Regardless, you'll notice that there is an overwhelming number of cruelty-free nail brands to choose from, so there's no reason to have to support a brand that tests on animals! The list of cruelty-free nail brands includes China Glaze, Deborah Lippmann, LVX, Orly, and Seche Vite.
I've included options for every budget, from 99¢ drugstore products to indie and high-end luxury polishes. Some of these brands are also 100% vegan, and you'll find it clearly noted in the list when this is the case.
Here's an overview of the guide:
- The first section lists brands that DO test on animals. This list is not exhaustive.
- The next section lists the cruelty-free nail polish brands. Keep scrolling for descriptions of all the brands, from the high-end brands to the budget ones. If the brands are 100% vegan, 5-free, or 7-free, it's going to be noted.
- The third section includes brands that haven't responded when we reached out to them.
- Finally, the last section lists a few brands that did write back, but haven't provided enough information.
Without further ado, here's your guide to cruelty-free claws!
1. Nail Brands That Test on Animals
First up are the brands that DO test on animals. Note that some of these brands don’t conduct any animal testing themselves, but fund animal testing by selling their products in mainland China. This means they're not cruelty-free.
- Bourjois
- Burberry
- Chanel
- Dior
- Essie
- Guerlain
- Lancome
- L'Oreal
- Maybelline
- NARS
- Nicole by OPI
- OPI
- Revlon
- Sally Hansen
- Sephora Collection
- Sinful Colors
- Tom Ford
- Yves Saint Laurent
2. Cruelty-Free Nail Brands
These nail brands confirmed that no animal testing takes place at any point during production, including by their suppliers, and they do not sell their products in mainland China. Many of these brands are also 100% vegan! Any brands which are owned by parent companies who aren’t cruelty-free will be indicated with an asterisk.
Another thing to consider when shopping for nail polish is the toxicity of the formula. The three most commonly known hazardous chemicals which can be found in nail polish are Dibutyl Phtalate (DBP), Formaldehyde and Toluene. If a nail polish is free of these three toxic ingredients, it would be considered "3-Free".
Many of the cruelty-free nail polish brands mentioned below are not only free of these three ingredients, but free of other harmful ingredients as well. Brands can also be considered "5-Free", "7-Free", and so on. "5-Free" polishes contain no Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor, in addition to the original three, and "7-Free" polishes also eschew Ethyl Tosylamide and Andxylene.
- 100% Pure
- A.Dorn
- Aila
- Barry M
- Beauty Without Cruelty
- Benecos
- Color Club
- Colourpop
- Deco Miami
- e.l.f.
- Ella + Mila
- Fairypants
- Furless Cosmetics
- Gabriel Cosmetics
- GOSH
- Habit
- Hard Candy
- Illamasqua
- Jinsoon
- Jolie Vegan
- Jordana
- Kester Black
- Kokie
- L.A. Colors
- Lauren B. Beauty
- LOOK Nail Color
- LVX
- Manic Panic
- Mented Cosmetics
- Milani Cosmetics
- Milk Makeup
- Mineral Fusion
- NCLA
- OOO Polish
- Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
- OH TIFF!
- Orly
- Oribe
-
- Palate Polish
- Piggy Paint
- Pixi
- Play Love Laugh (Hugo Naturals)
- Prestige Cosmetics
- Pretty Serious
- PRITI NYC
- Pure Anada
- RMS Beauty
- Sonia Kashuk
- SOPHi
- Smith & Cult
- SpaRitual
- Stylush
- Sugarpill
- theBalm
- Trust Fund Beauty
- Urban Decay*
-
Cruelty-Free High-End Brands
These are some of the most popular high-end and salon brands available at Sephora, Ulta and department stores.
1. black|Up
is a French upscale beauty brand available at Sephora which is dedicated to women of color. Their line of nail lacquers includes high-gloss nudes specially-designed for darker skin tones, as well as some bright pops of color. The brand does not specify whether they are "5-Free" or not. Some of their products contain non-vegan ingredients (beeswax, lanolin and/or carmine), so be sure to read the label if you are looking for a vegan-friendly product.
