamonde’s world of “blossoming beauty skincare,” you need to know why transparency is so important when you’re picking a brand to support.

Looking for the best vegan alternatives? We preselected the best ones, click here. 

Mamonde Product Shot

Mamonde Ethical Overview

Cruelty-free: No 

Vegan: No (Mamonde cannot be considered vegan if it is not cruelty-free)

Clean ingredients: Yes

Sustainable & Ethical: Minimal efforts

Mica Mining Policy: No

RSPO Palm Oil Certified: Yes (through parent company)

Mamonde Is Not 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.

YES

While Mamonde has nothing to say when it comes to their own animal testing policy, they have no problem taking advantage of the Chinese market where animal testing is required by law.

Mamonde is also owned by Amorepacific, a well-known parent company that is also associated with animal testing. 

Does Mamonde Test on Animals?

Mamonde doesn’t test on animals themselves, but they have been selling in mainland China since 2005 and are now selling in thousands of stores.

There are some loopholes to sell in China while staying cruelty-free, but Mamonde isn’t currently using any of them.

What Is Mamonde’s Cruelty-Free Status in 2023?

Mamonde has no official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products on its website or social media. After reaching out, we still haven’t received a response from the brand.

If anything changes or if Mamonde responds, we will update the article.

Mamonde Has No Cruelty-Free Certification

It will be no surprise that Mamonde has not gotten any cruelty-free certifications.

While they continue not to have a solid stance on their animal testing policy and sell in mainland China, it’s unlikely they will get a cruelty-free certification from a reputable company any time soon.

Not all certifications are made equal, PETA wouldn’t be a bad start, but Leaping Bunny is ideal.

Here's how to find which cruelty-free certifications you can trust: Which Cruelty-Free Logos Can You Trust?

Is Mamonde Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?

Yes, Mamonde distributes its products in China, where animal testing on cosmetics is required as products arrive at the border.

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?

Mamonde is Not Vegan

Watch out because Mamonde openly claims to have products that are certified vegan by KVCS (Korea Agency of Vegan Certification and Services).

But none of their products that are free from animal-derived ingredients can be considered vegan when Mamonde is allowing animal testing on the products. 

Does it have products that are free of animal-derived ingredients? Yes.Are these products considered holistically vegan? Not in our opinion.

Some of the most common animal-derived ingredients that Mamonde uses are: collagen, squalane, and glucosamine

Vegan Alternatives to Mamonde

Brand

price range

100% vegan

Certification

$5 - $20

Yes

Leaping Bunny

$12 - $55

Yes

PETA

$3 - $17

Yes

PETA

$5 - $25

Yes

None

$6 - $20

Yes

None

Mamonde is Not Considered Natural, and Organic

Mamonde doesn’t claim to be natural or organic, but they are very proud of the different natural flower ingredients that are in the products. 

All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas. Mamonde is no exception but chooses 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.

Mamonde Has A 91% Allergen-Free Ranking

According to Skin Safe, Mamonde has a 91% allergen-free ranking for each product.

Many Mamondes products are free of allergens such as Gluten, Coconut, Nickel, Top Common Allergy Causing Preservatives, Lanolin, Paraben, Topical Antibiotic, MCI/MI, Soy, Propylene Glycol, Dye, and SLS.

Reading the ingredient list is crucial because Mamonde is not 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be.

However, certain products specifically address 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!

Luckily, Mamonde sets a great example of what true clean beauty is meant to be, and you shouldn’t have to worry about any serious hidden nasties in its products.

With skincare and cosmetics, you want to avoid these ingredients:

  • Ethoxylated ingredients (PPG, PEG, and polysorbate)
  • Ethanolamine compounds (DEA, MEA, and TEA)
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, aka teflon®)
  • Propylene glycol (pg) & butylene glycol
  • DMDM Hydantoin
  • Triclosan

Mamonde Is Not Sustainable and Ethical

When it comes to Mamonde’s sustainability and ethical initiatives there is not much to find.

You’ll only find vague mentions that Mamonde is a “sustainable brand” and that they use “sustainable practices.” But without any proof, these statements are just empty words.

Mamonde does, however, occasionally urge customers to recycle their glass packaging on social media.

Final Thoughts

Mamonde is known for its obsession with flowers and high-quality products but sustainability and ethics aren’t one of their defining features.

Brands like Mamonde which don’t have any solid animal testing policies and hide behind unreliable vegan certifications, are not ones we expect major changes from.

Mamonde has been proudly selling in mainland China for 18 years. China is easily one of their biggest markets, so their moving out is very unlikely at this point.

Transparency is a major thing that this brand needs to work on.

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