RMS is dedicated to creating innovative and clean products that perform. The brand talks a big game about its cruelty-free products (and vegan options) – but does it really live up to its claims?
RMS 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. RMS does offer a range of vegan cosmetics, but it is not considered a vegan brand.
When RMS launched in 2009, it was one of the first brands to model the “clean cosmetics” revolution.
They’re all about using raw, food-grade, organic, wildcrafted, and naturally derived ingredients in all their products.
RMS founder Rose-Marie Swift firmly believes that you should be able to trust your beauty products to help you feel beautiful from the inside and out.
But how many of these natural ingredients are animal-derived? And has it kept up with modern demands getting more earth and health-conscious? Times have changed in since 2009!
Is RMS Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
RMS is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
All RMS products and individual ingredients are cruelty-free. They have a zero-tolerance policy for animal testing and are PETA certified.
Surprisingly though – this might not be the most trustworthy cruelty-free accreditation. Find out why under Certification.
Luckily, RMS is owned by a private investment firm that isn’t associated with animal testing.
This brings us to our next point:
RMS is Not Vegan
There are a few things to consider here before you disregard RMS for not being 100% vegan because it has a substantial vegan range to choose from.
And with a bit of research, we found some good news:
RMS only uses ONE animal-derived ingredient (which is still considered vegetarian)!
But there’s also some bad news.
It’s nearly impossible to know what products are vegan and what aren’t without reading through the ingredients.
No products are clearly marked!
The only animal-derived ingredient that RMS uses is:
If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives, we’ve come to your rescue. Keep reading or click on this link: RMS vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
RMS has been against animal testing since launching. They do not sell their products in stores in countries like China, which require animal testing by law, either.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2022
Here is a screenshot of RMS's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from its website:
Certification
RMS is PETA certified, which is not a bad start. You might even find the little cruelty-free PETA bunny next to each one of its products.
However, it would be nice to see more certification since it’s so proudly cruelty-free.
While you might know PETA very well – it surprisingly doesn't hold the strictest cruelty-free regulations. It seems only to 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 does regular audits to ensure they are upheld.
The Leaping Bunny association is very strict and reliable, which ensures that:
If you see a bunny stamp on the back of your product bottle – that's an excellent sign. But don't let the image itself fool you. A lot of brands are using fake logos to deceive 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 RMS Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
RMS does not distribute any of its products in retail stores in mainland China or any country that requires animal testing on cosmetics by law.
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 RMS Products Are Vegan?
Although RMS is not 100% vegan, they do have some vegan options you’ll love.
As we mentioned earlier, their website is frustrating and impractical because none of the vegan products are clearly labeled.
You might find some products mention it – but it’s definitely not consistent.
To save you some time, here is a list of all RMS’ current vegan products:You can always email customer service if you have questions about a specific product.
Vegan Alternatives to RMS
Because RMS has made it so difficult to know whether or not some of their products are vegan, it’s understandable why you would seek alternatives. You may also not want to support a brand that isn’t 100% vegan.
If you're looking for 100% vegan cosmetics that are in the same price range, here are some similar alternatives within the same price range:
Is RMS Natural and Organic?
RMS has a lot to say regarding natural and organic ingredients. All you need to know is that RMS is natural and organic.
They proudly confirm that they use organic, raw, wildcrafted, and food-grade ingredients in all their products. They use some synthetic ingredients when needed, which is not bad.
However, RMS is not 100% certified organic. Almost all their ingredients are USDA and NOP certified.
But they feel that because there is no globally recognized organic certification standard for cosmetics – they’ve decided to wait.
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 olive oil, for example) doesn't mean you should rub it on your skin and sit in the sun to fry yourself like a chicken breast!
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas. RMS 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.
A few naturally-derived ingredients RMS uses to enhance its skincare include:
Does RMS Use Safe Ingredients?
According to Skin Safe, RMS has a 91–100% allergen-free ranking for each product.
Many RMS products are free of allergens such as parabens, lanolin, MCI/MI, nickel, gluten, soy, propylene glycol, common preservatives, topical antibiotics, and dyes.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because RMS 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!
With skincare and cosmetics, you want to avoid these 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 as safe as anything tested on animals.
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 is no need.
If you’re interested, here’s more on the subject: Are Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Safe?
Is RMS Sustainable and Ethical?
RMS is making an effort to be more sustainable and ethical. They are transparent about all their goals and initiatives.
Each product on their website explains what packaging is used, whether it’s refillable, and how to recycle it.
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.
Some of the ways RMS is taking strong environmental accountability is by:
Final Thoughts
RMS is a pioneer in the clean and sustainable makeup industry. They’re known to make reliable and effective products that are also cruelty-free!
We love that they’re so transparent about:
This is what we expect from all brands in 2022!
The most frustrating thing about RMS isn’t even that they’re not 100% vegan – it’s that they make it so difficult to know which products are vegan-friendly.
Simple website labeling and filters could help vegans find the right products. Otherwise, it’s a big group of people they’re detracting from using their products.
So if you can’t be completely vegan – at least make product finding easy for the vegans who want to support you.
RMS is open to hearing your needs, so don’t disregard them too quickly!
Keep following their movements and share what you’d like to see from them – they’ll probably hear you out if enough people speak up.
This is the only way we can get real change.