CoverGirl Launches Its First Skincare Collection and It’s Vegan

When a brand as venerated and established as CoverGirl launches a vegan skincare line, it's time to declare that the new normal for beauty companies is vegan and cruelty-free. No longer should consumers expect animal testing to be used in the formulation of beauty products at market and the future appears to be heading this way, as six states including Hawaii and California have enacted laws that ban animal testing altogether.

CoverGirl just announced its first skincare line, a major move for such an iconic makeup brand. The ads for CoverGirl throughout the decades have featured leading ladies from Chery Tiegs and Nikki Taylor, to Katie Perri and Sophia Vergara, as well as Queen Latifah, Zendaya, and Taylor Swift, and their latest, American Ferrara, among many others. The new Clean Fresh Skincare collection will feature a 100 percent vegan formula, marking the first time the 60-year-old company has expanded its beauty products into skincare.

The Clean Fresh Skincare collection will feature five unique products that add to the classic makeup selections. The new line will offer a Hydrating Cream Cleanser, Weighless Water Cream, Priming Glow Mist, Dry Skin Corrector Cream, and Mattifying Oil-Free Moisturizer. The five product selection is set to bring Covergirl not only into the skincare category but also the growing cruelty-free beauty market.

The Clean Fresh Skincare products will contain natural, nutrient-rich ingredients including cactus water, meadowfoam seed oil, rosewater, and vitamin C. The products will help hydrate and improve skin health with no animal involvement. Cruelty-Free International also granted the new product line cruelty-free certification.

“CoverGirl is an icon in the makeup aisle with a deep heritage in skin-forward products, so breaking into the skincare category is a natural evolution for the brand,” Executive Vice President of North America at Coty (parent company of CoverGirl Andrew Stanley said in a statement.

The company has been cruelty-free and its makeup and colorful products have been certified "Proudly Leaping Bunny since 2018, so the new development is that it is launching the skincare line vegan and cruelty-free from the start.

“We know consumers are more skin-aware than ever and want ingredient-conscious products at an accessible price point. CoverGirl Clean Fresh Skincare is just that, and we can’t wait to get these special formulations in the hands—and on the faces—of CoverGirl fans everywhere.”

CoverGirl initially received cruelty-free certification from Cruelty-Free International in 2018. The company obtained Leaping Bunny Approval, meaning that all its products and production facilities ban cosmetics animal testing. CoverGirl worked to adapt its production facilities to meet the cruelty-free standards, committing to abandoning all cosmetic testing. Notably, the brand removed all its products for sale in China to avoid cosmetic testing.

The Skincare collection is not the first time that CoverGirl has developed a fully vegan product line. Although some products still use animal-derived ingredients including carmine and beeswax, the brand revealed its first all-vegan makeup selection called Clean Fresh shortly after gaining the cruelty-free certification. The makeup collection offers four animal-free products, adding to the growing vegan beauty industry.

“We know we are not alone in wanting a beauty industry that is free from animal cruelty,” Chief Marketing Officer of Coty Ukonwa Ojo said in a statement. “And, working with Cruelty-Free International, [we] invite others to join us in turning these conversations into action.”

CoverGirl’s vegan shift is indicative of a greater market trend occurring worldwide. A recent report entitled Vegan Cosmetics – Global Market Trajectory & Analytics from Global Industry Analysts concluded that the vegan beauty market is projected to reach $20.6 billion by 2026. The trend is fueled by multiple beauty brands including Avon, LUSH, Unilever, and more that have made the industry standard cruelty-free.

Recently, Harry Styles entered the vegan beauty market with his new brand Pleasing. The new product collection features four nail polishes and two skin serums that sourced exclusive plant-based ingredients. Styles joins the voices of several celebrities including Rihanna, Billie Eilish, and Ariana Grande who have launched vegan beauty brands and advocated for cruelty-free production practices. The celebrity voices steer the market away from outdated animal-testing practices, broadcasting the importance of mainstream animal-free cosmetics.

The shifting awareness concerning animal testing and cruelty-free products is also making its way to international legislation. Mexico just became the first North American government to pass a national ban on cosmetic animal testing. The ban – passed unanimously – will stand as an example for the continent.

Currently, the United States is working towards a national ban, but legislation is slowly picking up federal traction. However, states including Virginia, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, California, Maryland, and Maine have successfully passed legislation prohibiting the sale and production of animal-tested cosmetics. Senator Cory Booker [D-NJ] is working to pass the Humane Cosmetics Act, garnering the support of 900 companies nationwide.