Is Avene Cruelty Free? See Global Animal Testing Policy 2025

Eau Thermale Avène is a famous skincare brand that many people with sensitive skin trust. The brand is known for using thermal spring water in its products. But if you care about animals, you might wonder: Is Avene cruelty-free? 

This article looks into Avene’s animal testing policies. We’ll help you understand what makes a brand truly cruelty-free and find out if Avene meets these standards, ultimately clarifying why Avène is not cruelty-free.

Is Avene Cruelty Free?

No, Avene is not cruelty-free. While Avene claims they don’t test on animals themselves, they allow others to test their products on animals where required by law; this is a common issue for a company that tests on animals indirectly. 

This means that Avene products are tested on animals in countries like China, where such testing is sometimes required by law.

To be truly cruelty-free, a brand must meet all three of these important conditions:

• No testing of finished products on animals
• No testing of ingredients on animals, meaning their supplier also doesn’t test.
• No third-party testing or testing where required by law

Avene fails on the third point because the company is not cruelty-free due to its practices related to selling in specific markets. They sell their products in mainland China, where some cosmetics must be tested on animals by law.

Does Avène Test on Animals?

According to Avene’s official website, they claim to have stopped animal testing “many years ago.” Here’s what they say on their US website:

“The European cosmetic legislation (directive 76/768/CEE amended the 1th March 2003), upheld by organizations like Cosmetics Europe, requires manufacturers to use alternative methods to test new raw cosmetic material and finished products. In compliance with this directive, we stopped tests on animals many years ago.” Avene USA

They explain that they use alternative methods to ensure Avène’s products are safe:

“In practice, to test our products to ensure that they meet our high quality and safety standards, we use existing data concerning the safety of the specific ingredients used in the products. The tolerance of our finished products is then verified by tests on healthy volunteers.”

This sounds good until you look deeper. While European regulations, such as the animal testing ban, do prohibit animal testing for cosmetics, there’s an important difference between not testing in Europe and being completely cruelty-free worldwide.

Is Avene Vegan?

No, Avene is not vegan. While some of their products are vegan in formulation or they might offer some vegan products, the brand as a whole cannot be considered vegan because:

1. They don’t claim all their products are free from animal-derived ingredients; indeed, their products may contain animal-derived ingredients.
2. They allow animal testing where required by law.
3. They don’t carry any vegan certifications.

For a brand to be truly vegan, it must avoid all animal ingredients and animal testing. 

Since Avene fails on the animal testing requirement, it cannot be considered one of the true vegan brands, even if some individual vegan products exist within their range. 

They do not comprehensively offer vegan options across the board while adhering to cruelty-free standards.

The Contradiction: Regional Policy Differences

There’s a telling difference in how Avene talks about animal testing on their websites in different countries.

On their UK website, although Avene makes certain claims on their US site, Avene admits more directly:

“We market our products in China, where tests are imposed by the local regulations. Some of these tests carried out by laboratories accredited by Chinese authorities are made on animals, methods that we do not approve.” Avene UK

This is an important contradiction. On the one hand, they say they’ve stopped animal testing. On the other hand, they acknowledge that their products are tested on animals in China, meaning the company engages in animal testing via third parties.

The careful wording is important. Saying “we stopped tests on animals” is not the same as saying “our products are never tested on animals.” 

Avene may not conduct tests themselves, but they allow others to test their products on animals.

Avene and the China Market

Avene sells its products in mainland China, a practice known as selling in China, which has significant implications for its cruelty-free status.

China has complex animal testing regulations that have evolved over time:

• Before 2014, all imported cosmetics required animal testing.
• 2014: Domestic ordinary cosmetics no longer required animal testing.
• 2021: Some imported general cosmetics could avoid pre-market animal testing under specific conditions.
• Recent changes indicate that China has stopped requiring post-market animal testing, according to some sources, though pre-market mandatory animal testing for certain categories persists.

Despite these changes, many imported cosmetics in China, often manufactured outside of China, still require animal testing, especially:

• Special use cosmetics (like sunscreens and hair dyes)
• Products for children
• Products with new ingredients

Since Avene sells in physical stores in mainland China and has a wide range of products (including special-use cosmetics), some of their products are still subject to animal testing requirements. 

Therefore, for Avene, selling in China without animal testing for all their products is not currently possible.

Parent Company Analysis: Pierre Fabre

Avene is owned by a parent company, Pierre Fabre, a French pharmaceutical and dermo-cosmetic group. 

Yes, Avene, owned by this entity, means its policies are often influenced. Pierre Fabre is the second-largest private French pharmaceutical company and has many brands owned under its umbrella, including:

• Avene
• Klorane
• Ducray
• René Furterer
• A-Derma

The parent company’s animal testing policy follows the same approach as Avene’s: they comply with European regulations that prohibit animal testing but continue to sell in markets where animal testing is required by law. 

This is typical for a parent company that tests (or allows testing) for some of its brands.

When considering a brand’s ethical status, many consumers also look at the parent company’s practices, which can be a good indicator of their ethical alignment. 

