Is Hourglass Cruelty Free? Complete Brand Analysis (2025 Update)

Navigating the world of ethical beauty can be tricky, especially when it comes to luxury brands. If you’re asking, ‘Is Hourglass cruelty-free?’
You’ve come to the right source for a definitive answer. This article breaks down everything you need to know about Hourglass’s cruelty-free status in 2025.

Is Hourglass Cruelty Free?

Yes, hourglass is cruelty-free. The brand has been committed to being cruelty-free since its founding in 2004. Hourglass does not test its finished products or ingredients on animals, and neither do its suppliers or third parties.

In the beauty world, “cruelty-free” means:

• No testing on animals for finished products
• No testing on animals for ingredients
• No third-party testing
• No testing by suppliers

Hourglass meets all these requirements, demonstrating that companies can be fully cruelty-free and confirming its status as a truly cruelty-free brand.

Hourglass’s Animal Testing Policy Examined

Hourglass has clear and strict policies against animal testing, stating they have never tested on animals since their founding in 2004. According to Hourglass’s official statement: 

“We are a PETA-certified, conscientious brand that is proud to offer cruelty-free products. Hourglass Cosmetics does not test on animals during product development or production. In addition, we do not provide authorization to any third parties to perform animal testing on our products.”

This straightforward policy means that Hourglass takes full responsibility for ensuring that no animal testing occurs at any stage as they manufacture their products or through their supply chain partners.

Instead of animal testing, Hourglass uses alternative methods to ensure its products are safe. These might include testing on human cell cultures, computer modeling, and other modern techniques that don’t harm animals.

Cruelty-Free Certifications and Verification

Hourglass has earned certification from PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies program. This certification means that PETA has verified Hourglass’s cruelty-free claims, which is often seen as a good indicator of their ethical commitments.

PETA’s certification requires brands to:

• Verify that they don’t conduct or commission animal tests
• Confirm that their ingredient suppliers don’t test on animals
• Pledge not to use animal testing in the future

However, Hourglass is not certified by Leaping Bunny, another well-respected cruelty-free certification program. This doesn’t mean Hourglass isn’t cruelty-free; many brands are fully cruelty-free without being certified by every organization, and Hourglass has chosen PETA.

Consumers can verify Hourglass’s cruelty-free status by:

• Looking for the PETA bunny logo on packaging
• Checking PETA’s database of cruelty-free companies
• Reading Hourglass’s official animal testing policy

Is Hourglass Vegan?

Yes, Hourglass is completely vegan as of 2020. While Hourglass has been cruelty-free since 2004, they committed to becoming fully vegan by the end of 2020.

The difference between “cruelty-free” and “vegan” is important:

• Cruelty-free = no animal testing
• Vegan = no animal-derived ingredients

In 2017, Hourglass announced its plan to eliminate all animal-derived ingredients from its products. 

They successfully completed this transition by 2020, making their entire product line vegan, placing them among sought-after vegan brands.

Their journey to becoming vegan wasn’t easy. Many makeup products traditionally contain animal-derived ingredients like carmine (a red pigment made from crushed insects), beeswax, lanolin (from sheep’s wool), and more. 

Hourglass had to find or develop plant-based alternatives so they could offer vegan versions that performed just as well.

Hourglass’s Vegan Journey

Hourglass began as a cruelty-free brand but used some animal-derived ingredients in their products. In 2017, the brand announced its commitment to becoming 100% vegan by the end of 2020.

This timeline shows their vegan transformation:

• 2004: Hourglass was founded as a cruelty-free brand
• 2017: Announced commitment to become fully vegan by 2020
• 2017-2020: Gradually reformulated products to replace animal ingredients, ensuring no product contains animal derivatives.
• 2020: Achieved 100% vegan status across all products

One of the biggest challenges was finding a replacement for carmine, a red pigment made from crushed female cochineal insects. This ingredient is widely used in the beauty industry to create vibrant red colors, especially in lipsticks.

Hourglass invested heavily in research and development to create a vegan alternative. After three years of research, they developed “Red 0” – a patent-pending vegan replacement for carmine. 

This innovative ingredient delivers the same vivid red color without harming any insects, unlike traditional carmine often sourced without cruelty-free guarantees, potentially linking back to a company that tests on animals within the broader supply network. 

In fact, Hourglass estimates that nearly 70,000 female insects are used to create one pound of traditional carmine dye, so this innovation saves countless insect lives.

Hourglass Vegan Product Guide

All of Hourglass’s current products are vegan. Here are some of their best-selling vegan products:

If you’re shopping for Hourglass products, you don’t need to worry about checking which items are vegan—they offer vegan products even across their entire current lineup. This makes shopping much easier compared to brands that offer a mix of vegan and non-vegan options.

You can find Hourglass products at:

• Their official website (hourglasscosmetics.com)
• Sephora
• Nordstrom
• Various other high-end retailers

Is Hourglass Clean?