2. Butter London
is a popular polish brand available at Ulta and Nordstrom. They offer a fairly extensive shade selection and their formula is "8-Free", meaning it does not contain Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, DBP, Toluene, Camphor, Ethyl Tosylamide, Xylene, or TPHP. The formula is not vegan as it contains hydrolyzed silk.
3. Ciaté London
Another London-based cosmetics company, has a huge shade selection with a variety of finishes. They also just launched holographic gel polishes which look stunning! Their polishes are available at Sephora, Nordstrom and other department stores. Vegan-friendly products are marked as such on their website.
4. Deborah Lippmann
Celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann's line of polishes are available in tons of gorgeous shades and can be found at Sephora, Nordstrom, and other department stores. Various celebrities have rocked her styles, from Lady Gaga to Julia Roberts. Deborah Lippmann polishes are also "7-Free" and vegan!
5. Ella + Mila
Ella + Mila releases a new trendy collection of nail lacquers every couple of months available at Ulta and online. They're made in the USA The formula is also "7-Free" and vegan! Plus, their packaging features an adorable elephant, so what's not to love?
6. Gabriel Cosmetics
Gabriel Cosmetics is a natural luxury cosmetics brand available in stores like Whole Foods as well as online. Their core collection includes a whopping 50 shades, and they're not all grey! The polishes are actually "10-Free", and all of Gabriel's products are 100% vegan!
7. Habit
Habit is the only nail polish in the US that uses Myrrh, an extract that naturally strengthens nails! In addition, they're vegan and "7-Free". I love the sleek bamboo overcap, which is not only stylish but also environmentally friendly, reducing the amount of plastic used.
8. Julep
's trendy polishes are available via their Beauty Box subscription service as well as at Ulta stores. In addition, their polishes are "5-Free" and vegan, although not all of their products are vegan, as some include milk and beeswax, among other animal-derived ingredients.
9. Marc Jacobs Beauty
is a luxe designer brand whose nail polishes are available at Sephora and online. Their polishes are unique as they are formulated for extra high-shine. Some of their products may contain ingredients like beeswax and carmine, so they aren't considered fully vegan.
10. Milk Makeup
Milk Makeup has a super fun revolutionary "Spray Nail" which allows you to literally spray on polish as if you were using a can of spray paint, then allow to dry and wash hands so that the polish only remains on your nails and not on your skin! They also have a clear polish and holographic glitter polish, as well as a natural nail polish remover.
11. Smith & Cult
Smith & Cult's nail polish colors have extra shine and exceptionally smooth coats. They're "8-Free" and are available online and at department stores. I love their creative shade names and descriptions, as well as their uniquely shaped packaging!
12. Urban Decay*
Urban Decay*'s cult classic polishes have been around since the 90's, and they're available online via Urban Decay, although many of the shades are often out of stock. Some of their shades may contain animal-derived ingredients like carmine.
Cruelty-Free Drugstore Brands
There are also tons of wonderful affordable cruelty-free brands available at Ulta, Target, Walmart and drugstores.
1. 100% Pure
I'm not sure whether I'd call 100% Pure a drugstore brand, but it is a wonderful natural brand which can be found in some Walgreens stores as well as online! Their nail polishes are "10-Free" and all vegan! Some of their other products may contain beeswax and honey.
2. China Glaze
Available at Ulta, drugstores and in most nail salons, is a good cruelty-free staple when the only other options are Essie and OPI (both of which are NOT cruelty-free). They offer tons of fun colors and the formula is durable.
3. e.l.f.
e.l.f.'s nail polishes are a super affordable option and are available at drugstores and online. Their formula is made for quick drying and is infused with Vitamin E for nail strength. In addition, their polishes are vegan!
4. Essence
makes fun and trendy nail polishes in a variety of lines, including "The Gel", "Secret Stories", "Colour Boost" and "Out of Space". Their polishes are available at Ulta and drugstores, and everything is super affordable.
5. GOSH
GOSH is an amazing European cosmetics brand, and their nail lacquers have gorgeous bold shades. Their products are available at a variety of drugstores worldwide. According to their website list, all of their nail lacquers are vegan as well!
