Is Paula's Choice ethical and cruelty-free?
Yes — Paula's Choice scores 84/100 on EthiCompare, one of the stronger ratings in our database, with 3 of 4 ethics signals verified.
Paula's Choice is a science-driven skincare brand recognized for its commitment to ingredient transparency, cruelty-free practices, and high-performance formulas. While not fully vegan, the brand maintains rigorous safety standards and has recently intensified its sustainability efforts through B Corp certification and global recycling initiatives.
The evidence, signal by signal
Cruelty-freeverified
Cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified; does not test on animals at any stage of production.
Vegan optionsunverified
Majority vegan; animal-derived ingredients like beeswax are clearly disclosed on ingredient lists.
Sells in mainland Chinaverified
The brand does not sell through channels that require mainland China post-market testing.
Third-party certifiedverified
We record 4 distinct certifications across this brand's products.
Public pledges: Committed to Net Zero by 2040 and 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging by 2025.
Scored with our public methodology. Profile last updated 2026-07-28.
Paula's Choice products we score
A 98% natural origin cleanser designed for sensitive skin, backed by a brand renowned for ingredient transparency and scientific rigor.
A revolutionary physical exfoliant that uses pressure-sensitive jojoba beads instead of plastic microbeads, prioritizing skin barrier health and environmental safety.
Is Paula's Choice ethical? FAQs
Is Paula's Choice cruelty-free?+
Cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified; does not test on animals at any stage of production.
Does Paula's Choice have vegan products?+
Majority vegan; animal-derived ingredients like beeswax are clearly disclosed on ingredient lists.
Does Paula's Choice sell in mainland China?+
The brand does not sell through channels that require mainland China post-market testing.
What is Paula's Choice's ethics score?+
Paula's Choice averages 84/100 across 2 products we score on certifications, sourcing, labour, packaging and transparency.
What are the best alternatives to Paula's Choice?+
See our full list of ethical alternatives to Paula's Choice for better-scoring options in the same categories.