Schwarzkopf Professional is a German haircare brand founded in 1898 by Hans Schwarzkopf, making it one of the longest-lasting hair care brands in the world. Its name means ‘Black head’ in German, and it described the company’s logo, which was a silhouette of a man’s head.
Schwarzkopf’s first hair product was a powdered shampoo that quickly became more popular than the previously used hair soap. A few years after that, they were selling the first liquid shampoo in Europe. Soon, they became one of the biggest haircare brands in the world.
Today, the brand is sold worldwide, and it represents a standard when it comes to hair care. It was involved in several charities and humanitarian events and organizations. You can find Schwarzkopf’s products in various retail stores, as well as online.
Is Schwarzkopf Cruelty-Free?
Not sold in China? | No |
PETA Certified | No |
Leaping Bunny Certified | No |
Has vegan products | No |
Not owned by a Parent Company that does Animal Testing? | No |
Schwarzkopf is not cruelty-free.
Schwarzkopf conducts animal testing both directly during the development process and through paid third-parties. They claim to support animal testing alternatives unless required by law or due to safety concerns. At the same time, it isn’t known whether its ingredients are tested on animals and whether its suppliers are cruelty-free. This also means the brand isn’t certified by PETA or The Leaping Bunny.
Suppose you like Schwarzkopf products but can’t support a brand that conducts animal tests. In that case, you can always contact the company’s representatives and politely ask them to reconsider their animal cruelty policies. Just remember to be respectful, as hate speech never accomplished anything.
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Are Schwarzkopf products sold in China?
Yes, Schwarzkopf sells its products in mainland China.
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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 Schwarzkopf Vegan?
No, Schwarzkopf is not a vegan brand. Most, if not all, of Schwarzkopf’s products, use some form of animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products, such as honey, beeswax, and lanoline. At the same time, the brand isn’t natural or organic.
Who owns Schwarzkopf and does the parent company test on animals?
Ever since 1995, Schwarzkopf is owned by Henkel, a German corporation that is not cruelty-free. Henkel allows its brands to have their own animal testing policies. However, most of its brands conduct animal testing and are not cruelty-free.
What products does Schwarzkopf sell?
Schwarzkopf sells all kinds of hair care products. Its first hair color was introduced it 1947, and ever since then its hair dyes became loved by both professional hair stylists and average consumers. Its famous Schauma shampoos became bestselling in Germany. The word ‘schauma’ became a byword for shampoo in various areas of Germany. Other of its renowned hair care and hairstyling lines are Taft styling creams, Palette hair dyes and color shampoos, Got2Be hair styling products, as well as various other Schwarzkopf hair color lines.
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