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Style > Beauty

NARS Will No Longer Be a Cruelty Free Brand

Amanda Henderson Jones

NARS is known just as much for being a cruelty free brand as they are for their cult favourite blush, Orgasm. Fans love them for their high-quality products, sleek black packaging and cheeky names, but their devotion to end animal testing used to truly set them ahead. According to Teen Vogue, NARS, however will no longer be able to boast the title of being a “cruelty free” brand, as they recently announced that they will start selling their products in China. China has different rules and regulations than America, and requires that some products must be tested on animals before they are sold in the country. By NARS expanding their brand to China, it means that they are agreeing to these strict laws. 

Fans of the brand, understandably, were not happy with this decision. NARS responded to their outrage and criticism with the following Instagram post: 

 

We want you to know that we hear you. The global elimination of animal testing needs to happen. We firmly believe that product and ingredient safety can be proven by non-animal methods, but we must comply with the local laws of the markets in which we operate, including in China. We have decided to make NARS available in China because we feel it is important to bring our vision of beauty and artistry to fans in the region. NARS does not test on animals or ask others to do so on our behalf, except where required by law. NARS is committed and actively working to advance alternative testing methods. We are proud to support the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), a globally recognized organization at the forefront of advancing non-animal methods in China and around the world. NARS is hopeful that together, we can work toward a cruelty-free world. For more on the good work IIVS is doing, see: http://bit.ly/2rVjnwV

A post shared by @narsissist on

Followers were not satisfied with their response. While NARS specifies that their products sold outside of China (or any place that does not require animal testing by law) will remain cruelty-free, you don’t get to stand high on your “cruelty-free” platform while only kinda sorta adhering to that rule.

Its interesting to note that the parent company, Shiseido, who also owns bareMinerals and Laura Mercier, is not cruelty-free. They bought NARS in 2000, and operated the subsidiary as cruelty-free brand until this recent announcement. 

One user wrote in the comments “I have been a faithful customer for years but I will not be purchasing NARS products for as long as they are being tested on animals. Plenty of companies stay out of China so that their products will not be tested. I hope NARS will change its mind and return to being the cruelty free company I have loved for years. Until then, I am extremely disappointed and will be boycotting.” Others are calling into question the brand’s ethics, and do not understand how a company that has prided itself on not testing on animals can suddenly change their standards.

For now, you can continue to get your makeup fix with other, amazing cruelty-free brands, such as Too Faced, Tarte, Milk Makeup, BECCA and NYX. For a comprehensive list on brands that do not test on animals, visit Cruelty-Free Kitty. 

Amanda is a National Intern, Style and Beauty Blogger and a Chapter Advisor for Her Campus. She is doing a double major in criminology and sociology at Western University. She is a proud member of Alpha Gamma Delta - Zeta Chi chapter, and makes 99% of her decisions based off of WWEWD (what would Elle Woods Do?). Follow her on instagram @amanda_h_jones, and listen to her talk about makeup *a bit* more than usual at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m-7cOzh_oI&t=237s