Owned By Who — UK brand ownership and animal-welfare database

Is Maybelline vegan? Who owns Maybelline?

Cosmetics, makeup, skincare, fragrance, and personal care brand offering mascaras, eyeshadows, eyeliners, foundations, lipsticks, and other beauty products

Personal CareLast verified 12 September 2026

The short answer

Maybelline is owned by L'Oréal S.A.. Only some products are vegan. Animal testing recorded.

Last verified 12 September 2026

Ownership chain

  1. Brand

    Maybelline

  2. Parent company

    L'Oréal S.A.

    L'Oréal's publicly stated position is that it does not conduct animal testing itself and ceased testing products on animals in 1989. The company claims to be committed to animal-free testing and has invested in alternative methods. However, PETA lists L'Oréal as a company that tests on animals because it pays for animal testing in compliance with Chinese legal requirements when selling cosmetics in mainland China. L'Oréal states that since 2014, many products sold in China (including makeup, shampoo, and body wash) are no longer required to undergo animal testing due to regulatory changes.Company's own statement

    Last verified 12 September 2026

  3. Ultimate owner

    L'Oréal S.A. (ultimate owner)

    Animal-testing position not yet verified.

    Last verified 12 September 2026

Certifications

  • Leaping Bunny

    active

    Checked 12 September 2026 · Registry entry

    Leaping Bunny: Maybelline is recorded as not listed.

  • PETA Beauty Without Bunnies

    active

    Checked 12 September 2026 · Registry entry

    PETA Beauty Without Bunnies: Maybelline is recorded as not listed.

  • The Vegan Society Trademark

    active

    Checked 12 September 2026 · Registry entry

    The Vegan Society Trademark: Maybelline is recorded as not listed.

What this means

Our record lists Maybelline as a brand of L'Oréal S.A., which sits under L'Oréal S.A. (ultimate owner). Ownership is a separate question from how a product is made: a brand can hold its own certifications while its parent company operates under different policies.

Maybelline appears on 3 schemes we check: Leaping Bunny, PETA Beauty Without Bunnies, The Vegan Society Trademark. Each scheme sets its own criteria, so read the certifier's own entry, linked above, for what it covers.

On animal testing, our record for L'Oréal S.A. states: L'Oréal's publicly stated position is that it does not conduct animal testing itself and ceased testing products on animals in 1989. The company claims to be committed to animal-free testing and has invested in alternative methods. However, PETA lists L'Oréal as a company that tests on animals because it pays for animal testing in compliance with Chinese legal requirements when selling cosmetics in mainland China. L'Oréal states that since 2014, many products sold in China (including makeup, shampoo, and body wash) are no longer required to undergo animal testing due to regulatory changes. We publish sourced facts and dates so you can judge them yourself; see how we verify.

Independent vegan alternatives

All alternatives to MaybellineShop independent brands at Vegan Marketplace

Frequently asked questions

Is Maybelline vegan?
Only some products are vegan. Recorded status: some vegan lines, last verified 12 September 2026.
Who owns Maybelline?
Maybelline is recorded as owned by L'Oréal S.A., which is itself owned by L'Oréal S.A. (ultimate owner).
Is Maybelline cruelty-free?
Animal testing recorded. Recorded status: not cruelty-free, last verified 12 September 2026.
Does L'Oréal S.A. test on animals?
Our record for L'Oréal S.A. states: L'Oréal's publicly stated position is that it does not conduct animal testing itself and ceased testing products on animals in 1989. The company claims to be committed to animal-free testing and has invested in alternative methods. However, PETA lists L'Oréal as a company that tests on animals because it pays for animal testing in compliance with Chinese legal requirements when selling cosmetics in mainland China. L'Oréal states that since 2014, many products sold in China (including makeup, shampoo, and body wash) are no longer required to undergo animal testing due to regulatory changes.

Other brands under the same owner

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Last verified 12 September 2026

Sources

  1. Green Edition vegan formulation claimsCompany's own statement

    Supports: Maybelline is not a fully vegan brand, though it offers some vegan products including the Green Edition collection. Many products contain animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, carmine, and silk powder. The brand has not obtained The Vegan Society trademark certification for any of its products.

    Maybelline UK · Accessed 12 September 2026

  2. Cruelty-free and vegan status; PETA listing; animal testing informationCompany's own statement

    Supports: Maybelline is not certified cruelty-free by any major certification organization (Leaping Bunny, PETA, or Cruelty Free International). The brand is listed on PETA's "do test" list. Although Maybelline states it does not conduct animal testing itself and uses alternative methods such as reconstructed human skin models, the brand is not certified cruelty-free because its parent company L'Oréal sells products in mainland China where animal testing is required by law for certain product types, and because L'Oréal has not adopted a blanket policy refusing to allow testing where required by law.

    Cruelty Free Kitty · Accessed 12 September 2026

  3. L'Oréal parent company testing policy; China market operationsCompany's own statement

    Supports: L'Oréal states it ceased testing its products on animals in 1989, before EU regulations required it. The company has adopted a Fixed Cut-Off Date (FCOD) policy, claiming not to use ingredients tested on animals after March 2013 for cosmetic purposes. However, L'Oréal permits testing where required by law and continues to sell products in mainland China where animal testing is mandatory for certain cosmetic product categories, meaning some of L'Oréal's products (and thus Maybelline) are subject to legally-mandated animal testing. L'Oréal invests in alternative testing methods including reconstructed human skin models (EpiSkin), artificial intelligence, and toxicology modelling.

    PETA · Accessed 12 September 2026

  4. Company's own statement

    Supports: Cosmetics, makeup, skincare, fragrance, and personal care brand offering mascaras, eyeshadows, eyeliners, foundations, lipsticks, and other beauty products

    Accessed 12 September 2026

  5. Vegan status; animal-derived ingredients; cruelty-free status; China salesCertified

    Supports: PETA Beauty Without Bunnies: Maybelline is recorded as not listed.

    Cruelty-Free Vegan Life · Accessed 12 September 2026

  6. Leaping Bunny certification status; PETA and Ethical Elephant flaggingCertified

    Supports: Leaping Bunny: Maybelline is recorded as not listed.

    Bunny Search · Accessed 12 September 2026

  7. Vegan Society trademark registry informationCertified

    Supports: The Vegan Society Trademark: Maybelline is recorded as not listed.

    The Vegan Society · Accessed 12 September 2026

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