WORKING TOWARD A CRUELTY-FREE WORLD. MAC does not test on animals. We do not own any animal testing facilities and we never ask others to test on animals for us. While some governments conduct animal testing to prove safety before they will allow us to sell our products, MAC has never tested on animals and we continue to be a leader in. There are four social initiative problems that the company currently has in place: MAC Cruelty-Free Beauty, Back to MAC Recycling, MAC Kids Helping Kids and the MAC AIDS Fund. Even though MAC cosmetics was bought out by the Estee Lauder Companies in 1994 and the original founder Frank Angelo died in 1997, the MAC AIDS Fund has been continued. MAC is no longer cruelty-free and subsequently (regrettably, sadly, devastatingly) must be removed from my shopping list. It’s superficial in the extreme, but I am genuinely heartbroken that A) I could not live with myself if I continued buying, and B) that your policy has changed to testing on animals when “required by law”. MAC is not cruelty free. Additionally, although sSome of MAC’s products are vegan, MAC is not 100% vegan as a brand. Generally, this brand’s cruelty free status is a little questionable and doesn’t fall within my criteria of “cruelty free”.
| Origins | Christine Schrammek, German dermatologist, in the 1960s; developed further in the 1980s by Korean cosmetics companies[1] |
|---|---|
| Description | All-in-one facial cosmetic product to replace serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation and sunblock |
| Main markets | South Korean and Japanese markets from 1985; Western markets from 2012 |
BB cream is a marketing term that stands for blemish balm, blemish base, beblesh balm, and in Western markets, beauty balm. Products marketed as BB creams are generally designed to serve as a foundation, moisturizer, and sunscreen all at once.
The marketing term 'CC cream' was invented later and sometimes stands for Color Correction cream. Products marketed as CC creams claim to serve the same function as BB creams, with greater emphasis on homogenizing skin color.[2] Differences between BB creams and CC creams vary from brand to brand.
History[edit]
What became BB cream was originally formulated in the 1960s in Germany by dermatologist Dr. Christine Schrammek to protect her patients' skin after facial peels and surgery.[1][3]
Formulations[edit]
BB creams come in a variety of different formulations.[1] Because Korean companies focused initially on the Korean and East Asian markets, they are offered in a limited number of hues. Instead of offering multiple shades for different skin colors, most formulae are designed to oxidize to match the user's skin tone.[4] The skin-whitening properties of the cream as sold in the Asian market are an important element in its popularity.[5]
The cream is promoted as a multi-tasker and all-in-one treatment, but Korean women mostly use it as an alternative to foundation, particularly those with Western formulations that tend to be too heavy for their tastes. The coverage is often mineral-based, and is intended to both cover and treat blemishes such as acne, sun spots, and age spots. Some brands claim anti-wrinkle, anti-inflammatory, and soothing effects for their products. Several contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C.
Markets[edit]
BB creams make up 13 percent of the cosmetics market in South Korea. Some Korean brands also offer BB creams for men.[6] Notable Korean brands include Etude House, Missha, Nature Republic, Skin Food, Sulhwasoo, The Face Shop, and SKIN79.
Western cosmetics companies began to launch BB creams in the Western market in 2012, though some of these creams have been criticized for lacking the skin-caring functions that BB creams normally have, and for being no more than tinted moisturizer.[citation needed] Early arrivals included Boscia, Clinique, Dior, Estée Lauder, Garnier, Marcelle, Maybelline, Revlon and Smashbox.[7]Lab Series makes a BB cream for men.[8] Certain BB creams have been tailored for Western markets: Estée Lauder, for example, has not included the whitening properties in their formulation for North America.[9]
Cruelty-free and vegan BB creams[edit]
BB creams advertised as cruelty-free include Smashbox (owned by Estée Lauder) and The Body Shop (owned by Natura & Co).[10] The definition of 'cruelty-free' varies. The Body Shop BB cream is certified by the Leaping Bunny Program, which means, according to the certification process, that no new animal testing has been used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or the suppliers of its ingredients.[11] As of May 2013, Amore Pacific, which has as its subsidiaries Etude House and Laneige, has ended animal testing on all ingredients and cosmetics.[12]
Products certified as cruelty-free may still contain animal products and may not be suitable for vegans. Vegan BB creams include the Superdrug own brand BB cream,[13] BB cream souffles from Haut Cosmetics, 100% Pure Cosmetics, Multi-Mineral BB Cream from Pacifica,[14] and the Evenly Radiant BB Crème from Dermae.[15]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abcChang, Katie. 'Vain Glorious | BB Creams Are Here!',
- ^Latimer, Joanne. 'BB cream fans lay it on thick', Maclean's, January 11, 2012.
