Welcome to the official cruelty free K-beauty guide. This guide has been divided into four categories – vegan and cruelty free, cruelty free but non vegan, pending and black list. I’ve personally emailed every brand listed as cruelty free (and/or vegan) in this guide to ensure that they don’t test on animals at any point during the production of their products. To read our emails simply click the image or title of each company. Companies that are pending have been emailed and I’ve gotten no response or a response that needed clarification. Companies that are black listed conduct animal testing.
It’s true, as of 2018 animal testing is banned in Korea but don’t be fooled – Korean companies testing on animals in China is still very much legal and, in many cases, required by law. To be cruelty free a company cannot test on animals anywhere in the world. Companies that choose to sell in regions where animal testing is required by law do it out of pure greed, with no regard for the animals that are killed along the way. They always have an option to pursue a different market. Hopefully this guide helps you distinguish which companies are worth supporting and which ones prioritize their wallets over their morals.
Cruelty Free & Vegan Korean Beauty Brands
Re:p focuses on using natural ingredients and eco-friendly packaging. Their sensitive-skin friendly products often combine multiple skin care steps in a single product. (LB certified.)
A·True harnesses the power of black tea sourced from one of France’s oldest tea brands, Compagnie Coloniale, to create a unique collection of skin care products for all skin types.
With My was created with the goal to provide you with tasteful all natural products that not only work, but also gives back while caring for the environment. (PETA certified.)
Cruelty Free Korean Beauty Brands (Non Vegan)
Dear, Klairs believes in a simplistic approach to skin care. Designed specifically for sensitive skin, Klairs includes only the most essential ingredients in their products to promote healthier, stronger skin.
By Wishtrend produces Vitamin C products targeting dullness, lack of elasticity and pigmentation, without filler ingredients. Created by umbrella company – Wishtrend.
Purito makes safe and honest skincare products with only with ingredients originated from nature and the most reliable EWG Green level rated ingredients.
Soo’AE is inspired by the abundance and balance of nature and the wisdom of tradition and science. They combine traditional Korean ingredients with present trends and tech.
Cosrx incorporates effective ingredients such as snail mucin, yeast ferment, and skin-renewing chemical exfoliants to transform your skin. The moment your skin meets COSRX, you can expect more tomorrow.
Glow Recipe was created by Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, industry veterans with over 20 years of experience. They promise to only bring you the best and most innovative products.
L.O.C.K Color was developed by Korea’s leading makeup artists in order to deliver a fun and edgy makeup collection with artful and playful packaging. It’s a DK Cosmetics brand.
Benton uses fresh, natural ingredients in small batches to restore skin to its original, healthy condition. The brand’s dedication to premium ingredients has brought its Snail Bee line to holy grail status.
E Nature is a naturalism brand that makes healthy products from natural ingredients. Their products contain no synthetics or parabens. (Parent company isn’t cruelty free.)
Hip Chic is a pop culture-inspired beauty brand that sells affordable, natural sleeping hair masks that restore dry, damaged hair. They are owned by DK Cosmetics, alongside Soo’AE and LOCK.
Pending K-Beauty Brands
- 16 Brand
- 23 Years Old
- 3CE
- 9 Wishes
- A.H.C.
- Abbamart
- Abib
- Acropass
- Aida Cosmetics
- Amh
- April Skin
- Aromatica
- Avajar
- A’pieu
- B-Lab
- Banila Co.
- Beatiqlo
- Beauty Recipe
- Bebecell
- Beyond
- Blithe
- Blossom Jeju
- Bonajour
- Botanic Farm
- Briskin
- By Ecom
- Byherb
- CNP Laboratory
- Chica Y Chico
- Clio
- Commleaf
- Coringco
- Coslys
- D’Alba Piedmont
- DHC
- Daily Skin
- Dermasby
- Double Dare
- Dr. Oracle
- Easydew
- Eglips
- Everain
- Femmue
- Heimish
- Huxley
- Hygeee
- Iunik
- Karadium
- Label Young
- Leegeehaam
- Nakeup face
- Neogen
- O’Sum
- Onsiya
- Peach & Lily
- Pyunkang Yul
- Sevendrops
- Skin & Lab
- Skincure Inc.
- Some By Mi
- Son & Park
- Swanicoco
- Thank You Farmer
- Tia’M
- Treeannsee
- WellDerma
Black List of K-Beauty Brands
Amore Pacific, a large corporation in South Korea, owns an array of well known skincare brands including Etude House, Laneige and Innisfree. Amore Pacific claims that they, along with all the brands they own, only sell products in mainland China that are not required to be tested on animals. The ingredients used in those products are on China’s “whitelist”. However, it’s important to note that while those products might not require pre-market testing, they are often pulled off shelves for post-market testing. When it comes to determining which brands are not cruelty free, the Chinese ingredient whitelist is not taken into consideration in this guide because absolutely anything sold in stores outside of Hong Kong could still be subject to animal testing despite the whitelist.
- Acwell (read our emails)
- Amore Pacific
- Annick Goutal
- A’Some
- Aritaum
- Dr. Jart
- Espoir
- Etude House
- Goutal Annick
- Grey Melinda
- Hanyul
- Happy Bath
- Hera
- Illiyoon
- Illi
- Innisfree
- Iope
- It’s Skin
- Laneige
- Leaders Insolution (read our emails)
- Lirikos
- Lolita Lempicka
- Mamonde
- Mirepa
- Odyssey
- PH Drop
- Ponyeffect
- Primera
- Sulwhasoo
- Tony Moly
- Verite
