Is Hourglass Cruelty-Free?

Yes, Hourglass can definitely be called a cruelty-free brand. Hourglass and. Its suppliers and third parties do not test any ingredient or finished product on animals. They even refrain from selling products in countries where animal testing has been made mandatory by law. 

Here, it should be noted that Hourglass is owned by a parent organization named Unilever, but Unilever is not a cruelty-free organization as it does allow some of its brands to test products and ingredients on animals.

About Hourglass

Launched in 2004 by Carisa Janes, Hourglass is a Cruelty-Free luxurious makeup brand that stands firmly against animal testing and even supports an organization named The Nonhuman Rights Project, which is on a mission to secure fundamental rights for animals. Hourglass donates 1% of their annual profits from hourglasscosmetics.com to this organization to encourage them in their mission. Hourglass has pledged to keep contributing to this cause.

What does “Cruelty-Free” mean?

The word cruelty-free has not got any legal definition as such. Still, if a brand or company claims to be cruelty-free, it basically means that they do not test any ingredient or finished product on animals and do not ask any third-party makeup to do the same on their behalf. They also do not sell their products in countries where animal testing has been made compulsory by law.

Is Hourglass vegan?

Hourglass has got a number of vegan products, but not all of their products are vegan. Hourglass pledged to become 100% vegan by 2020, but some non-vegan products still exist. 

That journey of becoming 100 percent vegan began after a chat with Unilever’s chief executive officer, Alan Jope, as he and Janes met following the brand’s acquisition in 2017.

Some of their vegan products are;

No 28 Primer Serum

Veil Eye Primer

Vanish Airbrush Concealer

Veil Fluid Makeup

Arch brow sculpting pencil

Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick-all shades

Equilibrium Biomimetic Skin Active Serum etc.

All Hourglass Makeup Brushes Are Vegan Since Synthetic Bristles have made them.

In March 2021, Hourglass came out with Red 0, the brand’s vegan substitute of Carmine— a red colorant produced by crushing insects, adapted in cosmetics manufacturing due to its vibrant red pigment. Still, it’s also used in different foods and drinks, wherein it is clearly mentioned in the ingredients under carmines, like carminic acid or cochineal extract. Red 0 was launched through the release of a special, limited-edition red lipstick costing about $40. The product is creamy, richly pigmented, and buildable red with a nice finish of satin, its packing is pretty slim and furnished with a beetle.

The brand is also utilizing refillable packaging in a new way and is working to decrease consumption of single-use plastics ultimately. The creation, also customizable, will give consumers a “personalized way to engage with products,”

How To Decide whether a brand is vegan or not?

Just like the concept of cruelty-free, there is no legal definition to the word ‘Vegan.’ However, suppose a brand is said to be completely vegan. In that case, it means that it does not use animal-derived ingredients or by-products at any stage of manufacturing of a particular item. The cosmetic industry often utilizes a lot of animal products for the manufacturing of cosmetics. Hourglass is on its way to stopping this age-old practice by becoming completely vegan anytime soon.

Is Hourglass Certified cruelty-free?

Hourglass has been certified as cruelty-free by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)

Is Hourglass’s Mica mining ethical?

Mica is heavily used in the cosmetic industry to give a shimmery effect. But the mica mining is often found to be linked with child labor and human rights violation.

Hourglass has not yet disclosed its mica mining policy to the general public, so it cannot be determined whether its policies are ethical or not. 

Conclusion

Hourglass is a luxurious cosmetic brand that has been certified as cruelty-free by PETA. It does not test any ingredient or finished product on animals. However, its parent organization is Unilever which is not cruelty-free. It completely depends on the buyer whether they want to buy products from a cruelty-free band whose parent organization is not cruelty-free or not.

How to know which product of hourglass is vegan?

All the vegan products manufactured by Hourglass are clearly mentioned as “vegan” on their website in the “Features and Benefits” section.  

Where are Hourglass products manufactured?

Hourglass products are manufactured mainly in the United States and Italy.

Are Hourglass products sold in China?

No, Hourglass products are not sold in China as in China it is mandatory by law to test imported cosmetics on animals.