Is Isntree Cruelty-Free And Vegan?

I​sntree is a Korean beauty brand known for their healthy, effective skincare products. Isntree uses many plant-based and natural ingredients in their products that can easily be incorporated into your skincare routine.

They also claim to be eco-conscious, but is Isntree cruelty-free? Are they a vegan company?

Isntree is a cruelty-free cosmetics brand, but they are not entirely vegan. Because Isntree doesn’t test any of their products on animals or sell them where animal testing is required, they are completely cruelty-free. However, since some of their products contain ingredients derived from animals, they are not a vegan company.

Keep reading to learn more about why Isntree is cruelty-free and what keeps them from being a 100% vegan brand.

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Is Isntree Cruelty-Free?

Isntree is a cruelty-free company. They refrain from having their products tested on animals. Not only do they not test their products on animals themselves, but they don’t hire any other companies to test on their behalf. 

I​n addition, Isntree products are not available on store shelves in countries like mainland China. Since Chinese laws require cosmetics to be tested on animals, companies who sell their products in China cannot be considered cruelty-free.

Since Isntree doesn’t offer their products in countries where animal testing is required by law, they meet the criteria to be called a cruelty-free brand.

Isntree’s brand motto is to respect life, so it is fitting that they are a cruelty-free company and that they choose not to test on animals.

Is Isntree Owned By A Parent Company That Tests On Animals?

Isntree was founded by Korean skincare blogger Jinwoo Kim in 2012. To date, the company has not been purchased by a larger company. Because of this, Isntree doesn’t have to conform to the standards of a parent company.

Isntree is free to test their products however they like. Thankfully, they choose to test their products with humane, non-animal testing methods.

Is Isntree Certified Cruelty-Free?

Currently, Isntree is not certified cruelty-free by any of the main certifying organizations. Two of the major organizations that offer cruelty-free certifications are Leaping Bunny and PETA.

To be certified cruelty-free by PETA and therefore being able to use the Beauty Without Bunnies logo on products, companies must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Products and ingredients must not be tested on animals whether during or after production.
• N​o third-party companies may be employed to conduct animal testing of ingredients or products. 
• Ingredients may not be purchased from suppliers who test on animals.
• Since products are not allowed to be tested on animals, they must not be offered for sale anywhere in the world where animal testing is a requirement.

Before a company can be certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny, they must follow these steps:

• Products and ingredients can never be tested on animals.
• T​hird-party companies cannot be used to test products or ingredients on animals. 
• They cannot purchase ingredients for products from suppliers who test products on animals.
• Regular monitoring of suppliers is required to make sure they aren’t testing ingredients on animals in any way.
• The sale of products in places legally requiring animal testing is not allowed.
• Companies must re-commit to these principles each year to maintain their ability to use the Leaping Bunny logo.

The reason Isntree isn’t certified cruelty-free by either of these organizations or any others is unknown.

It’s possible that Isntree simply hasn’t reached out to these organizations to attempt to gain certification. Hopefully, someday they will add these well-known global certifications to their resume. 

Is Isntree Vegan? 

Though they are cruelty free, Isntree is not wholly vegan. While they may offer some vegan-friendly options, they use products derived from animals in many of their products. 

F​or example, Isntree’s Green Tea Fresh Emulsion includes beeswax, which is derived from animals. It also contains glycerin, which can either be derived from plants or animals. Without clarification from Isntree, it’s impossible to know where they source their glycerin.

Another example of a non-vegan product from Isntree is their Hyaluronic Acid Low-pH Cleansing Foam, which includes glycerin, versions of stearic acid, and panthenol. Stearic acid and panthenol may either be derived from plants or animals.

As Isntree makes no claims about being vegan, they may use animal-derived versions of these ingredients in their skincare products.

One of their star products that is both vegan and cruelty-free, is Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner, which is ideal for stressed, tired skin. The toner helps balance oil production and can even be used by those with a sensitive skin type.

This skincare product contains 80% green tea extract harvested from Jeju Island in South Korea. This green tea extract is chock-full of amino acids, minerals, and antioxidants that help to soothe, protect and nourish the skin.

The toner is enriched with soothing Centella asiatica extract, hydrating hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, and several plant extracts.

Do Isntree Products Contain Animal-Derived Ingredients?

Some Isntree products contain animal-derived ingredients. It’s important to read the entire ingredient label on each product to determine what animal-derived ingredients, if any, have been used to make the product.

Here are a few animal-derived ingredients that may be found in Isntree products:

• Glycerin
• Stearic acid
• Panthenol
• Beeswax
• M​ilk

O​f course, if you’re interested in a vegan Isntree product, be sure to check out the ingredient label to make sure it doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients.

Is Isntree Sold In China?

Isntree is not sold in stores in China. The current laws in China state that many imported cosmetics must be tested on animals to prove that they are safe and effective before they can go to market.

Even with more relaxed laws implemented in 2021, most cosmetics entering China must still be tested before hitting store shelves.

Isntree does sell their products online in Chinese markets. However, the laws requiring animal testing on imported products only apply to stores physically selling in China.

Companies are allowed to sell products entirely online to Chinese customers without needing to test their products on animals first.

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• Is Dr. Jart Cruelty-Free And Vegan?

Final Thoughts: Is Isntree Cruelty-Free And Vegan?

Isntree is a Korean beauty brand that has shown great commitment to pursuing eco-friendly, humane methods of manufacturing their products.

By not testing their products on animals or selling them anywhere they’d be legally required to conduct product testing on animals, they prove they are following their ethical standards over making money.

However, Isntree has yet to make the switch to using 100% vegan-friendly ingredients in their products. Perhaps in the future, they will decide to only use plant-based ingredients in their skin care products so that they can share them with the vegan community.

Read Next: Best Cruelty-Free Moisturizers