It seems like every celebrity is coming out with a beauty line, and Selena Gomez has hopped on to the trend. She launched Rare Beauty in 2020, and it's a fan obsession! But is the brand cruelty-free and vegan? The answer isn't so simple.
Rare Beauty 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. Rare Beauty has products free of animal-derived ingredients, but we do not consider it a vegan brand.
Let's start by saying we love Selena's authentic beauty messages she's sending out to the world through her cosmetics. The brand stands against setting unrealistic standards of perfection and hiding what makes each person unique.
"Being rare is about being comfortable with yourself. I've stopped trying to be perfect. I just want to be me." Says Selena on her Rare Beauty website.
Her brand concept is booming, and in July 2021, Rare Beauty was reported to have made an estimated $60 million in revenue.
But here's the million-dollar question: How can Rare Beauty claim to be cruelty-free when the answer is unknown?
Before deciding on what to buy, here's what you need to know about Rare Beauty's current animal testing policies, vegan ranges, formulation, and sustainability.
Is Rare Beauty Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
Rare Beauty is Cruelty-Free
It does not:
The brand states the following:
"Made with love for animals: We are free of animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products and never test on animals (nor do we ask others to test on our behalf)."
Rare Beauty's is also PETA certified and is not owned by any parent company.
This brings us to the next point:
Rare Beauty is Vegan
Rare Beauty claims to be 100% vegan as it doesn't use any animal-derived ingredients, this includes all their makeup tools and brushes.
However, it's worth knowing that Rare Beauty is the exception, not the rule.
Most mainstream skincare brands are not 100% vegan. Some animal-derived ingredients to look out for in general include honey, beeswax, lanolin, collagen, carmine, and squalane.
If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Rare Beauty vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
Rare Beauty claims to be 100% cruelty-free and has been since it launched in 2020. However, it does not fulfill the criteria required on an international level to meet this claim.
We'll explain what we mean in a bit.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2022
Here is a screenshot of Rare Beauty's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from their website:
Certification
Rare Beauty is PETA certified.
However, it would be nice to see more certification from them since they're a proudly cruelty-free brand.
While you might know PETA very well – it surprisingly doesn't hold the strictest cruelty-free regulations. It seems to only 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 conducts regular audits to ensure they are upheld.
Leaping Bunny certification proves that:
Is Rare Beauty Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Rare Beauty does not distribute any of its products to retailers in mainland China or any country that requires animal testing on cosmetics by law.
If Rare Beauty does ship directly to shoppers in China via an online platform, the products will not be tested on animals upon entering the country.
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?
The Best Rare Beauty Vegan Products
All Rare beauty products are vegan!
So it leaves you with the impending question – what to choose?
To save you some time, here are some of Rare Beauty's most popular and award-winning products:
You can visit Rare Beauty's website for a full list of their products.
Vegan Alternatives to Rare Beauty
We’re happy with what Rare Beauty represents.
It's 100% cruelty-free, vegan, affordable, and users love the products.
But if the brand is not easily accessible to you, here are some alternatives to try:
Is Rare Beauty Natural and Organic?
Rare Beauty claims to use safe, simple, and clean ingredients that are US FDA approved. However, it is not considered natural or organic and does not claim to be.
Rare Beauty's goal is to make clean formulas and products 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 always good. Just because an ingredient is natural doesn't mean you should rub it on your skin. Poison ivy is natural – but we wouldn't recommend rolling in a field of that stuff!
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas, and Rare Beauty is no exception. But it chooses to use better or 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.
Does Rare Beauty Use Safe Ingredients?
According to Skin Safe, Rare Beauty has a 91- 100% allergen-free ranking across its product range. (This is excellent!)
All of Rare Beauty's products are free of allergens such as parabens, propylene glycol, and MCI/ MI. They also sparingly use fragrance, nickel, soy, and Balsam of Peru.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because Rare Brand is not 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be. Make sure you buy what your skin needs.
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!
Although Rare Beauty uses clean ingredients and avoids anything harmful, you should always try to avoid the following ingredients:
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 just as safe, if not safer, than anything tested on an animal.
Not only is it easy to test ingredients without using animals altogether. 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 Rare Beauty Sustainable and Ethical?
Rare Beauty has some strong sustainability and ethical initiatives as it ties in with the company values.
As it stands, the brand:
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.
The brand is taking strong environmental accountability is by:
Rare Beauty's Mental Health Message
Mental health is at the forefront of Rare Beauty's public message, and a lot has to do with Selena's struggles after a bipolar diagnosis.
Through Rare Beauty, she's created a Rare Impact campaign, which strives to educate people about mental health and support those who need it – they call it mental health 101.
Today, Rare Impact is a safe space for their community to come together, connect through their mental health journeys and build strong friendships.
They're working towards destigmatizing mental health concerns and helping individuals get help when they need a trained professional to help them through their problems.
Can you believe how inspirational this is?
Rare Impact would love to see mental health taught at schools so that kids can come together and support each other when mental health support is needed.
Rare Impact has a mission to raise $100 million and give access to mental health services within 10 years.
Final Thoughts
Rare Beauty's inclusive ethos, where all forms of individuality are embraced and celebrated, is incredible. We love the message they're sending out to anyone interested in wearing cosmetics.
It is a well-developed cosmetics brand that considers various ethical factors, sustainable packaging, and a massive dedication to mental health.
Its cruelty-free efforts have had a solid start, but it would be great to see some Leaping Bunny certification.
We hope to see a lot more product and supply chain transparency, especially around its mica mining and palm oil policies.
If you want to see more from Rare Beauty – reach out to them. The more people request open communication from the brand – the higher the chance of it happening.
