Feature Image from Logical Harmony Instagram

As you may have heard, wet n wild is being put on blast with the accusation that they are not, in fact, a cruelty-free beauty brand. Images surfaced on social media of their products being sold in Shanghai, China and were released to Cruelty Free Kitty , a popular advocate and educator of cruelty-free beauty products. Details of the matter were also uncovered on May 20th by another cruelty-free beauty expert, YouTuber and Blogger Logical Harmony, a.k.a. Tashina Combs.

Image Source: Cruelty Free Kitty

The Summary

The real scandal began during the morning of Tuesday, May 21st when wet n wild claimed they don’t sell their products in China in a response to an inquiry put forth by Cruelty Free Kitty. Later that day, they released the below statement reporting that they actually do sell their products in China through a pilot program in 30 Watsons stores.

The Issue

By selling their products in China, brands are required to follow China’s laws for mandatory pre-market and post-market animal testing. Thankfully wet n wild hasn’t done pre-market animal testing because the law was changed in 2014 and they started selling their products in China in 2018. The change allows brands to bi-pass animal testing if they follow specific guidelines such as making products domestically in China and using certain ingredients, which wet n wild has been doing.

However, there’s no way around the post-market animal testing law. This law dictates that the government can test products on animals after being released to stores, without having to notify the brands. Sadly, wet n wild was aware of this law as all brands are required to sign a statement agreeing to the post-market animal testing law before selling in China. On top of that, the cost of the tests are included with what brands pay the government to sell there.

This means that yes, wet n wild has been aware that their products in China could be tested on animals, while still stating that they’re cruelty-free and not selling in that country.

What About The Fans? 

Wet n wild is taking blows with this issue and it has caused quite a bit of confusion and disappointment for those who were loyal to the brand specifically for their cruelty-free claim. A quick scan on the comment section of  the wet n wild Instagram accounts shows that fans are feeling lied to and extremely misled. Wet n wild also been removed from the Logical Harmony Cruelty-Free Brand List and we’re certain they will be removed from more lists to come. For updates and more information check out @logicalharmony‘s Instagram.

Image By

Eric Ward

As of late June, 2018, Canada has reached the official halfway mark towards becoming a cruelty-free cosmetics marketplace. Bill S-214, the Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, has received an endorsement from Senate and is now on its way to the House of Commons. If the bill is passed, the act will ban the testing of domestic animals for cosmetic purposes and the sale of any new cosmetics that have undergone new animal testing after the bill becomes law.

While we are extremely pleased to see this (finally) come to play, it is important for the conscientious consumer to remember that should the bill pass and become law, we still have the buying power to boycott brands that choose to conduct animal testing in other markets

For example, any large brand that you love and support and buy in Canada could still be selling their product in China, where their product has to undergo animal testing due to government requirements. Case in point, in a controversial move last year NARS started animal testing so they could sell in China. Regardless of whether a brand conducts in-house animal testing or contracts the animal testing out to a third party in order to be sold in China, their cosmetics are being tested on animals in a cruel fashion for capital gain.

Therefore, by purchasing NARS in Canada, where their products must be cruelty-free by law, one is supporting their acts of cruelty on animals. Other brands that are still conducing animal testing in order to be sold in China include Revlon, Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, Johnson&Johnson, and more. By purchasing these products in Canada, we are essentially ok-ing practices in other markets.

We are 100% proud and supportive of B S-214 and all the immense efforts that have gone into getting it to the House of Commons. Canada is setting an example for other cosmetic markets and joining the likes of Norway, Europe, Israel and India that has banned animal testing completely. We do however want consumers to remain conscious about how powerful their wallets are. With many amazing independent brands having adapted cruelty-free ethos from the start and becoming only more accessible, there’s no better time than now to clean up your beauty routine and positively impact the planet and the lives of our little animal friends, even those in other countries.