Is Simple Cruelty Free?

The short answer: No, Simple is not entirely cruelty free.

The long answer: Simple is a skin care brand that is created by Unilever, the same British-Dutch consumer goods company known for manufacturing cruelty-free brands Suave and St. Ives.  

Selling masks, cleansers, and moisturizers especially formulated for sensitive skin, Simple claims to be a brand that’s “kind to skin, kind to the planet, kind to animals, and kind to people.” On its FAQs page, it states, “Simple is aligned with Unilever’s corporate position on animal testing: we do not test our products on animals and are committed to ending animal testing. Our leading-edge research has one clear purpose: to continue to develop new non-animal approaches that can guarantee that our products are safe, without any need for animal testing.”

However, it continues with, “Occasionally, when there are no suitable non-animal approaches available, some of the ingredients we use have to be tested; and some governments test our products on animals as part of their regulatory requirements. We are actively working with these governments, other scientists and NGOs, to put in place alternative methods.”

Simple is certified cruelty free by PETA. Additionally, Cruelty Free Kitty reports that Simple does not currently sell their items in China—a country known for conducting mandatory tests of imported products on animals. But because it is clearly stated that Simple will allow governments to test their products on animals when needed, we cannot consider the skin care line as 100% cruelty free. 

References:

Beauty Without Bunnies: Simple

Simple Skincare 

Simple FAQs

CFK: Simple