Is Nip + Fab Cruelty-Free and Vegan in 2022?

April 25, 2022

Nip + Fab offers a "fix for every skin concern." Decades of research went into this regime-based skincare brand, focusing on ingredients and efficacy. But let's find out if Nip + Fab is cruelty-free and vegan too.

Nip + Fab 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. Nip + Fab does offer a range of vegan cosmetics, but it is not a vegan brand.

Nip + Fab was founded in 2010 by Maria Hatzistefanis. Thanks to cheeky product names like Tummy Tuck body gel and the Dragon's Blood Fix range, the UK-based skincare brand quickly became a celebrity favorite.

The brand is all about centering its product ranges around one key active ingredient that our skin loves. Their main ranges feature hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinol, and vitamin C.

What's nice about this is that each product lets you focus on a specific skin need without breaking your bank!

It came as no surprise that Nip + Fab has quite the cult following. Although Hatzistefanis has spoken about selling a majority stake in her brands – it is still too good to let go of. Curre,ntly she still owns both Nip + Fab and Rodial – and when its net worth is sitting at £2 182 900 – can you blame her?

Before deciding on what to buy, here's what you need to know about Nip + Fab's current animal testing policies, vegan ranges, formulation, and sustainability.

Is Nip + Fab Cruelty-Free and Vegan?

Nip + Fab Cruelty-free Skincare

Nip + Fab is 100% Cruelty-Free

It does not:

  • Test any of its products or ingredients on animals;
  • Purchase any ingredients tested on animals within its supply chain; or
  • Distribute its products to any countries that require animal testing by law.

Although Nip + Fab claims to have rigorous cruelty-free standards – it does not have any accreditation from a third-party organization like Leaping Bunny. 

However, Nip + Fab makes all of its products within the UK where it is illegal to test and sell cosmetics or cosmetic ingredients on animals. However, there are limits to the laws and regulations. 

Customers can only trust that the brand stays true to its word without this verification. But we'll talk more about certification and the UK animal testing regulations later.

Luckily, since Nip + Fab doesn't have a parent company, we don't have to worry about any animal testing concerns there. 

This brings us to our next point:

Nip + Fab is Not Vegan

Although Nip + Fab is vegetarian, they are not entirely vegan... yet.

So far, they're 95% vegan and aim to be 100% vegan by 2023. We're holding tight for that one, but in the meantime, here's what you need to know about shopping its vegan range. 

Nip + Fab has a dedicated page to help vegan shoppers find the right products for them. Unfortunately, the website isn't categorized correctly.

Individual product pages don't have consistent descriptions or criteria. Some vegan products are labeled while others are not.

Here's an example of a clearly labeled product: 

Nip + Fab vegan product

While Nip + Fab doesn't mention which animal-derived ingredients it uses, we've taken the liberty to give you some of the most common ones you're likely to find:

  • Honey & beeswax both these ingredients pose many health benefits to your skin and wellbeing. They have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and are loaded with essential vitamins.
  • Carmine – this ingredient is the red pigment made from the crushed female cochineal insect. A little gross, no? But it is completely harmless and is used in makeup to get those rouge tones.
  • Lanolin – this ingredient, like honey and beeswax, is used in skincare and cosmetics because it is incredibly hydrating. It is basically the waxy oil that comes from sheep wool. Lanolin can be cruelty-free – follow this link for more details.

Nip + Fab does not clearly mark which products aren't vegan, so it's hard to find the animal-derived ingredients the brand is using in 2022.

If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Nip + Fab vegan products.

Animal Testing Policy and History

Although Nip + Fab claims to be cruelty-free, finding information on this effective and affordable skincare brand's testing history is tricky. We wish we could give you more details after our internet sleuthing.

Cruelty-Free Status in 2021

Here is a screenshot of Nip + Fab's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from their website:

Nip + Fab Cruelty-Free Website Claim

Certification

Nip + Fab has no cruelty-free certification.

It is currently covered by the EU and UK legislature, which is an ideal start. However, certain loopholes in the law make it far more reliable if a third party were to get involved.

While you might know PETA very well – it surprisingly doesn't hold the strictest cruelty-free regulations. So having certification from an association like Leaping Bunny or Choose Cruelty-Free, is ideal.

Leaping Bunny certification proves that:

  • No animal testing is conducted on the ingredients, formulas, or final products they sell.
  • No animal testing is conducted by the brand suppliers or on their ingredients or formulas.
  • No animal testing is done by someone else that the company itself paid for.
  • Any other form of testing (beyond ingredient and consumer safety), such as worker safety and environmental health, are considered and evaluated.

A lot of brands are using fake logos to fool 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 Nip + Fab Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law? 

Nip + Fab does not distribute any of its products to retailers in mainland China or any country that requires animal testing on cosmetics by law.

Nip + Fab does sell its products online, directly to consumers in China. This means that no animal testing will occur on the products at customs.

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?

What Nip + Fab Products Are Vegan?

Nip + Fab has an extensive range of vegan products that continues to grow. We love the fact that they're going completely vegan – but until then you really need to read your labels carefully. 

Often it says a product is vegan but includes a sub-clause saying that this doesn't include beeswax or honey. 

To save you some time, here are some of Nip + Fab's most popular and award-winning products to choose from:

  • Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme
  • Retinol Fix Overnight Cream
  • Glycolic Cleansing Fix
  • Vitamin C Fix Concentrate Extreme 3%
  • Salicylic Fix Day Pads

You can visit their website for a complete list of Nip + Fab's vegan products, you can visit their website.

