When you ask if COVERGIRL, a widely available drugstore makeup brand owned by Procter & Gamble is vegan, you're really asking if the brand aligns with your values around animal welfare and clean ingredients. The short answer? COVERGIRL is certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny, but it's not fully vegan. Some of its products contain animal-derived ingredients like beeswax or carmine. That’s a key distinction—cruelty-free doesn’t mean vegan. Many people mix these up, but they’re not the same thing. cruelty-free makeup, means no animal testing at any stage of production, while vegan makeup, means zero animal ingredients or by-products. If you’re avoiding honey, lanolin, or shellac, COVERGIRL won’t always meet your needs—even if it doesn’t test on animals.
Why does this matter? Because the beauty industry is full of misleading labels. Brands like Elf Cosmetics, a popular drugstore brand with 100% vegan and cruelty-free products and Neutrogena, a brand that tests in countries where it’s required by law, show how messy the landscape is. You can’t just trust a logo on the box. You have to dig into certifications, check ingredient lists, and know which parent companies own the brand. COVERGIRL’s parent company, Procter & Gamble, still tests on animals for other products, which makes some ethical shoppers hesitant—even if COVERGIRL itself doesn’t. Meanwhile, brands like Fenty Beauty, Rihanna’s line that’s both vegan and cruelty-free prove you don’t have to sacrifice quality to stay ethical. It’s not about price or popularity—it’s about transparency.
What you’ll find in the posts below is a clear breakdown of real vegan and cruelty-free brands, how to spot greenwashing, and which products actually match your values. You’ll see how COVERGIRL compares to brands like Elf, Neutrogena, and others. No fluff. No marketing buzzwords. Just straight facts about what’s in your makeup, who tests it, and who truly stands by their claims. Whether you’re switching to clean beauty or just trying to make smarter choices, this collection gives you the tools to shop with confidence—without spending hours researching every label yourself.
COVERGIRL claims to be cruelty-free, but their parent company tests on animals and they sell in China. Here's the real story behind their makeup policy and better alternatives.