cruelty free korean skincare products — Image Credit: @axisy_official

In Seoul's fast-paced beauty industry, trends come and go, with a shiny new product popping up in your feed every week it seems. But there's one product philosophy/practice that is becoming more and more important not only to people but to brands, and it is without a doubt here to stay: Cruelty-free skincare products.

Yet, when it comes to Korean skincare products, finding out which brands are actually cruelty-free can be a challenge. That's why I'm happy to release our comprehensive 2024 list featuring certified cruelty-free K-Beauty products. But how did we at The Skin Special decide which brands made it onto the list?

Disclaimer: This is an independent blog post that expresses my professional opinion as a cosmetics marketer. None of the mentioned organizations or brands compensated me for reviewing their programs/products. I was not sponsored to write this post nor received or accepted any products/PR packages. For SEO purposes, the word 'skincare' is occasionally written as 'skin care'.

Setting the Standard

To decide, which brands to include, and to help you build a skincare routine you feel comfortable with knowing no animal testing was involved, we had two strict standards: All Korean beauty brands featured in this 2024 list had to either:

As a cosmetics marketer who takes beauty industry standards, as well as transparency towards customers extremely seriously, I do not consider brands stating on their website in writing that they are "cruelty-free", or giving statements via email ensuring they "do not test on animals" as valid if they have not taken the necessary steps to get certified by either PETA or Cruelty Free International, especially as the terms 'cruelty-free', and 'not tested on animals' (just like frequently used buzz word such as 'clean ingredients', or 'clean beauty') are not legally regulated, neither in the United States nor on a global scale. But what makes these two certificates different from one another, why do they matter and why should you care?

PETA & The Leaping Bunny

Cruelty-Free Testing Methods

cruelty free testing for cosmetics — Image Credit: Public Health Image Library from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

When it comes to Korean products, it can actually be quite tempting to believe that skincare manufactured in South Korea is cruelty-free by default and that's because of one law you might have come across after a quick Google search: In 2018, the Korean government set in motion legislation that would prohibit Korea-based companies to test cosmetic products on animals. However, this does not make all Korean beauty brands automatically cruelty-free, as some of them do test their products in China (Cruelty Free International, 2016). Beauty products tested in South Korea can choose from the 50+ modern cosmetic testing methods available that don't rely on animals, including tests using organisms such as bacteria, human-derived skin cells and tissue, so-called vitro tests, and even advanced computer models, as well as chemical models, also known as "in silico and in chemico tests", (The Humane Society); (Cruelty Free International).

So now that you know a bit about the ins and outs of alternative cosmetic testing in South Korea and beyond, let's take a deep dive into the two above cruelty-free certificates the beauty industry uses to certify global as well as Korean skincare brands so you can understand how they differ and make an informed decision on which K-beauty companies you want to purchase from.

The Leaping Bunny

By Cruelty Free International

leaping bunny product list — Image Credit: leapingbunny.org

First up, we have the gold standard when it comes to cruelty-free certification and that is, as mentioned above, the Leaping Bunny certificate which was launched in 1996 and is awarded by Cruelty Free Internationally which was founded all the way back in 1898. Being my personal favorite as a beauty marketer, I might be biased but after this paragraph, you will hopefully understand why that is. You can find the Leaping Bunny database featuring not only Korean but other international brands that were certified as cruelty-free brands here. You can also download their free Leaping Bunny app to check products while you're at Olive Young, Chicor, & Co. here.

But which criteria have to be met to get the Leaping Bunny onto one's packaging? Korean companies, as well as global companies that are allowed to add this logo to their website and products, are certified not to have used any new animal testing in every phase of their product development by themselves (aka the company), their contracted laboratories, or their raw material suppliers (crueltyfreeinternational.org). To ensure this, Leaping Bunny requires brands to hand in detailed documentation that proves their raw material suppliers do not test on animals (crueltyfreeinternational.org).

This rigorous documentation Leaping Bunny demands matters because most animal testing takes place on the ingredients level. If you stumbled over the word 'new animal testing', don't worry, this word choice is on purpose: In the past, many raw ingredients used in today's cruelty-free formulas were tested on animals when they first entered the market. Cruelty Free International aka Leaping Bunny cannot change this but K-beauty brands that commit to the strict screening process necessary to become certified commit to banning all future testing done on animals.