Vegan Alternatives to Nip + Fab

Nip + Fab is a good option for vegans and has excellent vegan alternatives that other brands haven't cared to try yet.

Our only issue is that if you search "Nip + Fab" on Google, the term "vegan" pops up a lot, and their website homepage reads "Vegan".

This is quite misleading, and unless you scrutinize their "About" page for more information – you're not told that they not 100% vegan.

If you do not support a brand that isn't entirely vegan, Nip + Fab might not be your first choice. But please keep them top of mind as they have heard our pleas and aim to be completely vegan by 2023.

But if you're looking for 100% vegan cosmetics right away – here are some fantastic options that are in the same price range:

Is Nip + Fab Natural and Organic? 

Nip + Fab claims to use safe, effective, research-backed ingredients; however, it is not considered natural or organic.

Its whole aim is to offer solution-based products that anyone can use – which we love as it really speaks to the modern consumer who wants simple yet effective skincare. 

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 chili peppers, for example) doesn't mean you should rub it on your skin.

Almost all products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas, and Nip + Fab is no exception – but it chooses to use clean synthetics.

If a synthetic ingredient is "clean," it is safe and non-toxic for us. Its purpose is to preserve the stability of a beauty formulation.

A few ingredients Nip + Fab uses to enhance its cosmetics include:

  • Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance in our skin that helps maintain moisture and boost tissue regeneration and wound healing.

    As we get older, we produce less hyaluronic acid – making it an essential ingredient in our beauty products.
  • Polyglutamic acid is a powerful surface hydrator that can hold 4x more water than hyaluronic acid and locks in moisture for a glass-like look.
  • Mandelic acid is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) derived from bitter almonds. It gently exfoliates the skin's surface and is excellent for acne-prone skin.

Does Nip + Fab Use Safe Ingredients?

For a makeup brand, Nip + Fab has a relatively decent spread of ingredients that can benefit your skin, and they also avoid using anything that could be harmful where possible.

According to Skin Safe, Nip + Fab usually has a 73% - 91% allergen-free ranking for each product, but some score as high as 100%.

Many of Nip + Fab's products are free of allergens such as Gluten, nickel, coconut, lanolin, parabens, topical anti-biotics, soy, MCI/ MI, and Propyl Glycol.

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

The EU/UK Have Stricter Ingredient Regulations

As a conscientious shopper, you must read up on any brand's ingredient list before you make a purchase – especially if you live within the United States.

This is because 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!

Given Nip Fab is a UK-based brand with strict ingredient policies – you don't need to worry too much.

For good measure, here are some of the ingredients you want to avoid with skincare:

  • DEA, MEA, and TEA
  • DMDM Hydantoin and urea (that often release formaldehyde)
  • PEG (Polyethylene glycol)
  • Phthalates
  • Propylene glycol (pg) & butylene glycol
  • Triclosan

Are Cruelty-Free Ingredients Safe?

If you're worried about how safe it is to use cosmetics that are not tested on animals – please relax and take a sigh of relief.

There is no reason why cruelty-free products shouldn't be just as safe, if not safer, than anything tested on an animal.

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 really is no need.

If you're interested, here's more on the subject: Are Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Safe?

Is Nip + Fab Sustainable and Ethical? 

Nip + Fab has some sustainability initiatives that we can commend them on – but their environmental activism isn't extensive.

The best thing about the brand is its Carbon Neutral Britain Business certification. Plus, it is also making a point to go completely vegan within a year.

So it's not entirely void of exciting initiatives, but there is so much room for improvement.

Nip + Fab doesn't provide any further information about their supply chain, palm oil use, Mica trade, or other fair trade and community initiatives.

There is also no information on their environmental policies or sustainable packaging efforts.

It's no secret that the world has a huge waste problem, and cosmetic brands are only making it worse by using unsustainable packaging and harmful ingredients.

Some of the ways Nip + Fab could take strong environmental accountability is by:

  • Using more natural ingredients and biodegradable formulas that are kinder to the environment
  • Using Responsibly Sourced Palm Oil (RSPO certified)
  • Developing more sustainable products, shipping boxes, and bags that are all recyclable
  • Introducing as many refillable makeup options as possible
  • Switching from virgin plastic to PCR where possible for all new launches (since 2021)
  • Sourcing Mica from ethical suppliers that do not use child labor

Final Thoughts

Nip + Fab started with the goal to make affordable and effective regime-based skincare. Judging by the great product reviews, they've done that.

The fact that they are cruelty-free and aiming to be completely vegan in a year is a step towards a more sustainable future in cosmetics.

Nip + Fab is relatively open with the public about its brand. Still, we'd love to see more information about its sustainability efforts and the gold-stair Leaping Bunny accreditation next to each product. A few instagram posts are not enough!  

Of course, since Nip + Fab is not 100% vegan (yet) – it might not be the best choice for activists who go the extra mile.

This is especially important since the brand doesn’t share many sustainability initiatives yet.

Not only can't we find information on their palm oil sources, but the brand doesn't seem to be working on reducing packaging waste.

If Nip + Tuck makes an ethical effort here, they should share it more openly with their customers.

And if you love this brand, it's worth reaching out to them. The more people send out positive messages encouraging the brand to evolve – the more likely we are to see these changes.  

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