What is the difference between cruelty-free and vegan?
Short answer
Cruelty-free refers to testing: no animal testing of the product, its ingredients or its suppliers. Vegan refers to composition: no animal-derived ingredients. A product can be one without the other — beeswax lip balm can be cruelty-free but not vegan; a vegan lipstick can still be animal-tested.
The detail
Neither term is legally defined in most markets, so the certification behind it matters more than the word. Leaping Bunny is the strictest cruelty-free programme because it audits the full supply chain and applies a fixed cut-off date; PETA's list is self-declared.
For vegan claims, look for the Vegan Society trademark or Certified Vegan logo. Common hidden animal ingredients include carmine, lanolin, shellac, keratin, collagen, beeswax, tallow and some glycerin.
At a glance
- Cruelty-free
- About testing. Best evidence: Leaping Bunny certification with supplier monitoring.
- Vegan
- About ingredients. Best evidence: Vegan Society or Certified Vegan trademark.
- Both
- Many ethical brands hold both; we tag them separately so you can filter on what you care about.