Babor Cosmetics is an independent skincare brand founded in 1956, when a chemist Michael Babor developed a unique cleanser, HY-OL. The brand quickly expanded into other skincare products, which are created with various skin types in mind. In the 1980s, the company became international and opened its first in-house training center.
About a decade later, Babor entered the SPA business and started providing exclusive treatments in various luxury hotels and SPA centers.
Babor has a sustainability philosophy and focuses on ‘green production’ to help the environment. This is shown not just in individual projects, but in Babor’s complete work ethics.
All of Babor’s products are made in their headquarters in Aachen, Germany. This ensures the quality of the items, as well as the control the brand has over the production.
Is Babor Cruelty-Free?
| Not sold in China? | No(*) |
| PETA Certified | No(**) |
| Leaping Bunny Certified | No(**) |
| Has vegan products | Yes |
| Not owned by a Parent Company that does Animal Testing? | – |
Babor’s cruelty-free status is debatable.
Babor doesn’t test its finished products on animals. None of its ingredients and formulations are animal tested. The brand claims that all of its suppliers are cruelty-free. This goes well with Babor’s work ethics, which promote a green lifestyle and being friendly towards the Planet Earth. However, the problem comes with third-party testing, as Babor does sell in countries that require animal testing for in-store products.
Babor is not certified by any international cruelty-free organization, such as PETA or The Leaping Bunny. However, this shouldn’t cause concern as laws regulate EU-based brands, and animal testing is forbidden. As being a participant in most cruelty-free programs is voluntary, many brands opt not to do it(**).
Best Selling Babor Products
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Are Babor products sold in China?
Yes, Babor’s products are sold in mainland China. This is why their cruelty-free status is unclear. Typically, imported cosmetics products that are sold in-stores in China have to be tested on animals. This doesn’t include some non-personal items, such as soap, essential oils and oral care, which are the products Babor mostly sells. This means they might be cruelty-free, even though they sell in China. The biggest problem is with their creams, as it is unclear whether or not creams have to undergo animal testing. Still, we wouldn’t immediately claim Babor isn’t cruelty-free, especially since it has a detailed animal testing policy(*).
I’ve sent them an email about this matter and i will update as soon as i get a response.
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What is the Deal with China?
Even though animal testing is proven to be an unnecessary and unethical practice, some countries still require it by law. This is the case with the second-biggest market in the world, China.
China requires any beauty product to be tested on animals before allowing importation and being sold in Chinese stores. Any company or brand that makes the decision to sell in China has also decided to test on animals – either by themselves or, usually, by paying a third-party company to test on their behalf. This is the main reason why a lot of brands can’t achieve a true cruelty-free status. After growing public outrage, China did lift some regulations in 2014, which allowed certain beauty products, such as shampoos and other skincare items, to be imported without testing, but this is still a small percentage.
A lot of brands that claim to be cruelty-free are being misleading thanks to these laws. Even if a brand doesn’t conduct animal testing on its own, by deciding to take the opportunity and sell in countries such as China, it is allowing a third-party to test the final product on animals. This is why PETA and the Leaping Bunny Program have forbidden brands that they certify to expand their market in this direction – and rightfully so.
A lot of companies are working with the Chinese government on lifting these regulations, and legislation was proposed in 2019 that should stop mandatory animal testing. However until today, no substantial progress has been made in this regard, we continue to wait patiently.
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Is Babor Vegan?
Yes, although babor is not a 100% vegan brand but they offer a wide range of vegan products. I could say 98% of Babor’s products are vegan-friendly. Babor’s non-vegan products usually contain beeswax as animal-derived ingredient.
It is easy to browse their website and figure out which products are vegan as they display a label for vegan products:
What products does Babor sell?
Babor is famous for its ampoule concentrates, which are used for various skincare purposes. Its cleanser remains their best-selling item, even after 60 years of its development. The brand also sells vitamin concentrates, anti-aging products and items for SPA treatments. It is one of the well-known skincare brands worldwide.
Best Selling Babor Products
Lookfantastic.com
Lookfantastic.com
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