- ^BBcream.Archived 2015-04-04 at the Wayback Machine Revisado.
- ^'BB Cream Overview'. BubzBeauty.
- ^Woo, Michelle. 'Get Skin Like a Korean Soap Opera Star', OC Weekly, April 5, 2012.
- For skin whitening, see Maclean's, January 11, 2012.
- ^For 13 percent of the South Korean market, see The New York Times, March 29, 2012.
- For men using it, see Bae, Ji-sook. 'Men Turn to Aesthetics, Grooming to Become Metrosexual', The Korea Times, March 24, 2010.
- Kim, Grace. 'Menswear targets '50s and fabulous', The Korea Times, April 4, 2012.
- ^Maclean's, January 11, 2012.
- Also see Thomas, Bobbie. 'New beauty: Innovative curlers, mascaras and more', Today, NBC, March 15, 2012.
- 'BB Cream becomes BB everything'Archived 2012-06-14 at the Wayback Machine, Cover Media/omg!, March 31, 2012.
- ^The New York Times, March 29, 2012, p. 5.
- ^Rovan, Rhonda. 'Do you need a BB cream?', Best Health, March 2012.
- Lawrenson, Amy. 'BB Creams'Archived 2012-02-02 at the Wayback Machine, Elle, November 11, 2011.
- For whitening properties not being included in Estée Lauder's BB cream for North America, see Maclean's, January 11, 2012.
- ^For Smashbox, see Reddick, Kelsey. 'Finding the BB cream that's right for you'Archived 2012-07-24 at the Wayback Machine, Feminspire, July 14, 2012.
- For the Body Shop, see 'Animal protection principles'Archived 2013-06-13 at the Wayback Machine, The Body Shop, accessed September 7, 2012.
- ^'Debunking Myths about Animal Testing'Archived 2014-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, accessed September 7, 2012.
- ^[1] (archived link, March 29, 2013)
- ^'Superdrug BB Cream', 'Superdrug.com', June 26, 2013.
- ^'Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream'. Pacifica. 2016-11-06. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
- ^'Vegan BB cream souffles'Archived 2012-08-26 at the Wayback Machine, Haut Minerals, accessed September 7, 2012. Also, e.l.f. brand BB Cream is not only cruelty-free, but it is vegan, sold at Target for about $6.
- BB creamsArchived 2013-04-10 at archive.today, Dermae, accessed March 26, 2013.
Further reading[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to BB cream. |
Mac Animal Testing
- 'Miracle creams we can believe in', National Grad School, October 26, 2017.
- Bhagwandas, Anita. 'Beauty for dark skin: the BB cream debate', The Guardian, March 15, 2013.
- Niven, Lisa. '10 Best BB Creams', Vogue, January 17, 2013.
- Chowdary, Asha. 'The BB cream is here to stay', The Times of India, February 25, 2012.
- For it being introduced to South Korea and Japan in the 1980s, see Maclean's, January 11, 2012.
- For the rest, see Koh Young-aah. 'Perfect your look in Korea', The Korea Herald/Naver News, September 2, 2009.
- Williams, Bronwyn. 'The lowdown on BB Cream', Stuff.co.nz, March 26, 2012.
Who has not heard of MAC Cosmetics?
Pretty sure everyone has heard of it. And why would they not? I personally have grown up watching my mother use MAC products. And that means that MAC has been here for a while.
Considering how widely popular it is, you would expect MAC to be more on the affordable side. Since it is not, and yet it has such a huge consumer base, tells you a lot about its quality.
But quality and popularity are not all that matters. What about MAC’s ethical stance? Is MAC cruelty-free and vegan in 2021? That is the important question.
Is it not time you found about it? so, keep reading!
Is MAC Cruelty-Free?
No. MAC Cosmetics is not a cruelty-free brand. It is because they chose to profit off markets that conduct animal testing. That means MAC allows its products to be tested on animals if it is required by the local law.
We all know what that means. It is difficult to call MAC Cosmetics cruelty-free. Because it allows its products to be tested on animals under certain circumstances. And we also know that it is not that hard to avoid animal testing as many brands are cruelty-free.
About MAC
MAC, an acronym for Make-Up Art Cosmetics, was founded in Toronto, Canada in 1984. The founders were Frank Angelo and Frank Toskan. There is a fun story behind MAC’s inception. Makeup artist Angelo and Toskan were both frustrated seeing how bad the makeup on models looked in pictures.
