Is Mighty Patch cruelty free?

What does cruelty free actually cover?

In the US, "cruelty free" and "not tested on animals" have no legal definitions for cosmetic labeling. A company can use these claims for its finished products while relying on suppliers or contract laboratories to conduct animal testing for product or ingredient safety. A cruelty free claim can cover only the finished product, which is a surprisingly small job for such a large promise.1

Past testing is another separate question. Many cosmetic raw materials were tested on animals when they were first introduced. A company's cruelty free claim can mean that its materials or products are not currently tested on animals, rather than that none of its ingredients has ever been tested. Decide whether your buying rule concerns current testing or historical testing before asking for confirmation.1

What should you ask Hero Cosmetics?

Ask for a current written policy that answers these questions:

• Does Hero Cosmetics test finished Mighty Patch products on animals?
• Does the policy cover testing of the ingredients used in Mighty Patch?
• Do raw material suppliers or outside laboratories carry out animal testing for those products or ingredients?
• Does the policy refer to current testing, historical testing or both?

Ask for the policy behind the wording, because two words on a box should not need this much administration. If the reply addresses only the finished patch, ask the ingredient and supplier questions separately before treating the answer as confirmation.1

Does the EU animal testing ban settle it?

The EU bans animal testing of finished cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients for cosmetics purposes. It also has a marketing ban covering cosmetics and ingredients tested on animals for those purposes. The cosmetics regulation applies to finished cosmetic products placed on the EU market. Keep that scope in mind: these rules concern cosmetics, not every product sold for use on skin, and they are not a substitute for asking about Hero Cosmetics' testing policy.23

Where should you buy Mighty Patch?

If you decide to buy, use Hero Cosmetics' authorized retailer list. Hero warns against buying Mighty Patch from other outlets, including unauthorized sellers on eBay, because it cannot guarantee authenticity. Buying through an authorized seller addresses whether the patches are genuine; keep the animal testing question separate.4