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Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez has officially joined the growing list of celebrities who have released their very own beauty line. Set to release in Sephora on September 3rd, 2020, the new celebrity beauty line has made a bold claim to cruelty-free & vegan fame. Will Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty really be 100% cruelty-free & vegan though? We did some digging and we also contacted Rare Beauty representatives to find out more.
Gomez states that Rare Beauty will be cruelty-free, but provides no further evidence to her claims. Sitting with her dogs for a photo opp is not proof that Rare Beauty is actually 100% cruelty-free.
Rare Beauty is PETA Certified
After some digging, we can confirm that the Selena Gomez Rare Beauty line is PETA Certified as cruelty-free & vegan. However, PETA is not a reputable source for confirming whether or not a company is 100% cruelty-free. Their lenient cruelty-free & vegan certification process brings authenticity into question. While we have confirmed that Rare Beauty does not sell in mainland China, we have yet to confirm if any of the ingredients in Rare Beauty products have been tested on animals.
With that said, we cannot dismiss the fact that there are many reputable cruelty-free companies who are PETA Certified. Having a PETA Certification does not indicate that a company is untrustworthy. However, it is important to be mindful of what certifications are the most reputable.
Other Cruelty-Free & Vegan Certifications
Upon further research, we have not discovered any other certifications for Rare Beauty. They are not currently Leaping Bunny certified nor are any of their individual products certified vegan. At the very least, we hope that Rare Beauty will seek to be Leaping Bunny certified in the future.
Vegan Ingredients
After researching all of Rare Beauty’s products and ingredients, we can confirm that the vast majority contain at least one ingredient that may not be vegan. Certain ingredients can be derived from either animal or plant sources, such as Polysorbate 80 or Glycerin.
Rare Beauty’s With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm contains one ingredient that is most likely not vegan: ceresin. Ceresin is a waxy resin most often derived from mineral sources and purified through animal charcoal. There is a possibility that purification did not occur through animal charcoal. Therefore, we require that the company confirms its purification process prior to believing it is 100% vegan.
Rare Beauty Company Response
We have emailed the company requesting more information about their cruelty-free claims. These were the questions we asked:
- Are your products tested on animals?
- Are your ingredients tested on animals?
- Can you ensure that your suppliers do not test any ingredients on animals
- Will your products be sold in mainland China or in any country that requires animal testing (aside from exempt e-commerce sales)?
Here is their response:
The Rare Beauty representatives did not address whether or not their ingredients were tested on animals. Furthermore, they did not address whether or not their suppliers test on animals. Therefore, we will be following up on this response to ask once again. We will also be following up requesting further information regarding the ingredient ceresin used in their With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm.
Rare Beauty is Giving Back
While we await more information about the new Rare Beauty line, we would like to highlight some of their star qualities. Selena Gomez has been open about her mental health struggles in the past. Thus, she designed this line to support mental health awareness by reducing the stigma that surrounds it. Gomez has established the Rare Impact Fund in order to promote funding for mental health initiatives.
In a statement made by Rare Beauty, “The goal of the Rare Impact Fund is to raise $100 million over the next ten years to help address the gaps in mental health services for underserved communities. From the first Rare Beauty product sold onward, one percent of all sales, as well as funds raised from partners, will be dedicated to the Rare Impact Fund that aims to increase access to mental health resources. We are cultivating partnerships with leading foundations, nonprofits organizations, and companies to make a measurable global impact.”
Furthermore, Rare Beauty has directly partnered with several mental health organizations. Organizations include NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), Sad Girl’s Club, and The Trevor Project.
Color Inclusive Products
Another exciting aspect of Rare Beauty that we’d like to highlight would be their color inclusiveness. Their Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation will include 48 shades upon release. Not only that, but their lip products are fitting for an array of skin tones as well. We applaud Rare Beauty for their color inclusiveness and expect to see more from them in the future.
Is Rare Beauty Cruelty-Free & Vegan?
So, is Rare Beauty really cruelty-free & vegan? It all depends on whether or not their ingredients are tested on animals. We will be sure to update our readers on Mind Over Mango with the latest information regarding the Selena Gomez Rare Beauty cruelty-free & vegan status. As of right now, Rare Beauty is in the grey zone.
Check out our 100% cruelty-free company directory to discover the most authentic brands. Want to support 100% cruelty-free companies sold at Sephora? Read one of our latest article to find out more.