6. Hard Candy
Hard Candy is a super cool cult favorite with fun colors, and they've been around since the 90's. Some of their nail polish bottles still come with awesome collectible rings! Their products are currently available at Walmart and online.
7. Jordana
<a href="https://www.jordanacosmetics.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"Jordana is a fun makeup brand that's been featured in the media and magazines like Seventeen. Their nail polish, which contains a "French Manicure" line, is available at most drugstores and online. Their website contains a link to a vegan product list but it's not currently functional.
8. Kokie
Kokie is an exciting new cruelty-free brand available at Walmart. Their nail polishes contain a stylish array of colors, and I absolutely love the cute elephant on their packaging. Their products are also available at a handful of other drugstores.
9. L.A. Colors
L.A. Colors' Color Craze nail polishes come in a wide variety of shades, including some fun glitters and shimmers. Their products are available at Target, Walmart and a number of drugstores, as well as online.
10. LOOK Nail Color
LOOK Nail Color is a sleek and trendy nail polish brand with high-quality pigments. Their polishes are available at Target and online, and most importantly, they are "8-Free" and vegan!
11. Milani Cosmetics
Milani Cosmetics makes a chic but affordable Color Statement Nail Lacquer, which is available at drugstores and online. Their shades do contain guanine, which can be an animal-derived ingredient.
12. Orly
Orly is a wonderful cruelty-free brand with several nostalgic LA-themed collections. Their nail polishes are available at Ulta, Target, Walmart and online. Plus, Orly's polishes are "12-Free" and vegan!
13. Pacifica
is one my favorite beauty brands, and they offer a diverse range of nail polishes. They are available at Target and online, and their products are "7-Free" and 100% vegan.
14. Pixi
Pixi is a savvy, trendy brand whose nail polishes contain built-in UV protection, which is a cool feature for the summer. Their Nail Colour collection is available at Target and online.
15. Prestige Cosmetics
Prestige Cosmetics is an Italian-founded beauty brand. Their Wonder Gloss Nail Lacquer is vitamin-enriched and, well, glossy. Their products are available at drugstores and online.
16. Seche Vite
Available at Ulta, drugstores and online, is the best cruelty-free top coat on the market! It is super glossy and definitely prolongs the wear of a manicure. It is quite smelly though, so I recommend using it in a well ventilated area.
17. Sonia Kashuk
Sonia Kashuk is a cruelty-free brand owned by Target available through their stores or online. Their high-shine and chip-resistant polishes are very affordable and come in many fun colors, and they often come out with limited edition collections.
18. theBalm
theBalm is a super stylish cosmetics brand with a vintage appeal. Its Hot Ticket Nail Polish line is available at Walgreens and online. I love their unique color names, like "Girls Just Wanna Have Plum" and "Orange You Glad You're Not Blue".
19. Wet n Wild
Update: Wet n Wild is no longer cruelty-free as of 2019.
Wet n Wild is by far the most affordable option out there, and it's available at most drugstores and online. It actually launched in 1979 with their nail polish line and is still one of their top sellers. They have posted a list of shades (and other products) that are vegan on their website FAQ section.
20. Zoya
is a fashionable cruelty-free brand whose products are available at Ulta, Walmart and online. Their nail polishes are "5-Free". I love using their nail polish remover in particular!
21. Jolie Vegan
Jolie Vegan is a 10-free nail polish brand, which means you won't find any harsh chemicals in their products. They're also 100% vegan, plus they give back to mental health causes!
Cruelty-Free Independent Brands
And of course, we cannot forget the multitude of amazing independent and indie brands, many of which are also 100% vegan!
1. A.Dorn
A.Dorn is a cute cruelty-free nail polish brand that is "4-Free" and 100% vegan. A few of their shades can still be found on Amazon.
2. Beauty Without Cruelty
As per its namesake, Beauty Without Cruelty is an awesome cosmetics brand that doesn't test on animals. Their Attitude Nail Colors line, as with all of their products, is 100% vegan!
