Nature Republic believes good skin starts with the right skincare regimen filled with natural hydrating ingredients. But what are their beliefs when it comes to their cruelty-free and vegan policies?
Nature Republic 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.
The brand had some bumps in the road with CEO scandals of embezzlement and bribery, but after a swift change with a newly appointed CEO, the brand has continued its success.
But all this success riding the Korean skincare trend doesn’t make them ethical or sustainable. They have a strong image of being natural and “sharing the energy of life from the pristine nature around the world,” but it looks like they left the actual world and its animals in the dust.
Nature Republic Ethical Overview
Nature Republic 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
Nature Republic can’t be considered cruelty-free when they allow animal testing by law in their distribution process.
The brand has always been privately owned, so at least no questionable parent companies.
Does Nature Republic Test on Animals?
Nature Republic doesn’t have anything close to a clear stance when it comes to animal testing.
Currently, the brand doesn’t even have a public statement on its website or social media regarding its cruelty-free policies.
Since Nature Republic does distribute to countries like China, where animal testing is required by law, we can confidently say they don’t see an issue with testing their products on animals.
What Is Nature Republic Cruelty-Free Status in 2023?
Nature Republic has no official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products on its website or social media.
Nature Republic Has No Cruelty-Free Certification
With no clear cruelty-free policies; unsurprisingly, Nature Republic has no cruelty-free certifications.
We’d love to see the brand become Leaping Bunny or even PETA-certified one day, but that won’t happen soon with their current cruelty-free policies.
Leaping Bunny certification proves that:
Is Nature Republic Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Nature Republic 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?
Nature Republic is Not Vegan
If you see products on Nature Republic’s website labeled “certificated vegan products,” don’t be fooled.
This brand can’t truly have vegan products when they are not 100% cruelty-free (even if they are free from animal-derived ingredients).
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 Nature Republic uses are: honey, royal jelly, propolis, collagen, and snail secretion filtrate.
Vegan Alternatives to Nature Republic
Brand | price range | 100% vegan | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
$5 - $15 | Yes | PETA, Leaping Bunny | |
$20 - $60 | Yes | Leaping Bunny | |
$20 - $50 | Yes | PETA, Leaping Bunny | |
$20 - $70 | Yes | PETA, Leaping Bunny | |
$15 - $30 | Yes | Leaping Bunny |
Nature Republic is Considered Natural but Not Organic
Nature Republic is a proudly natural brand. They aren’t afraid to say it. Some products do contain organic aloe, but they aren’t considered organic.
While they love their natural status, the brand isn’t 100% natural. They are focused on making effective and clean products, so they also use synthetic ingredients.
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas. Nature Republic 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.
Nature Republic Has An 82 – 91% Allergen-Free Ranking
According to Skin Safe; Nature Republic has an 82 – 91% allergen-free ranking for each product.
Many Nature Republic products are free of allergens such as gluten, coconut, nickel, top common allergy-causing preservatives, lanolin, paraben, topical antibiotic, MCI/MI, soy, irritant/acid, dye, and SLS.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because Nature Republic 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!
Luckily, Nature Republic 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:
Nature Republic Is Not Sustainable and Ethical
Nature Republic doesn’t have any ethical causes they publically support which means they most likely aren’t supporting any behind-the-scenes either.
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.
When it comes to sustainability and ethics, Nature Republic is not as green and earth-loving as it put itself out to be.
Occasionally you’ll see in a product description that a product is printed with soy ink and made with FSC-certified paper, but they are far between, and they have nothing beyond that claim to back it up.
For a brand so obsessed with nature, they are doing very little actually to look after it.
Final Thoughts
Nature Republic is more than a little disappointing. After some digging, the brand is beyond greenwashed, and by today’s standards, it’s just embarrassing.
It’s great to label yourself as natural and make statements about loving the earth, but you actually need to back it up.
Nature Republic is lacking in every department that counts. They have no cruelty-free and vegan policies in place, and they don’t have a single sustainability and ethical initiative in sight.
There’s plenty to be improved on, and the only way that will happen is if their customers speak up and demand change. They claim they enjoy engaging with their customers and partners so let’s see just how true that is.
