Why Curology is cruelty-free and vegan-friendly

We’re proud to say that Curology is cruelty-free and vegan-friendly. “We’ve never tested on animals. Honestly it never occurred to me to test on animals, and if someone had suggested it I would have thought it was a weird suggestion,” says David Lortscher, Curology co-founder and CEO. From day one, we’ve committed to transparency, and we get the ingredients for our skincare products from reputable sources that guarantee their cruelty-free, vegan-friendly status.

We’re also excited to announce that Curology received cruelty-free certification from the Leaping Bunny program. Our entire set — cleanser, moisturizer, and custom cream — and now certifiably cruelty-free.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for many skincare and cosmetics companies whose products you see on shelves, from drugstore to department store. In the U.S., there’s no law against testing on animals — yet.

But change is on its way! California recently became the first U.S. state to ban the sale of cosmetics tested on animals by passing the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (but that won’t go into effect until 2020). It’s already been banned in the UK since 1998, and in the European Union since 2009. There are plenty of scientific alternatives to animal testing that are actually more accurate, better, and faster at producing results. To us, it just makes sense — why hurt animals if you don’t have to?

Here’s how and why we’re taking a stand for our furry friends.

What does it mean to be “cruelty-free” and “vegan-friendly”?

It means our superbottle, cleanser and moisturizer have never been tested on animals — ever. Nor have the ingredients in our skincare products been tested on animals. None of our ingredients are made from animals or animal byproducts, either. We require official declarations from our industry-vetted ingredient sources and laboratories confirming the cruelty-free, vegan-friendly status of our products.

From day one, it was obvious to us that our products should be cruelty-free and vegan-friendly. We just know it’s wrong and wouldn’t do it. So when it came to sourcing ingredients and producing the Curology superbottle, cleanser, and moisturizer, we decided to work with ethical, responsible companies who’ve been awarded and certified for their outstanding quality control and transparency.

What are the alternatives to animal testing?

It may sound kinda creepy, but some amazing scientific advancements have made it possible to test the safety of products on humans without actually testing on humans. For example, scientists can create 3D models and use samples of human skin and eyes to test on instead. That means no one has to suffer in the testing process! It just makes sense: testing on animals has been proven to be way less accurate than testing on humans or human tissue samples.

Stef (Curology Marketing Team) and her pup, Jackie

Why is there still animal testing in the cosmetics industry?

If you’re thinking what we’re thinking — why isn’t everyone cruelty-free already?! One reason is that animal testing is legally required in China (not including Hong Kong) for imported cosmetic products. Even though some major cosmetics brands have stopped animal testing in the U.S., they still make an exception for products sold in China (according to Humane Society International). Fortunately, this could change soon. Some companies are actually lobbying to convince China to change this rule. Other brands have pledged to stop selling their products in China and countries with similar laws until the legal requirements change.

Another reason is that some of the manufacturers and laboratories that make ingredients used in everyday cosmetics need to update their testing methods.

Since there’s no legal definition or regulation against animal testing, it’s up to brands to be transparent about their practices. According to the FDA, even companies that don’t test their products on animals and call themselves cruelty-free may technically be getting their ingredients from laboratories that have tested on animals in the past.

We know it can be confusing, but there’s plenty of help out there! You can find more cruelty-free, vegan-friendly brands through the Leaping Bunny program.

Curology IT wiz, Justin and his furry feline, Haimer

How you can help end animal testing in the U.S.

The “Humane Cosmetics Act” was introduced to the U.S. Congress in 2014, but unfortunately, it never passed. However, organizations such as the Humane Society are still working on it. You can call your local and state legislators to ask them to support a ban on animal testing in cosmetics, and do what you can to support organizations fighting the good fight.

Curology ❤s animals

We love animals at Curology — so much so that we even have a pet-friendly office policy! We make sure our values are reflected in our practices. Our goal is to make effective, quality skincare accessible to everyone, and using products or ingredients that aren’t friendly to animals goes against that in every way.

Medical Provider, Phuong and her pet turtle, Leonardo (who loves eating all things red)

We always want to be real with you, and offer as much transparency as possible, so we’re also working towards the next step forward of getting our cruelty-free, vegan-friendly products certified by the Leaping Bunny program. We’ll keep you posted — stay tuned to this blog and our social media channels!

Written by

Curology Team