3. Color Club
Color Club is a nail brand that specializes not only in polish, but also nail art and gel. They regularly come out with plenty of fun collections like Pop Wash and Nailmoji Neon. Plus, they're owned and operated by women, and they support female empowerment through contributions to a number of charities.
4. Colourpop
Colourpop just launched their new nail polish line, and they are SO pretty! They're the perfect addition to their amazing aesthetic. In addition, their polishes are "7-Free" and vegan.
5. Deco Miami
Deco Miami is a fun, Florida-inspired cruelty-free nail brand. Their nail lacquers are made in the USA, as well as being "8-Free" and 100% vegan. I think their packaging is really cute!
6. Fairypants
Fairypants is a UK-based cosmetics brand with compassionate products including an adorable nail varnish line. They are "5-Free" and their products are proudly vegan.
7. Furless Cosmetics
Known for their vegan and cruelty-free brushes, Furless Cosmetics also makes their own nail polishes! Their simple but elegant line of nail lacquers are "4-Free", and their products are 100% vegan.
8. Kester Black
Kester Black is a unique beauty and body care brand from Australia. They are committed to environmental sustainability and supporting local charities. Their nail polish line is "10-Free" and vegan!
9. Lauren B. Beauty
Lauren B. Beauty is an exciting brand offering nail care and nail polish products. They strongly support the environment and the empowerment of women in business. In addition, their polish is "5-Free" and vegan.
10. LVX
LVX's nail lacquers are inspired by runway looks from top fashion designers. They even collaborate with designers for Fashion Week runway presentations. Their gel-like formula is really good for longer wear, and they're also "7-Free" and 100% vegan.
11. Manic Panic
The famous makers of vegan and cruelty-free hair dye also have their own line of fun nail polishes. Their line, titled Claw Colors, is also vegan (as expected)!
12. Mineral Fusion
Mineral Fusion is a health-focused brand whose mission is to incorporate minerals and botanicals into the beauty routine. Their nail polish line is "5-Free" and vegan.
13. NCLA
NCLA is a super popular option not only for polish but also for awesome nail wraps. All of their nail polishes are made in California, "7-Free" and 100% vegan!
14. No Miss
No Miss Cosmetics is a growing beauty brand offering an eclectic supply of nail polishes and other products. Most of their polishes, including their One-Coat Polish, are "4-Free", although their Glitter Polish is not.
15. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
One of my favorite cruelty-free makeup brands, OCC has so many fun and unique polish colors. I always stock up when they have a good sale going on. They are "5-Free" and everything in the line is 100% vegan!
16. OH TIFF!
OH TIFF! is a style-setting cruelty-free nail polish brand from Texas. Their nail lacquers come in a selection of classy colors and are "5-Free" and vegan.
17. Oribe
Oribe's Lacquer High Shine Nail Polish invokes royal grandeur with its decorated packaging and refined style. Their polishes are designed for longer wear and are "8-Free".
18. Palate Polish
Palate Polish is a small-batch nail polish brand whose products are "5-Free" and vegan. I love that the name of each polish is inspired by a similarly-colored food item!
19. Piggy Paint
Piggy Paint is an adorable vegan nail polish made for kids. Its water-based ingredients are odorless, biodegradable and vegan. As they are meant for children of all ages, they claim to be not only "10-Free", but "Everything-Free"!
20. Play Love Laugh (Hugo Naturals)
Play Love Laugh (Hugo Naturals) is another child-friendly nail polish brand from Hugo Naturals. Their polishes are made from fruits and vegetables and claim to be "5-Free" but also free from any toxins or carcinogens.
21. Pretty Serious
Pretty Serious is an Australian beauty brand that makes cruelty-free nail polishes. They come in a variety of fun shades and are very affordable.
22. PRITI NYC
PRITI NYC is a trendy cruelty-free brand that works with designers for Fashion Week runway projects. Their nail polishes are "7-Free" and vegan. They regularly come out with new seasonal collections as well!
23. Pure Anada
Pure Anada is a Canadian beauty brand whose Glamour Polishes are made to be long-lasting and are "5-Free". Their nail polishes don't contain any animal-derived ingredients and are therefore vegan.