Animal Test-Free

By PETA's 'Beauty Without Bunnies' initiative

peta approved skincare brands — Image Credit: peta.org

Next up, we have another reputable industry standard that certifies Korean brands and global brands as cruelty-free and that is PETA's Animal Test-Free logo. PETA, founded in 1980, has been certifying brands as cruelty-free since 1987 and has been able to curate a massive database featuring more than 6,600 companies that you can browse here to find out which K-beauty brands test on animals. For your IRL skincare shopping in Seoul and beyond, PETA also has a free app (with a cute name: "Bunny Free App") that you can download here. So which criteria do South Korean brands have to fulfill to become PETA cruelty-free certified?

peta certified skincare brands — Image Credit: peta.org

Basically, PETA asks companies to sign a pledge (not documentation as is the case with Leaping Bunny) that makes companies commit to never test on animals, as well as pay for or commission animal testing on their ingredients, formulations, and products (peta.org 2024). This means PETA-certified companies have to have an official agreement with their ingredient suppliers that prohibits the suppliers from facilitating any animal testing from the moment the agreement is signed. Alongside this, PETA also requests an official statement by the CEO underlining the company's cruelty-free practices (peta.org 2024).

Battle of the Bunnies:

Comparing both Certificates

cruelty free skincare 2024 — Image Credit: @innisfreeofficial

So how do Leaping Bunny and PETA's Animal Test-Free certification differ? The answer lies in the further requirements Korean brands, as well as global brands have to meet in order to become certified. Let's have a look at the most interesting key points that might help you tell them apart in detail: While Leaping Bunny conducts independent audits that check whether an applying company's entire supply chain management is free from any animal-testing practices and actively demands companies to recommit every year anew, PETA does not practice either audit or recommitment to maintain their certification.

Different from US- and Canada-based brands, Korean brands and other brands outside of the United States and Canada looking to become cruelty-free certified will have to pay an application fee to Leaping Bunny, as well as a logo usage fee that is calculated based on the company's gross annual sales. This payment covers the non-profit's expenses for audits and administration, meaning Cruelty Free International does not profit from it. For K-beauty as well as for global brands applying to PETA's certification program is free and logo licensing is covered by a one-time fee of $350. To me as a cosmetics marketer, the transparent and fair certification conditions and pricing of both PETA, as well as Cruelty Free International show that both programs are attainable for any brand that makes a profit. That's why, in my opinion, any Korean brand (and global brand for that matter) that uses phrases such as 'cruelty-free' and 'not tested on animals' as marketing claims on their website and online stores without being independently certified by Cruelty Free International or PETA should actively work towards becoming certified cruelty-free.

Korean skincare brands that are certified ***cruelty-free* *in 2024***

You might be wondering why you're not seeing some of the Korean skincare brands that are often considered cruelty-free such as Beauty of Joseon or Pyunkang Yul in our list below: The reason for that is as the headline y for this paragraph suggests, we decided to strictly include brands that are certified cruelty-free by either Cruelty Free International (aka Leaping Bunny) or PETA. After doing extensive research for this blog article and diving deep into the global regulation of cruelty-free cosmetics, we see it as our duty to uphold beauty industry standards and encourage more Korean brands to take the step of becoming certified so they can be held accountable by an external organization. As the title says, this list only includes skincare brands but let us know in the comments below if you'd like us to create a list featuring certified cruelty-free K-beauty makeup brands. So let's look at the Korean beauty products that are certified cruelty-free in 2024:

SKIN 1004

best cruelty free serum — Image Credit: korelu.de

Certified not only cruelty-free but vegan by PETA, Skin 1004 has been a hugely popular Korean skincare brand, especially on TikTok where their Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF50+ has been loved and recommended left and right.

I recently wrote a blog article all about this sunscreen which you can check out here. I've also seen Korean MUA's use the Skin 1004 Centella Ampoule as a way to create a glowy, nourishing base and calm down redness before makeup application so I highly recommend checking that one out if you're on the hunt for a multifunctional serum that's free from any animal ingredients.

