Is Neutrogena Cruelty-Free?
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, meaning we receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, but this is at no additional cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.
The label “cruelty-free” references a finished cosmetic product that has not been tested on animals. The term “cruelty-free” is not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration and has not been legally defined. As a result, many cosmetic companies claim their products are cruelty-free when the truth is at least some of their product ingredients have been tested on animals.
Neutrogena is a dermatologist-recommended skincare and hair care company. What began as an innovative soap company in the 1950s is now a global skincare giant focused on the crossroads between health and beauty.
Neutrogena states on its website that it does not conduct animal testing on products “except in the rare situations where governments or laws require it.” Johnson & Johnson is the parent company for Neutrogena. While Johnson & Johnson states on its website that the company does not conduct animal testing for its cosmetics, the website also states animal testing may be required on some Johnson & Johnson products “where the government or laws require it.”
Neutrogena in China
Neutrogena cosmetic products are sold in China, where mandatory animal testing is required for all cosmetic products sold in China but manufactured outside of China. Both Neutrogena and its parent company Johnson & Johnson sell cosmetic products in China, and are therefore presumed to conduct animal testing on any products sold in China.
The Verdict: Neutrogena is NOT cruelty-free.