Is Ben Nye Cruelty-Free and Vegan?

Ben Nye is a makeup company started by the Hollywood film makeup artist Ben Nye in 1967.

The company’s current CEO is Nye’s son, Dana Nye, and is dedicated to serving professional makeup enthusiasts worldwide. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.

Currently, the company has its headquarters offices located in Los Angeles, California. This is where the products are manufactured and distributed.

Their products are sold globally through makeup stores specializing in professional makeup.

A lot of our readers have been asking whether Ben Nye makeup company is cruelty-free. We have analyzed the brand and its products and have a result.

Is Ben Nye cruelty-free? Keep reading to find out the details.

Is Ben Nye Cruelty-Free?

Any cruelty-free company needs to follow the criteria below, which we will discuss one by one.

• They should not test on animals – None of the company’s products should be tested on animals before, during production, and after the products enter the market.
• They shouldn’t test even when required by the law – This is only in countries that mandate animal testing on cosmetic products before they hit the primary market. A cruelty-free company should not trade in these countries.
• The products must not be sold in mainland China – This is because all cosmetic products shipping into China have to undergo mandatory animal testing before being accepted for human use.

If any company and all of its products meet the above three criteria, it’s enough to term it cruelty-free.

Are Ben Nye Products Tested on Animals?

The Ben Nye Makeup Company has confirmed from their animal testing policy that they do not test their products or ingredients on animals whatsoever.

Below is a screenshot from the company’s website with a statement of their animal testing policy.

The statement clearly states that the company does not engage in animal testing or mandate testing through third-party companies. They, therefore, meet the first criterion.

Do They Test on Animals When Required by the Law? Or Using a Third-Party?

Some cosmetic companies do not test on their own or engage in in-house animal lab tests but allow third-party affiliates to test on their behalf when the law requires it.

Ben Nye, however, denies any third-party animal testing on their products.

They also do not allow their suppliers to test on animals on their behalf, as evident in the above screenshot from their official animal testing testing statement.

Ben Nye meets our second criterion for attaining a cruelty-free status.

Are Ben Nye Products Sold in China?

All cosmetics shipping into mainland China for retail purposes must undergo mandatory animal tests, be it pre-market or post-market animal testing.

However, Ben Nye has confirmed from their animal testing policy that they do not sell to countries that require animal testing lawfully, including China.

Having met our third criterion for cruelty-free status, we can comfortably classify the company as being cruelty-free.

Does Ben Nye Have Cruelty-Free Accreditations and Certifications?

On top of meeting the three cruelty-free criteria, a company needs to be certified by recognized organizations for animal safety. The most recognized accreditation organizations are PETA, Leaping Bunny, and Free the Bunny.

With these, none of the company’s products will be sold in countries that require mandatory animal testing on cosmetics.

Ben Nye is currently not registered with any official cruelty-free accreditation companies.

It means that even though they are cruelty-free, one could easily mistake these products for non-cruelty free since they lack the relevant labels on the packaging.

Is Ben Nye Owned by a Parent Company?

Ben Nye has been family-owned since its founding in 1967 and has been independent to date. The company does not have a parent company that tests on animals.

Is Ben Nye Vegan?

Vegan products mean that they do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products such as carmine or beeswax. We will, therefore, analyze the brand’s products based on this definition.

While all products of Ben Nye are not all vegan, they do have some vegan products in categories like brushes, eyeliner pens, paints and powders. Some examples are:

• Mediapro Poudre Compacts
• Precision Eyeliner Pens
• Tooth Colors
• Translucent Powders

Ben Nye Vegan Makeup Brushes

• Angle Brushes
• Brush Cleaner
• Dome Brushes

Check out their vegan offerings on Ben Nye website www.bennye.com or www.bennye.com/shop

Summary

Ben Nye makeup company has strived to meet the cruelty-free conditions for its certifications but has not yet acquired one.

There’s a need for the company to seek an official accreditation for better acceptability in the international markets.

However, lacking a certificate doesn’t disqualify it from being on our checklist of cruelty-free companies.