Is MAC Cosmetics ethical and cruelty-free?
Not really — MAC Cosmetics fails 3 of the 4 ethics signals we track, including its animal-testing position, and holds no third-party certification we can verify.
MAC Cosmetics, owned by Estée Lauder, is a professional makeup brand known for its broad shade range and Viva Glam fundraising. While not wholly vegan or cruelty-free by parent-company standards, it has made strides in recycling and diversity but faces scrutiny over its China sales via animal-testing channels.
The evidence, signal by signal
Cruelty-freeflagged
Brand does not test on animals except where required by law, and it sells in China where animal testing is mandatory for imported cosmetics.
Vegan optionsunverified
Offers a filterable range of 'vegan' products on its website, but no third-party vegan certification.
Sells in mainland Chinaflagged
Selling through mainland Chinese retail has historically triggered post-market animal testing.
Third-party certifiedflagged
No independent certifications recorded on the products we track.
Public pledges: Commitment to 100% recyclable, refillable, or compostable packaging by 2025, and ongoing Back to MAC recycling program.
Scored with our public methodology. Profile last updated 2026-09-11.
More on MAC Cosmetics
Is MAC Cosmetics ethical? FAQs
Is MAC Cosmetics cruelty-free?+
Brand does not test on animals except where required by law, and it sells in China where animal testing is mandatory for imported cosmetics.
Does MAC Cosmetics have vegan products?+
Offers a filterable range of 'vegan' products on its website, but no third-party vegan certification.
Does MAC Cosmetics sell in mainland China?+
Selling through mainland Chinese retail has historically triggered post-market animal testing.
What is MAC Cosmetics's ethics score?+
MAC Cosmetics averages —/100 across 0 products we score on certifications, sourcing, labour, packaging and transparency.
What are the best alternatives to MAC Cosmetics?+
See our full list of ethical alternatives to MAC Cosmetics for better-scoring options in the same categories.