24. RMS Beauty
RMS Beauty's nail polish line is inspired by their famous Living Luminizer (a facial care product), adding a healthy sheen to the nails. Their polishes are "6-Free" and vegan!
25. SOPHi
SOPHi, the brand that makes Piggy Paint, now also makes a more sophisticated polish for adults (by popular demand)! Like the children's version, these polishes are "more than 5-Free", odorless and vegan.
26. SpaRitual
SpaRitual is a zen-inspired nail lacquer brand whose polishes come in a variety of peaceful, New Age colors. In addition, they are "5-Free" and vegan.
27. Stylush
Stylush is a cruelty-free eco- and health-conscious nail lacquer brand with several unique color collections. Their polishes are "10-Free" and vegan. Plus, they run a vegan blog with awesome recipes and lifestyle tips!
28. Sugarloom Cosmetics
Sugarloom Cosmetics is a cruelty-free nail polish brand that takes its inspiration from nature. Their modern collections have an array of vibrant thematic colors. In addition, their polishes are "5-Free" and vegan.
29. Sugarpill
Sugarpill is known for their colorful eyeshadows and fun lipsticks, and they also have a unique selection of vegan "5-Free" glittery nail polishes. Their aesthetic is so fun!
30. Trust Fund Beauty
Probably my favorite nail polish brand of all time, Trust Fund Beauty knows what they're doing. I love their formula and color selection, and their shade names can't be beat. In addition to being super pigmented and long lasting, their formula is also "7-Free", and all of their products are 100% vegan!
3. Brands with No Response
I've also contacted the following companies, but haven't heard back from them. This doesn't mean that these companies test on animals. However, it's often a red flag when a company refuses to share their animal testing policy.
Brands will be moved from this list to the appropriate list once I hear back from them.
- 1143 Nails
- 2B Colours
- Authority Cosmetics
- Chrome Girl Nails
- Context
- Côte
- Cult Cosmetics
- Dermelect
- Domani Color
- Eve Snow
- Faby Nail Polish
- Fingertip Fetish
- Floss Gloss
- Ginger and Liz
- Jesse's Girl
- Kiara Sky
- La Couleur Couture
- Lillian Eve
- Misa
- Model's Own
- Morgan Taylor
- nubar
- NYC*
- Perfect Formula
- piCture pOlish
- Pop Beauty
- Pretty Vulgar
- Pure Ice
- Rainbow Honey
- Red Carpet
- RGB Cosmetics
- Soulstice Spa
- TenOverTen
- Topshop
- UO
- wHet
- Whim
4. Brands with Unclear Policies
There are some companies that refuse to give us their full animal testing policies or remain vague about some aspects. I couldn’t trust these brands as being fully cruelty-free, so here they are, along with the explanation.
1. Dazzle Dry
They could not confirm whether their ingredient suppliers test on animals.
2. Nails Inc.
They also could not confirm the status of their ingredient suppliers.
More cruelty-free guides!
Thank you for reading the cruelty-free nail guide, and I hope you found some great cruelty-free brands and products. Don't forget to check out our other guides:
- Cruelty-Free Hair Brands
- Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands
- Cruelty-Free Skincare Brands
- Cruelty-Free Perfume Brands
Which Brands Are Cruelty-Free?
Download our list of 600+ verified cruelty-free brands straight to your device. Bring it with you everywhere you go, and never worry about supporting animal testing again. Click here to download
I love being able to jump on your site and find which brands are cruelty free! This past month though I have been having problems with you ads popping up, which is normal for any site, but for some reason they keep on covering over portions of the information. Even scrolling sometimes does not work to allow one to see the results. I am on the email list so I can always download the list but for those who pop on here for the first time it will be very, very frustrating and I can understand them quickly exiting off of the site. The info is important and I wouldn’t want anyone being discouraged to go cruelty free!
Thanks for all you do! XOXOXO C.
Thanks for your research 😊 Do you know whether Mavala test on animals please? Thanks
Cutex?
Cirque colors is another vegan cruelty free brand
Any news on Color Street? I use them exclusively!
