Cruelty Free Products You Can Feel Good About Using

Dec 11, 2022by Faith Cancro

In a world where so many things seem to go wrong, it’s nice to feel like you’re doing something right. To say the world needs a little pick-me-up right recently is an understatement, but I think it’s important to focus on some good things we’ve been working towards- sustainability, supporting more small businesses, protecting wildlife, etc. There is definitely more environmental and moral consciousness now than, say, fifty years ago. That’s something to celebrate!

One thing that has been a priority for many people and brands recently is moving away from animal testing. Maybe your favorite conditioner is made by a non-cruelty free brand. Or that amazing hair oil you love is in a sort of gray area, so you’re not really sure what their philosophy is. Of course, it’s not realistic to dump your entire hair care routine if you find out the products are not humanely made, but that might be a sign for you to make some small changes to your routine. Supporting businesses that oppose animal cruelty can make a big difference in the long run.

The truth is, there are SO many cruelty free brands to choose from, that you actually could establish a whole new routine with exclusively those products. Waste is never the answer, so like I said, I’m not telling you to throw away everything you own. I just think it doesn’t hurt to check out our list of cruelty free brands and product suggestions and consider if any of these might suit you and your hair routine!

Although, one thing to know about this, is the difference in the bunnies. Did you think the PETA seal was the end all be all of certified cruelty free products? So, did I. That’s not necessarily the case. There’s a difference between the PETA bunny and the leaping bunny. According to Cruelty Free Kitty, “PETA only requires written agreement from a company, [but] the Leaping Bunny requires that the company agrees to independent audits.” The good thing is, both of these seals ensure at least a certain degree of effort to promise cruelty free products. This is obviously better than nothing. Any bunny is a good bunny, but hopefully one day all of these brands will have the leaping bunny on each of their products.

Here’s the breakdown, thanks to Ethical Elephant, including favorites from some of The Warehouse Salon’s very own stylists!

To start, there are a couple brands that are themselves cruelty free, but are owned by parent companies that are not cruelty free. These include…

DevaCurl (owned by Henkel)

Joico (owned by Henkel)

Kenra (owned by Henkel)

Living Proof (owned by Unilever)

Pureology (vegan, owned by L’Oreal)

While these companies may be a good start, here’s a list of companies that you never have to worry about when it comes to animal testing, whether they’re backed by PETA, the leaping bunny, or don’t sell where animal testing is required. For example, something might be free of animal testing at production, but if it’s sold somewhere like mainland China, where animal testing is mandatory, that’s something else to consider. These are some haircare brands you can feel good about using!

Abba (Vegan)

AG Hair

Amika

Stylist Denean recommends Amika Vault Color-Lock Shampoo
Stylist, Bri recommends Amika Instant Shine Mask and Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo

Celeb Luxury

Color Wow

One of Denean’s absolute favorites is Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray

It’s a 10

K18 (Vegan)

Maria Nila (Vegan)

Moroccanoil

Warehouse assistant Patricia uses the Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream for Curly Hair
Bri loves the Moroccanoil Hydrating Conditioner

Milk Shake (Made in the EU where animal testing is illegal)

My personal favorite has to be the Milk Shake Incredible Milk 12 Effects Leave-In Treatment

Olaplex (Vegan)

Ouidad

Onesta

Frequently recommended by Warehouse salon owner and stylist Nick, he says it’s the best price point for a brand as high quality as Onesta, as they keep out chemicals and harsh ingredients from their products.

Paul Mitchell

Pravana

Sudzz

Warehouse co-owner and stylist Jessica raves about SudzzFx Zenyth Frizz Eliminator

Verb

Remember though, nothing is written in stone. This list is ever changing and evolving. Maybe next year your favorite brand will have a PETA stamp on the back of its bottles. Or a company in the gray area today will soon enough have a leaping bunny. The way I see it, if some brands are figuring out how to test their products without animal cruelty, the rest can too. So, the next time you’re thinking about trying out something new, find that bunny! Let’s take care of our planet and everyone on it so that it can take care of us. We feel good when we do good, so why not do some good for your hair and for our world?