The duo then literally created MAC Cosmetics products in their kitchens! Initially, the products were targeted towards professionals in the makeup industry. However, for years now, MAC Cosmetics has been available to consumers worldwide.
MAC Cosmetics mainly stole the show with its base products. But with time, it expanded its product lines and developed and improved existing ones. Within a decade, MAC had started a revolution in the beauty industry that we are still in awe of.
Currently, MAC Cosmetics is a brand recognized and loved globally. It is a giant in the global beauty network. Although founded in Canada, it now has its headquarters in New York, United States.
Is MAC Owned by a Parent Company?
Yes. MAC Cosmetics is owned by Estee Lauder Companies. Estee Lauder Companies gained rights to 51 percent of MAC’s shares in 1994. But it completed the acquisition in 1998.
Estee Lauder Companies is a great entity in the beauty industry as well. Besides MAC Cosmetics, it owns a lot of other brands, including Tom Ford, Smashbox, La Mer, Jo Malone London, etc.
Testing Policy: Does MAC Test on Animals?
MAC Cosmetics personally does not conduct any animal testing. However, they do allow third parties to conduct animal testing on their products. This is only applicable in the cases where the law of the local market requires so.
This means, that we cannot say MAC is not cruelty-free just because it claims not to test on animals. It is aware that at some places where it sells, animal testing is done on its products.
Does MAC Sell in China?
Yes! MAC Cosmetics sells in China. In fact, Mac Cosmetics is quite popular in Mainland China.
MAC says that it does not want to exclude any of its consumers, as you can say. But we cannot ignore that it is being done at the cost of innocent animals being harmed.
Is MAC Certified by PETA?
No! MAC Cosmetics is not certified by PETA. Nor is it certified by Leaping Bunny or other organizations that believe in the same cause. Look up MAC on PETA’s website. You will see that PETA categorizes it as a brand that tests on animals.
In fact, PETA speaks up quite often about MAC’s business in China. It addresses MAC Cosmetics as a brand that is not cruelty-free at all.
Is MAC Vegan?
No. MAC Cosmetics is not 100 percent vegan. That means that most of its products contain ingredients derived from animals or animal by-products. Carmine and beeswax are two of the common ingredients found in most of its products.
This means that as a vegan, you ought to be careful while buying MAC products. Some of their vegan products are:
- MAC Pro Lash Mascara
- Brow Finisher (Certain Colors)
- Synthetic Makeup Brushes
- Brow Pencils (Certain Colors)
Is MAC Gluten-Free?
No. MAC Cosmetics is not gluten-free. The brand addresses the fact that regardless of a product not containing gluten, the products cannot be claimed to be gluten-free. This is because the manufacturing process may not always be in a gluten-free environment.
It is always wise to reach out to the brand to know more, if you are allergic!
Is MAC Paraben-Free?
Nope! MAC is not completely free of parabens! That means that many of its products contain parabens.
This is why I would suggest one to carefully check the label while making a purchase!
Is MAC Hypoallergenic?
No. The brand is not entirely hypoallergenic.
By that, I mean you will find some hypoallergenic products offered by MAC. But not all of their products are hypoallergenic.
Alternative Brands to MAC
I know that finding alternatives to MAC Cosmetics can seem difficult. But it is not impossible!
I have already found a few alternatives that you should definitely check out!
Is Mac Makeup Cruelty Free
- RMS Beauty: This brand is an ethical alternative to MAC Cosmetics. It is cruelty-free as well as vegan. Moreover, its products are in the same price range as those of MAC! If you love organic makeup products, you would be a fan of this brand on the first try!
- Anastasia Beverly Hills: This brands’ products are amazing enough to give MAC Cosmetics a run for its money! ABH is an extremely popular brand for all the right reasons. Additionally, you will find great vegan options too in this brand.
Fact Check
Let us now do the final fact check!
MAC Cosmetics is:
- Not cruelty-free.
- It allows animal testing when the law requires it.
- MAC is owned by Estee Lauder Companies.
- This brand sells in China.
- Most of its products are not vegan.
- It is not completely free of parabens or gluten.
- Some of its products are hypoallergenic.
Conclusion
Hope you enjoyed this article! It is really heartbreaking to find out that MAC is not cruelty-free. But as I keep saying, it is not very hard to find ethical options! You just need to be open to alternatives!
Cruelty Free Products
I am Farhin Raisa, looking forward to creating a community that supports ethical, cruelty-free, and vegan beauty. As I review and find brands that make this community a better one, I hope to aid your process of picking the best products for yourself!