The short answer: No, Olay is not cruelty free.
The long answer: Olay is a skin care brand introduced in the market in 1952 by Adams National Industries. In 1985, it was acquired by the American multinational consumer goods corporation, Procter & Gamble. Originally selling a moisturiser called Oil of Olay, the brand soon expanded into selling a full range of hypoallergenic variants, cleansers, creams, soap, and body wash.
On its official website, Olay is “calling for an end to animal testing in skin care and the beauty industry.” It elaborates by saying, “We do not test our products on animals. Olay is working closely with governments around the world to provide alternative research methods to eliminate testing on animals, enabling cruelty-free skin care in the beauty industry.”
The brand elaborates, “For example, in a few countries where Olay is sold, governments still mandate animal tests. In those cases, Olay can be required by law to submit our products to labs where we know animal tests are happening. This is why we do not claim cruelty-free on our packaging. We do not believe these tests are necessary to evaluate safety or performance. But today, they won’t accept alternative non-animal testing methods. We remain steadfast and will continue to advocate for alternative methods to end animal tests in the industry.”
Despite investing heavily in animal testing alternatives (P&G has devoted a total of $410 million to for cruelty-free research and development), the fact remains that Olay is still being sold in China—a country that requires imported cosmetics to be tested on animals. Furthermore, both PETA and Leaping Bunnies do not include Olay on their cruelty-free lists.
Discover which brands are cruelty free by exploring our growing list.
References:
Is Olay Skin Care Cruelty Free?
Beauty Without Bunnies: Olay (Procter & Gamble)
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