Thank you so much for this list! <3
Holo Taco is a really relatively new brand that is cruelty free and could be investigated to add to the list!
For gel nail polishes (UV lamp required) you could add Madam Glam! They are American and they offer vegan, cruelty-free, 9-free and nail and gel polishes.
And for drugstore nail polishes (in Europe): Catrice is not a fully vegan brand but they offer a great variety of vegan nail polishes (and make-up) on their website and in drugstores.
Hi, I am not sure if anyone mentioned this, but Wet and Wild is no longer cruelty-free, they were caught selling in China. Someone from this site wrote an article on this in May 2019. Just want to let you know if you can take it off the list on here or make a disclaimer. Thank you!
I think L.A. Colors is not cruelty free anymore. I don’t see cruelty free on any of their makeup package anymore.
Hi there I noticed you have Wet n Wild on your cruelty free list but it’s been announced recently that they have been selong in china condoning animal testing . I was shocked and broken because I used and loved wet n wild so much ????
Just want to say I really appreciate when you post the pictures of the cruelty free brands so I can just save that picture to my phone! So much easier! Thank you!
Holo Taco, a nail polish brand by youtuber SimplyNailogical is vegan and cruelty free, and they do not ship to China 🙂
Ibd?
You might want to take Wet n Wild off this list…?
You might want to take Wet n Wild off the list…?
Hi do you know if DND brand is vegan and cruelty free?
Hey! Do you know if Rival de Loop nail polishes are vegan?
Do you know if Dipsy Nails are cruelty free? On their website they say they’re vegan but I can’t find confirmation anywhere!
Thank you.
Hi! I saw an article last week about Wet n Wild being caught selling in China, have you seen anything or can you confirm by any chance? Thanks!
fyi, Wet n Wild Megalast polish says right on the bottle that it’s made in China.
Does anyone know if Louella belle (artistic gloss) or Nail Harmony (Gelish) are vegan and cruelty free ?
Does anyone have any info on Nutra Nail, Pop-arazzi or Cirque Colors?
Bio Seaweed is vegan and cruelty free as per their website.
Sally Hansen claims they do not test on animals but this confuses me, from their website; “At Coty, we do not test our products on animals and are committed to ending animal testing across our industry.
All our products are safe and have been developed, manufactured and packaged in compliance with the laws, regulations and guidelines that are applicable in each country in which they are sold.
Coty’s human safety experts review our ingredients, as well as the finished products, by applying the best science, based on the use of recognized alternatives to animal testing, existing safety data and, increasingly, the sharing of such data with other parties and industries.
Some governments or agencies stipulate the testing of finished products on animals in accordance with local legal and regulatory requirements. An example is China, where we continue to be involved in the dialogue with the Chinese authorities, including through our active membership of industry groups, to find alternatives to their use of animal testing.”
so by saying
“we continue to be involved in the dialogue with the Chinese authorities, including through our active membership of industry groups, to find alternatives to their use of animal testing.”
they are basically saying we don’t test, we do sell to China and encourage them not to test but can’t stop them from testing on animals…well they can just not sell to China if they are committed to better practices
that’s that gray area in the cruelty free community and you’re generally safe if a company proactively shares their cruelty free practices with more details than not but it’s good to double check still
I’d also like to find a nail glue that is cruelty free…anyone?
I have just turned cruelty free for my nail channel as it’s important to me and I have realised the mass problem within the nail community! So I’m going cruelty free and just buying my own items from now on! Will only review cruelty and toxin free products!
Love this list. Dazzle Dry posts all over their page that they are cruelty free. They have a 5 star safety rating and they have no reactive agents in their product. They have even removed nitrocellulose.
What about Kiss Products? They have nails, lashes, and make-up
I’m curious about Cupcake Polish. They state they are cruelty free but do sell direct to consumer in China. Per Chinese law, would they still have to test on animals if they’re selling “direct to consumer”, making them not cruelty free? I’m really curious because I would like to buy some of their polishes but not if they’re not cruelty free. Thanks!