Then I Met You

best cruelty free moisturizer for dry skin — Image Credit: thenimetyou.com

Founded by Charlotte Cho, the curator, and esthetician behind Soko Glam and The Klog, the award-winning brand Then I Met You has been Leaping Bunny-certified since 2020. I highly recommend checking out their Living Cleansing Balm which managed to win the Cosmopolitan Loves, Allure Best of Beauty, as well as Byrdie skincare award.

While the company is headquartered in the US, this brand fully counts as a K-beauty brand as it is not only Korean-owned, and contracts research facilities in South Korea but bases its product range on cultural values such as 정 (Jeong), the 2000-year-old art of developing meaningful connections with people, places, and even objects. While The I Met You offers many vegan skincare products, the brand is not 100% vegan as some items contain animal-derived ingredients.

Rovectin

A smaller, still privately-owned K-beauty company, Rovectin has not just been passionate about cruelty-free practices from their humble beginnings but is PETA-certified vegan and cruelty-free. Their bestselling, very first product, the Anti-Irritant Barrier Repair Ultra Cream with the brand's trademarked Rovectin Repair Complex™ was originally developed by one of the founders trying to help his sister who was experiencing harsh side effects such as a compromised skin barrier and extremely dry skin of chemotherapy and is still recommended in skin clinics all around Seoul for the treatment of eczema or psoriasis.

Another product you might want to check out is their Aqua Soothing Sunscreen which ranked #1 at Olive Young in 2024 and features an interesting botanical in their list of ingredients that I haven't seen in a lot of formulations before. This ingredient by the name of chickweed harvested in Jeju Island is supposed to deeply hydrate skin and repair signs of skin barrier damage with everyday usage.

Klairs

Founded over 10 years ago, Klairs is an evergreen Korean skin care brand globally, and a secret tip domestically. Klairs is not only PETA-certified but many of their products were specifically developed to meet the needs of sensitive skin types by avoiding overly harsh ingredients to prevent any adverse reaction.

With very minimal use of animal products, Klairs isn't 100% vegan but offers many vegan products that are formulated using plant-based ingredients and Vegan Society-certified. Their Midnight Blue Calming Cream with one of their star ingredients guaiazulene, ceramides, as well as peptides has been my ride-or-die for about 6 years now and never fails to restore my skin barrier, calm redness, and soothe acne breakouts.

Klairs also has a one-of-a-kind, beautifully designed concept/flagship store in Seoul that invites you to relax and connect with yourself, I wrote a blog article about it which you can read here (scroll down a bit.)

Peach & Lily

Leaping Bunny-certified since 2020, Peach & Lily is another Korean-owned, US-based K-beauty company. Founded by celebrity esthetician Alicia Yoon, the brand sources part of their ingredients from South Korea and is committed to creating products that are ethically made, meaning produced under safe working conditions and fair pay.

If you've already dabbled in the world of retinol but want to step up your actives game, I highly recommend you check out their potent Retinal For All Renewing Serum that won Cosmopolitan’s 2023 Holy Grail Beauty Awards. What makes this formula interesting is Peach & Lily's patent-pending R IQ™technology that combines 0.1% retinal with ectoin which supposedly reduces the irritation often caused by retinal.

By Wishtrend

Being an online store, as well as an educational YouTube channel, Wishtrend created its own cosmetics after growing its global community for over 10 years. The skincare line is fittingly called By Wishtrend and is PETA-certified cruelty-free.

They offer effective ingredients and straightforward formulas for every skin concern at a comparatively affordable price point. Their slogan "You Are The Standard" beautifully encourages people to set their own beauty standards at a time when beauty standards are changing at an overwhelmingly fast pace.

Krave Beauty

Founded by beauty and scicomm creator Liah Yoo who used to work at none other than the Korean cosmetics conglomerate Amore Pacific back in the day, the vegan brand Krave Beauty is PETA-certified cruelty-free. While the company is US-based, they produce their products in South Korea and formulate without essential oils and fragrance. Krave Beauty is not one to mindlessly hop on the latest trends but rather aims to be as sustainable as possible and takes their impact as a cosmetics brand on the environment seriously.

One product I highly recommend checking out is their Great Barrier Relief serum, which was accepted by the National Eczema Association and has many success stories from people reporting how it helped rebalance their skin barrier.

