Sifting through countless cosmetics and their meaningless marketing clauses can be so frustrating. Luckily, Pixi is transparent with consumers about its take on cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics.
Pixi 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. While Pixi does offer a range of vegan cosmetics, it is not considered a vegan brand.
Pixi Beauty was founded over 20 years ago by Petra Strand in Soho, London. Her vision was to bring out the natural beauty in everyone who uses her makeup, and she's managed to create an internationally successful brand.
Before deciding on what to buy, here's what you need to know about Pixi's current animal testing policies, vegan ranges, formulation, and sustainability.
Is Pixi Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
Pixi is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
Although Pixi claims to have rigorous cruelty-free standards – it does not have any accreditation from a third-party organization like Leaping Bunny.
However, Pixi is a British company that makes all of its products within the UK, where it is illegal to test and sell cosmetics or cosmetic ingredients on animals.
Pixi isn't owned by a parent company – so it has no known affiliation with brands that support animal testing either.
Yet, there are limits to the laws and regulations.
An organization like Leaping Bunny differs because it ensures all forms of testing (beyond ingredient and consumer safety), such as worker safety and environmental health, are considered.
So although we can verify these products are cruelty-free, the company needs to take its own initiative to ensure it considers worker and environmental safety.
This brings us to the next point:
Pixi is Not Vegan
Although the brand is not entirely vegan, Pixi has a large variety of vegan ranges and products that you can find on its website. Most of its products are vegan.
Unfortunately, none of its vegan products and ranges are marked. However, if you inquire about specific products, someone will contact you to let you know if it's vegan.
The only animal-derived ingredient that Pixi uses is:
If you're interested in which of their best-selling products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Pixi Beauty vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
Pixi Beauty has been committed to creating modern, exciting and innovative cosmetics that are also cruelty-free. This has been their intention since it was founded 20 years ago.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2021
Here is a screenshot of Pixi Beauty's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from their website:
Certification
Pixi Beauty has no cruelty-free certification. It is currently covered by the 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 out there. So having certification from an association like Leaping Bunny or Choose Cruelty-Free, is ideal.
Leaping Bunny certification proves that:
If you see a bunny stamp at the back of your product bottle – that's a really good sign. But don't be fooled by the image itself. 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 Pixi Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Pixi Beauty does not distribute any of its products to China or any country that requires animal testing on any cosmetics by law.
China has a shocking track record. It is the country with the most amount of 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 to be aware of. Here's how to find cruelty-free cosmetics in China: Are Cosmetics Made in China Cruelty-Free?
What Pixi Products Are Vegan?
Like ILIA, Pixi Beauty only uses beeswax in some of its products, making it 100% vegetarian with an extensive range of vegan products. Additionally, all of its makeup brushes are made from synthetic fibers.
Unfortunately, none of the vegan products are marked clearly on its website.
Here are some of Pixi's award-winning and best-selling vegan products to choose from to save you some time.
Skincare
Makeup
It's unlikely that Pixi will give you a full list of its vegan products if you enquire. However, if you send them an email asking about specific products, someone will contact you to let you know if it's vegan.
Vegan Alternatives to Pixi
Overall, Pixi has a good track record and noteworthy transparency with its consumers. For a multi-million dollar brand – it's commendable.
While we love that it is cruelty-free and offers vegan options – it would be great to see some more certification behind the claims.
If you do not support a brand that isn't entirely vegan – Pixi might not be your first choice.
Here are some 100% vegan brands within a similar price range:
Is Pixi Natural and Organic?
Pixi is not considered a natural or organic brand, but it does use organic ingredients wherever possible. The brand also prides itself in using clean ingredients that are beneficial for your skin's health.
A few naturally-derived Ilia uses to enhance its cosmetics include:
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 that are of immediate plant origin.
Here's the thing – "natural" is not necessarily a good thing. Just because an ingredient is natural (take chili peppers, for example) doesn't mean you should rub it on your skin.
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas, and Pixi is no exception – but it can 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.
Does Pixi Use Safe Ingredients?
Yes, Pixi does use safe ingredients that are good for your skin's health. It avoids using any allergen where possible.
According to Skin Safe, Pixi usually has a 91% allergen-free ranking for each product, but it scores anywhere between 82%-100%.
Most of Pixi's products are free of common preservatives, irritants, gluten, soy, nickel, fragrance, lanolin and propylene glycol.
But reading the ingredient list is crucial because Pixi is not hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be.
The UK & EU 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, on the other hand, has banned 1,328!
Here are some cosmetic ingredients you really want to avoid:
Luckily, most of Pixi's products are free of these harmful ingredients altogether, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check. All ingredients are subject to change so keep your eyes open.
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 Pixi Sustainable and Ethical?
Pixi is transparent about sourcing clean ingredients, being 100% cruelty-free and offering many vegan options.
The fact that it uses many natural ingredients means its products are highly biodegradable and environmentally conscious.
However, there is very little information about whether Pixi takes any other sustainable initiatives.
Pixi doesn't mention anything about:
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.
Without more information, we don't know where Pixi stands and if it's keeping up with the times and demands of modern consumers.
Final Thoughts
Pixi is a well-developed cosmetics brand that takes its approach to clean, cruelty-free beauty seriously. The fact that it mainly sources natural ingredients is a step 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.
Since Pixi is not 100% vegan – it might not be the best choice for any activists who go the extra mile, especially since we don't know if the brand is sustainable.
Finally, it would also be nice to see further cruelty-free accreditation from other reputable organizations. So let's push to make that happen!