Is Dove ethical and cruelty-free?
Mixed — Dove scores 62/100. There are verified positives, but the transparency and certification record is thin.
Dove is Unilever's largest personal-care brand. It became PETA-approved cruelty-free in 2018 and stopped selling through channels that require animal testing, but many bar soaps and body washes still use animal-derived ingredients, so the range is not fully vegan.
The evidence, signal by signal
Cruelty-freeverified
PETA-approved cruelty-free since 2018; Dove states it does not test on animals anywhere in the world and does not allow others to test on its behalf.
Vegan optionsunverified
Some Dove products carry a vegan mark, but the classic Beauty Bar and several body washes do not; check the on-pack label per item.
Sells in mainland Chinaverified
The brand does not sell through channels that require mainland China post-market testing.
Third-party certifiedverified
We record 2 distinct certifications across this brand's products.
Public pledges: Unilever targets reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging and has cut virgin plastic across the Dove range; Dove also sells refillable deodorant.
Scored with our public methodology. Profile last updated 2026-08-16.
Dove products we score
A sensitive skin-friendly, aluminum-free antiperspirant/deodorant combo from a trusted mass brand, with PETA certification but concerns over palm oil sourcing.
Is Dove ethical? FAQs
Is Dove cruelty-free?+
PETA-approved cruelty-free since 2018; Dove states it does not test on animals anywhere in the world and does not allow others to test on its behalf.
Does Dove have vegan products?+
Some Dove products carry a vegan mark, but the classic Beauty Bar and several body washes do not; check the on-pack label per item.
Does Dove sell in mainland China?+
The brand does not sell through channels that require mainland China post-market testing.
What is Dove's ethics score?+
Dove averages 62/100 across 1 product we score on certifications, sourcing, labour, packaging and transparency.
What are the best alternatives to Dove?+
See our full list of ethical alternatives to Dove for better-scoring options in the same categories.