Skin & Lab

Still a smaller K-beauty brand, Skin & Lab is PETA-certified cruelty-free, with some of their products being vegan. One of their creams I'd highly recommend checking out is their Retinol Lifting Roller Cream which comes with a gua sha-inspired applicator. I first came across this product when I was recently working on a blog article all about Korean retinol for beginners and sensitive skin which you can check out here. One thing that bothered me as I was researching was how hard many Korean companies made finding out their concrete retinol percentage. That's why I appreciate Skin & Lab's transparency in communicating their ingredient percentages not just for this product which, for a retinol, comes at a very reasonable price of $36: Enriched with hyaluronic acid, the formula of this cream comes with their trademarked Phyto-Retinol Complex™ that features multiple peptides and 2% of retinol and is meant to target fine lines, wrinkles, as well as uneven skin tone. It's by far not a new product but I truly appreciate that the brand has turned their product packaging into a beauty tool that can elevate your skincare experience.

Glow Recipe

You probably already know and love Glow Recipe as a K-beauty brand but did you know they were Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free since 2020? The US-based and Korean-owned company was built from their online community which they established by curating cruelty-free Korean skincare via their e-commerce website. Glow Recipe founders, Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, both experienced former L'Oreal employees, launched the brand in 2017 with the mission of championing "natural ingredients": Their Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser and Watermelon Sleeping Mask became instant Sephora favorites. In general, the brand is often recommended to people with dry skin.

What I especially love about Glow Recipe is that they have pledged to never retouch their brand photography or use words such as "poreless", "ageless", or "flawless" in their messaging. While their Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops have won the Allure Reader's Choice Award, I also recommend checking out their latest launch, the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Balm SPF 45 (see picture), an innovative sunstick with a beautiful, translucent formula.

I'm From

Certified by PETA as cruelty-free, I'm From taps into traditional Korean ingredients/"natural products" such as mugwort and elevates them by highlighting their diverse origins. I'm From does this by putting the area where their "high-quality ingredients" were harvested front and center of their packaging, thus introducing you to a new side of South Korea with every product you purchase. Not only do their products look yummy due to all their seemingly freshly-source ingredients but I've actually heard lots of praise about their Mugwort Essence, a product with an ingredients list that has only 1 (!) ingredient: 100% artemisia princeps extract from the Gangwha region. This essence could be worth checking out if you're looking to relieve your skin from redness, or have acne-prone skin and are on the hunt for a simple, light-weight toner.

AXIS-Y

Not only does AXIS-Y offer a wide range of products for acne-prone skin and oily skin but the brand is certified cruelty-free by PETA, as well as halal, and not all but many of their products are certified vegan by the Korean Vegan Association. When you browse their products, you will see AXIS-Y mention their 6+1+1 Advanced Formula™ over and over again which basically just means that they're fusing 6 botanical extracts or "natural ingredients" with 1 active ingredient and applying 1 skincare technology to the product's overall formula. To me as a cosmetics marketer, this is purely marketing and not something groundbreaking I haven't seen many other brands do on a daily, except that AXIS-Y attaches a name to their formulation approach. I have yet to see an unsponsored review of one of their products that excites me enough to purchase but who knows, maybe you buying and reviewing their line will be the first time that pops up in my feed...

Benton

Certified cruelty-free by PETA with some of their products being vegan certified by the Vegan Society, Benton has been around since 2011. I have seen their Snail Bee line formulated with bee venom be particularly popular in the international K-beauty community but interestingly, there's one product that apparently has been taking Korean celebrity MUA's hearts by storm: Their Guava 70 Skin Toner Face Mask Pad featuring great ingredients such as guava leaf extract, allantoin, green tea and panthenol has been seen used by make-up artists looking to create the perfect base for idols and actresses/actors.

iUNIK

A couple of years ago, PETA cruelty-free certified brand iUNIK was a hot topic in the world of K-beauty but nowadays, I barely see them talked about in unsponsored reviews whether it be on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. Add to this that their branding seems so overly simplistic that even I as a cosmetics marketer have genuine trouble telling their products apart and you might know why this brand hasn't made me curious enough to give them a try. That being said, iUNIK offers a range of very affordable products, and their marketing and overall aesthetic fall into the category of "clean skincare" so if you're on a budget and want to try a solid Korean skincare brand that has been around for a while, you might want to check out iUNIK.

Best Cruelty-Free K-Beauty Brands 2024: Your Ultimate Guide