The hard truth is that Cerave is not entirely cruelty-free, as they may test on animals in certain countries and may contain ingredients that are not vegan.
At the same time, Cerave has not presented any official cruelty-free certification by Leaping Bunny or Peta, two of the most recognized organizations for subjects of this type, at this moment.
Does a Cruelty-Free Brand own Cerave?
Cerave is part of the L’oreal group. Even though L’oreal claims they don’t test on animals, it cannot be fully guaranteed because L’oreal has contracts with third-party companies that test on animals.
Does Cerave Sell In China?
Yes, and by default, all skin care and hair care brands in China must test on animals, which means that brands that are present in China should not consider themselves cruelty-free.
Does CeraVe test on animals?
CeraVe’s Animal Testing Policy
CeraVe’s Animal Testing Policy on their website claims they don’t test on animals, but as we have stated before, Cerave sells products in countries like China, where animal testing is required by law.
Cruelty-Free Alternatives
- Coola: Sun care with natural ingredients.
- Drunk Elephant: Clean and effective formulations.
- First Aid Beauty: Gentle and cruelty-free skincare.
- Pixi Beauty: Botanical-infused skincare.
- Youth to the People: Cruelty-free and vegan
- Paula’s Choice: Science-based skincare.
- The Ordinary: Affordable and practical
- Tatcha: Luxury inspired by Japanese beauty.
- Herbivore Botanicals: Natural cruelty-free
- Sunday Riley: High-performance, cruelty-free
Is CeraVe Vegan?
Cerave cannot be considered 100% vegan, as there are products from this brand that may contain ingredients derived from animals, including glycerin and cholesterol.
However, they claim not to use porcine, bovine, or ovine, but it is still possible to find products that contain ingredients derived from bees, fish, or eggs.
Below is a list of non-vegan ingredients you can avoid in any skincare brand.
Non-vegan ingredients you can avoid
- Beeswax: Extracted from honeybees
- Cholesterol: A type of lipid that you can find on animal tissue and provide skin hydration
- Glycerin retains skin moisture and is retrieved from animal or vegetal sources.
- Lanolin Derives from the wool of sheep and is moisturizing and emollient
- Keratin is a protein that strengths and protects the skin and is extracted from animal sources such as wool, feathers, or horns
- Collagen is a protein that’s popular in anti-aging products and can be present in the skin, bones, and connective tissues of animals
- Carmine is derived from crushed cochineal insects and is often used for pigmentation in skin care products
- Squalene can be derived from shark liver oil; It’s moisturizing and contains antioxidant properties
Note: I cannot give you a list of Cerave’s vegan products because they do not clarify which products are vegan.
It is essential to mention that some of these ingredients contain their vegan version, for example, honey, Carmine, Keratin, and Squalene.
Vegan Brand Alternatives
- The Ordinary contains affordable skincare and makeup products.
- Derma E: Offers natural and eco-friendly Products
- Pacifica: Vegan makeup and beauty products
- Youth to the People: Offers clean vegan skincare and clothing
- Herbivore Botanicals: Natural, plant-based skin and body products
- 100% Pure: Products from fruit and plant pigments.
- Paula’s Choice: Runs hundreds of independent skincare researches
- Biossance: Sustainable and vegan squalane-based products.
- Andalou Naturals: Provides fruit-based skincare products.
- OSEA: Emphasizes natural and seaweed-based ingredients.
Is CeraVe Considered a Clean Brand?
Cerave may not be considered a ‘clean’ brand as it may include silicones, petrolatum, and parabens in some formulations.
The term clean brand is vast, and many brands can claim to contain gentle formulas and even offer paraben-free, fragrance-free, and cruelty-free, but it’s still not qualified as clean.
Deep inside, they have practices that one may not consider clean because of ingredients that may damage the environment or human health.
Harmful Ingredients Quick List
Below you can have a list of a few of these harmful ingredients:
- Parabens: Can mess with your hormones.
- Phthalates: Linked to hormonal disruption.
- Sulfates: Strong cleansers that might strip your skin.
- Synthetic fragrances: Could hide allergens and mystery chemicals.
- Triclosan: It messes with hormones and could make bugs resistant to antibiotics.
- Oxybenzone: Could disrupt hormones.
- Mineral oil may clog your pores.
- Silicones may clog your pores and cause breakouts.
- Retinyl palmitate: Could make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
- Propylene glycol: It may irritate the skin.
Cerave’s Eco-Friendly Efforts
Even though Cerave claims to offer some eco-friendly assets, such as compostable makeup wipes, they still manufacture bottles from disposable materials that cannot be recycled.
How do you check if a brand is Cruelty-Free Or Vegan?
You can take a look at the brand’s policies on their website, as well as examine any available public statements.
Apart from that, you can also look for Third-party certifications, such as the ones offered by Leaping Bunny or PETA.
In addition, check for other factors, such as supply chain transparency, where the ingredients come from, and if they meet the cruelty-free requirements.