Since Pierre Fabre allows animal testing for its brands in certain markets, and it’s known that some parent companies are not cruelty-free in their entirety, this further confirms that Avene cannot be considered cruelty-free, even if some argue a brand could operate independently from the parent. 

In this case, the policies align, serving as an indicator of their ethical practices. It’s rare for a brand to act fully independently from the parent company on such a core policy.

Cruelty-Free Certification Status

Avene does not have any recognized cruelty-free certifications; it is not the case that Avene certified cruelty-free by any major body. The major certifications include:

1. Leaping Bunny Program – The gold standard for cruelty-free certification. They require companies to:
   
   • Not conduct animal testing at any stage of product development
   • Ensure suppliers’ tests on animals are not happening for their ingredients after a fixed cut-off date.
   • Not for sale in markets requiring animal testing
   • Submit to independent audits
     
2. PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies – Another widely recognized certification, though some consider it less rigorous than Leaping Bunny, as it doesn’t require independent audits.
   
3. Choose Cruelty Free – An Australian certification with strict standards.
   

Avene is not certified by any of these organizations because they do not meet the criteria. 

Certification matters because it provides independent verification of a company’s claims rather than relying solely on the company’s word. 

While some companies can be fully cruelty-free without formal accreditation, certification provides an extra layer of trust, as it’s possible to be fully cruelty-free without being certified, but harder for consumers to verify.

Decoding Marketing Claims

Understanding marketing language is important when determining if a brand is cruelty-free. These cosmetic brands often use nuanced phrasing. Here are some phrases to watch for:

• “We don’t test on animals” – May mean the company itself doesn’t test, but third parties might
• “Not tested on animals” – Might refer only to finished products, not ingredients, or that a specific product contains no ingredients tested on animals, which is different from the whole brand policy.
• “Against animal testing” – An opinion, not a guarantee of practices

Avene’s statement that they “stopped tests on animals many years ago” is carefully worded. It doesn’t address:

• Testing performed by third parties
• Testing of ingredients
• Testing is required by law in certain markets where their products are available for sale in countries with such mandates.

True cruelty-free brands are clear and direct, stating explicitly that no animal testing occurs at any stage, by any party, anywhere in the world, and have a clear policy in place reflecting this. They adhere to strict guidelines.

Alternative Brands for Sensitive Skin

If you like Avene but want cruelty-free options, and therefore choose to boycott brands that test on animals, here are some alternatives for sensitive skin:

Luxury Alternatives:

• Pai Skincare – Certified organic and designed for sensitive skin
• Derma E – Offers a sensitive skin line with gentle ingredients
• Youth To The People – Clean skincare with fragrance-free options

Mid-Range Alternatives:

• Pacifica – 100% vegan and cruelty-free with a sensitive skin collection
• The Ordinary – Minimalist formulas with simple ingredients
• e.l.f. Skincare – Affordable with the Holy Hydration line for sensitive skin

Budget Alternatives:

• Acure – Natural ingredients for sensitive skin products
• Sukin – Australian brand with a sensitive collection
• Versed – Clean formulations at drugstore prices

Many of these brands offer products with benefits similar to Avene, such as calming, hydrating properties and formulations for reactive skin. When you choose products, these are good options.

How to Verify Cruelty-Free Status Yourself

To check if a brand is truly cruelty-free and has strict policies against animal testing, follow these steps:

1. Look for certifications: Check for legitimate logos from Leaping Bunny, PETA, or Choose Cruelty Free. Often, companies must obtain the proper certification to use these logos.
   
2. Check reliable databases: Websites like Cruelty-Free Kitty, Ethical Elephant, and Logical Harmony maintain updated lists of verified cruelty-free brands.
   
3. Read the animal testing policy: Look for clear statements that:
   
   • They don’t test finished products on animals
   • They don’t test ingredients on animals
   • They don’t allow third parties to test on their behalf
   • They don’t sell in markets where animal testing is required, and actively avoid animal testing in all forms.
4. Ask direct questions: Email the company with specific questions:
   
   • “Are your finished products or ingredients tested on animals by your company or any third parties?”
   • “Do you sell products in mainland China in physical stores?”
   • “Does your parent company require animal testing for any brands?”
5. Watch for red flags: Be cautious of responses that:
   
   • Use vague language (“we’re committed to ending animal testing”)
   • Only address part of your questions
   • Mention compliance with “local laws” without specifics. If you have further questions, please feel free to press for more clarity.

Conclusion

Avene is not a cruelty-free brand because it allows its products to be tested on animals where required by law, specifically in mainland China. While they claim to have stopped animal testing themselves, they continue to sell in markets where such testing may be mandatory. 

For this reason, it is recommended to avoid any products from Avene if you are seeking strictly cruelty-free options.

For consumers who prioritize cruelty-free products, there are many excellent alternatives available that offer similar benefits for sensitive skin without compromising on animal welfare standards.

By making the decision to choose to support truly cruelty-free brands, consumers can help encourage companies to adopt ethical practices and move the beauty industry away from animal testing.

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