Did you ever find out? I have one of their polishes in my collection and I don’t know whether to throw it away or not.
Has anyone had confirmation that CND is cruelty free yet? I notice the last remark below is from 1 year ago.
So, is Milk vegan or not?
Great article! I actually asked China Glaze if they were free from formaldehyde and toluene through their Instagram account today and they said yes. Does that match up with your findings?
I want to pipe in with F.U.N. Lacquer. Cruelty free, vegan, and 5-Free! It’s one of my favorite brands.
Hi, have you heard of little Ondine, it’s also water based nail polish that market themselves as vegan and crueltyfree. However they recently opened a store in China, and doesn’t China Require animal testing? But when I asked on their Instagram, they denied having to to test on animals. :/
Hi,I was under the impression that Morgan Taylor is Vegan? I read an article on http://www.veganchiclife.com.au
Posted in 2017 about Morgan Taylor being cruelty free and Vegan polish???
Hi,
I’m starting a business and looking for high quality GEL nail polishes, do you know which brands are cruelty free for gel nails and not just polishes?
Thanks!
Does anyone know of any cruelty free press on nails or nail glue? Those are almost non-existent. 🙁
Hello! I am curious if you have any tips on how to find a salon that carries one of these brands to get your nails professionally done. Thanks
It’s written on Sally Hansen website that they do not test on animals.
So why are they considered not cruelty-free?
I was about to ask the same thing. A friend asked and when I said that they did she sent me the statement they made claiming that they don’t. Would love to have that clarified.
Because anyone can claim anything they want on the internet…..you have to be able to back it up though and they don’t. If you further research them, it’s pretty easy to find. They’ve never been CF unfortunately.
Im not familiar with most of the safe brands, unfortunately most of the cruelty polish’s are sold at every store near me. I did read that OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) is 100% vegan and on the safe list but if anybody is unfamiliar with this brand then please google it because it is a VERY toxic and dangerous polish to apply on your nails. Period. Any Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetic formulas are so damaging to your nails that they will literally fall off. You can google the polish for graphic photos. Thought I would share that! Orly is a great polish. Ive heard good things about China Glaze.
Do you know much about nail color shift powders and flakies? I only know of one cruelty free company that has anything similar to them and it’s not exactly what I’m looking for, but I can’t find any info about whether those products are ever tested on animals. Thanks!
Hello!
I have recently turned vegan and am in the process of getting rid of any of my non cruelty free/non-vegan products.
I was wondering if the gel polish brand DND (Daisy Nail Design) is safe to use? I have emailed a few wholesalers but haven’t heard back from any who have told me yes or no.
I appreciate your website so much, it has been super helpful for someone like myself who didn’t know where to begin with vegan brands. 🙂
Thank you!
Have you checked Nail and Bone? I follow them on IG an they claim to be cruelty free, and also that 20% of their proceeds go to donations for helping animals in shelter.
Hi!! I wanted to know if you had any info in how to remove these polishes or any vegan alternatives ??? Thanks
Zoya has a great nail polish remover. All their products are vegan and cruelty free!
Hello, is DND nail polish cruelty free ? There where not mentioned anywhere on the list.
From the Floss Gloss website-
“Floss Gloss Ltd Pro Nail Lacquers are cruelty free and vegan friendly! As well as 7-Free! FREE of 7 harsh chemicals typically found in nail polish. Floss Gloss is proud to be formulated without Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Triphenyl Phosphate (TPHP) or Xylene”
You should add KL Polish! It’s a relatively new brand created by KathleenLights and their formula/brushes are great and affordable.
I was looking for Caption Polish by Young Nails and it wasn’t on the list! Does anyone have info on their line? I love that you can stamp with any color!
I went to a nail convention and ran into one of the Young brothers, asked him if their products were vegan/used animal derived products and he said he didnt understand what my question was… So I gave up on them
I was looking into them and a couple of blogs claim they are CF but then I stumbled upon this https://youngnails.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Amethyst-Pigment-SDS.pdf it’s an experiment log from their company in 2015 and page 8 confirms that it was tested on animals.
