Vegan vs Cruelty-Free: What the Labels Really Mean

"Vegan" and "cruelty-free" often appear side by side, and plenty of people use them interchangeably. They mean different things, and a product can carry one label without qualifying for the other.

The short version

Label	What it's about	What it doesn't promise
Vegan	No animal-derived ingredients	That nothing was tested on animals (unless the certification says so)
Cruelty-free	No animal testing of the product or its ingredients	That the product contains no animal ingredients
Both	No animal ingredients and no animal testing

A lipstick colored with carmine can be cruelty-free but not vegan. A plant-based moisturiser from a brand that sells in markets requiring animal tests can be vegan but not cruelty-free.

The main logos and what they guarantee

Logo	Covers ingredients?	Covers testing?	How it's checked
Leaping Bunny	No	Yes	Fixed cut-off date for testing, supplier monitoring, independent audits and yearly recommitment. Run by Cruelty Free International (and CCIC in the US and Canada).
PETA "Animal-Test Free"	No	Yes	The brand signs a statement of assurance. No independent audits.
PETA "Animal-Test Free and Vegan"	Yes	Yes	As above, and the brand's whole line must be vegan.
The Vegan Society trademark	Yes	Yes	No animal ingredients, and no animal testing of the product or its ingredients by or for the company.
Certified Vegan (Vegan Action)	Yes	Yes	No animal ingredients or animal testing of the product.
A brand's own "vegan" or "cruelty-free" wording	Varies	Varies	Not independently checked. Read the small print or the brand's policy page.

Certification costs money, so plenty of small brands meet the standards without a logo. A missing logo isn't proof a product fails; it just means you need to check more carefully.

Why a product can be one but not the other

Vegan but not cruelty-free: the ingredients are all plant-based or synthetic, but the brand, its suppliers or a regulator tested the product or an ingredient on animals. This is common with brands that sell in markets where some products must be tested.

Cruelty-free but not vegan: nothing was tested on animals, but the formula contains an animal ingredient. Common ones in beauty and personal care:

Beeswax in lip balms, mascara and creams
Carmine in lipstick, blush and eyeshadow
Lanolin (wool grease) in moisturisers and lip products
Shellac in nail polish and hair spray
Honey and propolis in skincare
Collagen, keratin and squalene (squalene is sometimes from shark liver; plant squalane exists)

Where the law stands

EU: testing cosmetics and their ingredients on animals has been banned since 2009, and selling cosmetics tested on animals anywhere has been banned since 2013. That includes Ireland.
US: there's no federal ban. Several states have passed their own laws restricting the sale of animal-tested cosmetics.
China: since May 2021, imported general cosmetics such as shampoo, body wash and most makeup no longer require animal testing. Special-use products, including hair dyes, sunscreens and whitening products, still can.

These laws cover cosmetics, not food, cleaning products or medicines, and they don't make a product vegan.

How to shop for both

Look for two signals: a cruelty-free logo (ideally Leaping Bunny) and a vegan logo or the Vegan Society trademark.
No logo? Check the brand's animal-testing policy and ingredient list. Watch for the ingredients listed above.
Check the parent company if it matters to you. Some cruelty-free brands are owned by companies that still test other products.
Use the brand's own lists. Many brands publish which products in their range are vegan.

We'll be adding guides to vegan makeup, skincare, clothing and household products. For food labels, our non-vegan ingredients guide covers the names to watch for.

FAQ

Is cruelty-free the same as vegan?

No. Cruelty-free means the product and its ingredients weren't tested on animals. Vegan means it contains no animal-derived ingredients. A product can be one, both or neither.

Does a vegan label mean no animal testing?

Not always. It depends on the certification. The Vegan Society trademark covers both ingredients and testing, but a brand's own 'vegan' claim may only refer to ingredients.

Is Leaping Bunny vegan?

No. Leaping Bunny certifies no animal testing only. A Leaping Bunny product can still contain beeswax, carmine or lanolin.

Is animal testing for cosmetics banned?

In the EU, selling cosmetics tested on animals has been banned since 2013. In the US there's no nationwide ban, though several states have their own. China dropped mandatory animal testing for imported general cosmetics in May 2021, but some special-use products still require it.

Which label should I trust most?

For testing, Leaping Bunny is the most rigorous because it requires supplier monitoring and independent audits. For ingredients and testing together, look for the Vegan Society trademark or a product that carries both a vegan and a Leaping Bunny logo.

Vegan vs Cruelty-Free: What's the Difference?