[UPDATED and EDITED MARCH 2017] List of Cruelty-Free (No Animal Testing and Ingredients) Korean Cosmetic Brands

[UPDATED] KARA posted an update of the list on January 2017 and so as I promised, I updated this post.


So, the list is uploaded and regularly updated by Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) site (here's the Korean site). The list isn't all about skincare and makeup although 90% of it is. I put a little description for brands who aren't skincare/makeup brands.

Let's jump onto the list. The list is divided into 4 categories with 3 indicators:

• No animal testing
• No animal ingredients; and
• The company doesn't export to China

Everyone (well, almost) is mad over China's policy regarding the animal testing. But throughout the years, many parties have pressured and lobbied the government to stop the act. Also, foreign cosmetic brands' popularity in China has been increasing which then push the government to open the door wider. (For more articles and references, please do google them. Maybe I'll talk more about it later. One day.)

Before any of you ask, "Etude has physical stores in China and Krystal's face is everywhere (my princess), but why is it on the list?", let us sit and do a little more research. Everything is on the internet, darling.

Most (if not almost all) Korean cosmetic brands don't test on animals. So the main problem is why do they export to China? Well, obviously, China's market is huge. But then, how do those brands get away from the mandatory animal testing policy?  According to an article written by Charlotte Cho on sokoglam, "... cosmetic companies can have ingredients listed on a “whitelist” that allows the product to be sold without animal testing."

Let's assume the whitelist consists of ingredients that are considered safe already by China's Food and Drug Administration. So that leads to another question. Many western brands claim to be cruelty-free, but because they still export to China, people don't believe them. Maybe they used to test on animals, but not anymore. Are they still not considered as cruelty-free (look at how those Korean brands work)?

But really, China's government just wants the products used by their people to be safe and according to some articles, they are open to new method of testing (no bodynotes because I closed the tabs before saving the article links. Guys, it's midnight and I've been editing this post alone for more than two hours).

Anyway, here's the list.

Source: ekara.org, accessed March 17, 2017

Let me re-type the list and link them (or you can just go to the original page).

Category 1

(no animal testing and ingredients; doesn't export to China)

allNature
ECO ROUND (aka Malgeunnara) (detergent and body care)
BYHERB
Skincure
sevendrops
Aromatica
aida cosmetic
A:TRUE
onsiya (hair and body care)
TREEANNSEA
HaemilLia
everain
evecondoms (condoms, duh)
Coslys (the link doesn't work Idk)
Sugar StripEase (hair removal)
Bebecell (skincare for babies)
with my
Beautiqlo
bebeskin (skincare for babies)
The soonsoo
L'arbrevert (dish soap)

Category 2

(no animal testing; doesn't export to China)

NMC
ISNTREE
SIDMOOL
eco (Nature's Friend)
Beauty Recipe
BEYOND
SKINEYE
SKIN WATCHERS
Bonajour
Klairs
Dr. Bronner's
Lush
Nablus soap (body care)
Logona
John Paul Pet (pet grooming aka skincare for your pet lol)
&tree
Rokkiss

Category 3
(no animal testing and ingredients)
MAY ISLAND
Half Moon Eyes

Category 4

(no animal testing)

Dr. Jart
illi

LANEIGE

Lolita Lempicka (perfumery)

LIRIKOS

Mamonde

MIREPA

verite
SAIMDANG

Sulwhasoo
Swanicoco
HERA
ARITAUM

Amore Pacific

IOPE

Etude House

espoir
TEEN:CLEAR
ponyeffect

primera

HANYUL
HAPPYBATH

ODYSSEY

innisfree
Annick Goutal (perfumery)
I'M MEME
A'some
WHAMISA
Ph.Drop
Graymelin

Out of all those names, the most familiar ones for international consumers (well, at least, for me) are on the fourth category which are mostly owned by Amore Pacific Group. Amore Pacific Group currently holds the highest market share and dubs as South Korea's largest seller of beauty and personal care products. (LG Household and Health Care places second with a slightly smaller market share than Amore Pacific Group, FYI).

Let's do some more research and discuss them!