I applaud Cruelty-free Nail polish brands for doing the right thing. I’m happy with how these brands improve their nail polish formulation to make it 5-7 free of toxic.
KL Polish is also cruelty free and either 5 or 7 free (I don’t remember specifically) but I thought you might want to add them!
Hey! A really good cruelty-free brand is KL Polish! It’s owned by Kathleenlights and is high quality. A bottle is only $8.50 which makes it affordable. It’s available online at klpolish.com
I love these brands! I came across another Australian brand Sienna Byron Bay who are also CF. They have these amazing timber lids and earthy shades. I just had to share x
The oddly named “Sinful Colors” is, if I understand correctly, owned by Revlon, so guilty by association, at least.
Would highly recommend Orly to anyone looking for a mid-level-price polish. Their nail treatment stuff is particularly impressive, and I threw in the towel on Essie after ending up with too many shades that were a gloppy mess, but Orly polishes have been consistently well-formulated. If you’re in Canada, don’t overlook the “Quo by Orly” line…
We (I have a daughter, which is how I ended up back into nail polish…) also dig China Glaze, and Wet’n’Wild has been far and away the best discount brand. (Unfortunately Sinful Colors does a nice job, too, so if they are more independent from Revlon than I would expect, that would be a plus — though I suppose in the end you’re still supporting Revlon. A pity! W’n’W is hard to find a good selection of in Canada, and my daughter is too young for even modestly pricy polish — we are still learning about stuff like the importance of putting the lid back on _tightly_… 🙂
Did anyone ever hear back about Karma Organics?
Hi – Thank you for what you are doing to help us make better choices in the ever-revolving marketplace. I was looking for Karma Organic nail polish and noticed it is not on the list. I have purchased 5 bottles of their polish because they claim to be cruelty free. I did see Karma Naturals nail polish remover on the list though. Thank you.
I was looking for Karma Organics as well, as I have a few colors from them and was disappointed to not find them on any list.
Hello! I would be so happy if you could look up to KLpolish, so beautiful shades but I don’t know if they are cruelty free or not 🙂
I have recently come across your website which has been a real life and time saver! I’ve been struggling lately to find a cruelty free brand that offers Gel polish. I have recently off loaded my collection of OPI Gel Color and am desperate to find something to replace it with. Any suggestions? Thanks ^_^
…gel-like/”gel effect” polish, or UV-needed for-real gel? Try Orly — the gel formulas (two kinds) are not the easiest to find in person, but easily bought on eBay.
Hi. Did Butter London ever reply to you about their fake Leaping Bunny logo? It gives me bad vibes.
Thanks!
I’ve been told that The Body Shop’s nail polish is cruelty-free and vegan (by the clerk). Was she mistaken? I was under the impression they were big on being a CF company
The Body Shop is cruelty-free. They were owned by L’Oreal for a while (who is not cruelty-free). They have since been bought by a Brazilian company, Natura, which to my knowledge is cruelty-free.
I was wondering if KLPolish is crueltyfree? It says so on her website, but I wanted to make sure of it before buying it…
Thanks!
Does anyone know if nail medic is cruelty free or not? They market their products as cruelty free.
Oh, wow. I love Nails Inc. I thought they were CF. I hope they clear up the status of their ingredient suppliers or switch to reliably CF ingredient suppliers. I’ll leave a message on their Facebook page and email them when I feel better to put a little friendly pressure on them. Thanks for your great work, as always.
Hi. Have CND (creative nail design) confirmed yet if they are 100% cruelty free?
Hi Michelle,
We are still waiting on a reply from CND. I will update this list as soon as I hear from them!
CND responded to a comment on Facebook asking if they were cruelty free. I have a screen shot of it, but I do not know how to insert it. But they said they do not conduct any animal testing and all their polishes are vegan except one of their treatments has Keratin from sheep’s wool, but all other products are vegan friendly.
I also emailed Pure Ice directly (on facebook) and they responded that they never test on animals!
Thank you for posting this! I hope this was helpful!
I looked at CND’s website and they are part of the Revlon group so are probably sold in China. I contacted them to ask about this and hopeful will get a reply that I can put here!