Soap & Glory is known for its light-hearted approach to effective body care that anyone can use. But can this bubbly, budget-friendly brand guarantee they’re cruelty-free and vegan? Find out below.
Soap & Glory 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 Soap & Glory does offer a range of vegan products, it is not considered a vegan brand.
US-born Marcia Kilgore is one serious beauty entrepreneur. She’s launched big brands like Bliss Spa, FitFlop, Beauty Pi,e, and (drumroll please) Soap & Glory.
We’ve got to love Marcia’s approach to launching this bath and beauty brand. Soap and Glory is quirky, a little extra, and its pun-ny names always bring a smile to users’ faces.
Since launching in the UK in 2006 – this edgy yet affordable brand has expanded to body care, skincare and cosmetics. In 2014, Walgreen Boots Alliance bought Soap & Glory for a reported £50 million.
But fun branding doesn’t make a product ethical, sustainable or kind. Can you trust Soap & Glory’s current cruelty-free and vegan policies?
Is Soap & Glory Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
Soap & Glory is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
Soap & Glory has a solid cruelty-free message, and it shows. It has accreditation from Leaping Bunny – the only internationally recognized certification that guarantees a brand is cruelty-free.
Unfortunately, the brand is owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance, which is known to be associated with animal testing.
This brings us to our next point:
Soap & Glory is Not Vegan
Although the brand is not entirely vegan, Soap & Glory has a wide range of vegan products for you to try.
They are all just as unconventionally packaged and entertaining as the rest of Soap & Glory’s range.
You can also spot if a product is vegan on its online page. Each one is marked to the right of the picture, like this:
The most common animal-derived ingredients that Soap & Glory uses are:
If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: Soap & Glory vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
Soap & Glory claim to have been committed to creating fun and affordable cosmetics that are also cruelty-free since it was founded.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2022
Here is a screenshot of Soap & Glory's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from its website:
Certification
As of 2021, Soap & Glory is Leaping Bunny certified.
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 Soap & Glory Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
Soap & Glory does not distribute any of its products to 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 Soap & Glory Products Are Vegan?
Soap & Glory has a fantastic range of vegan products that are easy to spot.
The brand is proud to develop products with you (the consumer) in mind.
To save you some time, here are some of Soap & Glory’s top-rated products to choose from:
You can find a complete list of Soap & Glory’s vegan products on its website.
Vegan Alternatives to Soap & Glory
Yes, Soap & Glory has some great vegan options and a clean track record with consumers.
While we wouldn’t shut them down too quickly, it might not be your first choice if you will not support a brand that isn't entirely vegan.
Luckily, there are some great vegan cosmetics that are in the same price range you can choose from instead:
Is Soap & Glory Natural and Organic?
Soap & Glory does claim to use safe, simple ingredients. However, it is not considered natural or organic, and nor does it claim to be.
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 egg whites, for example) doesn't mean you should rub it on your skin and risk a salmonella infection!
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas. Soap & Glory 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.
Does Soap & Glory Use Safe Ingredients?
According to Skin Safe, Soap & Glory has a 73- 100% allergen-free ranking across 72 products.
Many of Soap & Glory’s products are free of allergens such as common preservatives, parabens, topical antibiotics, lanolin, gluten, nickel, MCI/MI, coconut, soy, and dyes.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because Soap & Glory is not 100% hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic, and they do not claim to be.
It's also important to note that not all common allergens are harmful ingredients overall.
A typical example is lanolin, which has many benefits for your skin. Find out more here: Can Lanolin Be Cruelty-Free?
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!
Given Soap & Glory is now a UK-based brand with strict ingredient policies – you don't need to worry too much.
But for good measure, it’s worth knowing that you should always avoid these ingredients in your skincare and cosmetics:
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 Soap & Glory Sustainable and Ethical?
Soap & Glory talks about having removed microbeads in 2015 before it was legislated. Which was a great move to make before it was necessary!
They’ve also removed all glitter (plastic, bio-based, or biodegradable) from all new products or displays.
Finally, the brand assures customers that all suppliers and factories undergo a strict vetting process to ensure that labor conventions and environmental standards are upheld.
And that’s all, folks!
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 Soap & Glory could take strong environmental accountability are:
Final Thoughts
Soap & Glory has been around long enough to be a trusted bath and body brand. The fact this playful fan favorite is cruelty-free is a step toward a more sustainable future in cosmetics.
We appreciate that it has a transparent supply chain and has gained Leaping Bunny approval. However, their cruelty-free status shouldn’t be one of the only environmental factors considered.
Soap & Glory could do more to lessen their impact on the earth.
They are not 100% vegan, so it might not be the best choice for activists who go the extra mile – especially since the brand also uses palm oil as an ingredient.
If you love this brand and want to see them improve its sustainable and ethical initiatives – we recommend contacting them and sharing your thoughts.