Sephora is a popular beauty retailer with a wide range of products from many different brands. They also have their own branded makeup and skincare products labeled as “Sephora Collection”.
The company paints their brand as an ethical and cruelty-free enterprise, but does Sephora branded makeup get tested on animals?
Does Sephora Brand Test on Animals?
The Sephora brand, Sephora Collection, is not tested on animals. Sephora also asks other brands to follow suit. However, the brand may be required to test on animals in certain countries.
Animal testing is required in places like China in order for products to be approved for sale. In general, the products that are tested on animals are only sold in countries where it is necessary to do so. This means that if you live in a country that does not legally require animal testing, the Sephora Collection products you buy will most likely be cruelty-free.
Keep reading to find details on makeup brands that test their products on animals, as well as information on animal testing in genera.

What Makeup Brands Test on Animals?
Aside from the Sephora Collection, Sephora sells a large variety of makeup brands. Many of these brands are cruelty-free, and thus do not test their products on animals except when required to by law.
However, if you want to limit yourself to products that are only tested on humans, it’s important to do a bit of research on specific brands beforehand.
The following makeup brands are known to test their products on animals:
- Benefit
- Clinique
- Estee Lauder
- L’Oreal
- Makeup Forever
- Maybelline
- OPI
- Victoria’s Secret
These brands are known to test on animals due to reports from People for Ethical Treatment of Animals. If you’re concerned with making sure your cosmetic products are only tested on humans, it’s important to avoid these brands, and keep yourself informed on other brands that test their products on animals.
Aside from products that test on animals directly, some companies also sell products in markets that legally require animal testing, such as China. Although products sold outside these markets are often not tested on animals, purchasing products from these companies supports their animal testing policies in markets that require it.
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Is Ulta Tested on Animals?
Ulta Beauty is one of the cosmetic companies that claims their products are entirely cruelty-free. This means that Ulta products are not tested on animals. The ingredients used in their formulations are also not tested on animals individually.
Ulta does not test their products on animals. In addition to not testing their products on animals, they also do not sell their products in markets that legally require animal testing, such as in China.
This means that you can buy Ulta without worrying about their products having been tested on mice, rats, rabbits, and other animals. Ulta even confirms that their suppliers also do not test products on animals, making their product lines truly cruelty-free.
What Animals Get Tested on The Most for Makeup?
There are a wide range of animals that are used in animal testing depending on the type of product being tested. Animals used in testing are selected due to a few different criteria. Availability and comparability to humans are among the most significant factors.
Animals most often used in testing cosmetic products include:
- Rabbits
- Guinea Pigs
- Rats
- Mice
- Dogs
Most of the tests on cosmetic products involve applying the product to the skin of a shaven animal to test whether or not it will cause an adverse reaction, such as a rash.
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Final Thoughts
Animal testing is a relic of industrialization that unfortunately still affects many different markets across the world. Cosmetic products, such as those sold by Sephora, are some of the most frequent culprits when it comes to animal testing. Understanding which brands are ethical and which ones are not is important if you want to avoid products that are tested on animals.
Although Sephora Collection claims to be cruelty-free, they still test their products on animals in certain markets where such testing is required by law, such as in China. Although their products sold in other markets are not tested on animals, purchasing their products supports the animal testing that they undergo in markets that require it.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask away in the comments section.