Last week, I was asked whether Babor is cruelty-free. I was about to say yes as last time I have checked, they seemed to be cruelty-free. However, when I last checked it was not as in detail as I do now. So I checked again. To my disappointment, I found that they sell specifically in Mainland China with a Beijing address. I am very sad about this as my favourite salon for a back massage in Malta uses Babor. So now I have to look again for a good masseuse.
Does Babor test on animals?
- Dr Babor does not test cosmetic products or ingredients on animals or commission other companies to do so.
No, they claim not to test ingredients or products on animals. Also, they don’t ask others to do so. So, no Babor does not test on animals.
Is Babor owned by a parent that is not cruelty-free?
No, from what I could find Babor is not owned by any parent company.
Is Babor certified cruelty-free?
No, none of the popular animal welfare organisations certified Babor as cruelty-free.
Is Babor cruelty-free?
No, for me it is no longer cruelty-free and I will be explaining why.
Does Babor sell in Mainland China?
Yes, Babor sells in Mainland China. I found it out by going through the country list in their website’s country selector. “China Mainland” was specified in the list and when selected, I was redirected to a Babor China website with a Beijing address. If it was just an online shop with an address outside Mainland China, I would have assumed that they just sell to Mainland China customers without being based in Mainland China or without having their products in shops/salons inside Mainland China. If so, they would have been considered to be cruelty-free. However, their website is just an informational website with a Beijing, Mainland China address.
Are Babor products Mainland China considered to be cosmetics?
China does not consider essential oils, soap and oral care to be cosmetics. So I went to check whether maybe their China range consists of only soap maybe. However, I found also creams. Till now I have not heard that creams are not considered as cosmetics in China. So, yes Babor’s China range is considered to be cosmetics in China. Meaning that they are at risk of being tested on animals. So until they find a better solution, I no longer consider Babor to be cruelty-free.
Which brands should I support instead?
If you are looking for a brand who is serious about their anti-animal-testing policy. Check my list of brands that are against animal testing.
Source: Babor Animal Testing Policy as at 2/12/2019 and Babor Mainland China website