While “clean” doesn’t have a standard definition in the beauty industry, Hourglass does focus on creating products free from many controversial ingredients. However, they don’t claim to be a “clean beauty” brand.

Hourglass products are free from:

• Parabens
• Sulfates
• Phthalates
• Mineral oil
• Gluten

However, some of their products may contain synthetic ingredients that some “clean beauty” enthusiasts might avoid. It’s always best to check the ingredient list if you have specific concerns.

Hourglass and Unilever: The Parent Company Question

In 2017, Hourglass was owned by unilever, a fact that arose when the brand was acquired by the large multinational corporation that owns many beauty and personal care brands. This raises questions for some consumers about whether Hourglass is “truly” cruelty-free.

Here’s what you should know:

• Hourglass itself remains cruelty-free and vegan
• Unilever owns both cruelty-free and non-cruelty-free brands
• Unilever, as a parent company that tests for some of its other brands, presents an ethical dilemma for conscious consumers.

This creates an ethical question for conscious consumers: Does buying from a cruelty-free brand owned by a parent company where parent companies are not cruelty-free across their entire portfolio support animal testing indirectly?

There’s no simple answer, and it comes down to personal values: some consumers choose to boycott brands owned by such parent companies, while others choose to support cruelty-free brands within larger corporations, believing it encourages change from within.

What we do know is that Hourglass appears to operate independently from the parent company regarding its ethical commitments and has maintained its strong commitment to cruelty-free and vegan practices independently from the parent company‘s broader testing policies, even after the Unilever acquisition.

International Sales and Animal Testing Laws

One of the biggest challenges for cruelty-free brands is navigating international markets with different animal testing laws. China, in particular, has historically mandated situations where testing is required by law for foreign cosmetics.

Hourglass maintains its cruelty-free status by following these practices:

• Not selling in markets that would require animal testing
• Utilizing alternative methods where available
• Following the changing regulations carefully

The good news is that China has been changing its animal testing requirements. As of 2021, certain cosmetics no longer require animal testing, creating more opportunities for cruelty-free brands to enter the Chinese market without compromising their principles.

According to reports from 2022, Hourglass was one of the first luxury makeup brands to enter China’s domestic market after the lifting of mandatory animal testing requirements. This shows their commitment to maintaining a cruelty-free status while expanding globally.

Beyond Cruelty-Free: Hourglass’s Broader Ethical Commitments

Hourglass’s ethical stance goes beyond just being cruelty-free and vegan. The brand has several other initiatives that demonstrate its commitment to ethics and sustainability:

1. Charitable Giving: Hourglass donates 1% of annual net profits from hourglasscosmetics.com to the Nonhuman Rights Project, an organization that works to secure fundamental rights for animals.
   
2. The Unlocked Collection: 5% of annual net profits from their Unlocked collection products go to support the Nonhuman Rights Project’s mission of unlocking the cages of wild animals in captivity.
   
3. Sustainable Packaging: Hourglass is working towards more sustainable packaging options, with some products using recycled materials.
   
4. Innovation for Animal Welfare: Their development of alternatives to animal-derived ingredients, like the Red 0 pigment, shows their commitment to innovation that benefits animals.
   

These practices serve as another indicator of their ethical practices and demonstrate that Hourglass’s stance is comprehensive and extends beyond the basics of being cruelty-free. 

The Nonhuman Rights Project itself is a civil rights organization dedicated to achieving fundamental rights for nonhuman animals.

How Hourglass Compares to Other Luxury Makeup Brands

When compared to others on the list of cruelty-free brands (and those not on it) in the luxury space, Hourglass stands out for its commitments to both cruelty-free practices and veganism.

As you can see, Hourglass offers a unique combination in the luxury beauty space: high-performance makeup that is both cruelty-free and 100% vegan, while brands like Dior, Chanel, and Tom Ford (owned by Estee Lauder) are not considered cruelty-free.

While their products tend to be on the pricier side (typically $30-$80 per item), many customers who choose products carefully based on ethics believe the quality, ethical practices, and luxurious experience justify the price. Reviewers often praise Hourglass products for their excellent performance, beautiful packaging, and the peace of mind that comes with using cruelty-free and vegan products.

Conclusion

So, is Hourglass cruelty-free? Yes, absolutely. The brand has maintained a strong commitment to being cruelty-free since its founding in 2004, continues to adhere to strict cruelty-free principles, and has taken the extra step to become 100% vegan as of 2020.

Here’s a quick recap:

• Hourglass is certified cruelty-free by PETA
• All Hourglass products are now 100% vegan
• The brand created innovative alternatives to animal-derived ingredients
• Hourglass donates to animal rights organizations
• They are owned by Unilever, which still has some non-cruelty-free brands

For consumers who prioritize cruelty-free and vegan beauty, Hourglass offers high-quality, luxury options without compromising on ethics. Their commitment to innovation, like developing the vegan Red 0 carmine alternative, shows that beauty doesn’t have to come at the expense of animals.

FAQs About Hourglass and Cruelty-Free Beauty