When shopping for affordable skincare and personal care products, many people wonder whether popular store brands like Equate are cruelty-free.
With growing awareness around animal testing and ethical beauty, understanding a brand’s stance on cruelty-free and vegan practices has become an important part of making informed purchasing decisions.
In this article, we take a closer look at whether Equate tests on animals, who owns the brand, whether any products are vegan, and if Equate holds certification from recognized cruelty-free organizations.
If avoiding animal testing is important to your beauty routine, this guide will help you decide whether Equate aligns with your values and what to look for instead.
Is Equate Cruelty-Free?
No, Equate is not a cruelty-free brand. This means that the company conducts or funds animal testing of ingredients and products. If you're looking for a vegan brand, then this isn't one. Equate does not test its products on animals. Because the company is not cruelty-free, there is no way that it will not test on animals. If you're passionate about animal welfare, Equate isn't right fit for you.
About Equate Brand

The Equate brand is Walmart's private label line of health and beauty products. These items include shaving cream, skin lotion, over-the-counter medications, and pregnancy tests. Equate products come under Perrigo Company plc, a leading global healthcare manufacturer and supplier that specializes in the store brand market.
All of Equate's products are tested on animals before they are released to the market. However, there are some products that do not undergo animal testing, such as baby and pet care products.
Who Owns Equate?
Walmart's private label brand, Equate, offers self-care, pharmaceutical, and other products at a fraction of the prices set by market alternatives.
Walmart acquired Equate as part of its private brand development that also owns brands such as Sam’s Choice, Great Value, and Adventure Force.
The aim is to provide the public with the needed self-care, pharmaceutical, and other products at only a fraction of the prices set by market alternatives.
Best Equate Products
Equate is a brand that provides an array of beauty, health, and personal care products. These products include skincare items such as conditioners, lotions, and soap.
The company also produces over-the-counter medication including allergy medicine.
Additionally, Equate produces and sells different types of vitamins, as well as supplements such as weight-loss shakes.

The brand also offers smoking quitting products such as nicotine patches, lozenges, and nicotine gum.
Lastly, other products produced by Equate include antiseptic mouthwash, denture care, and feminine hygiene products.
Top Ingredients in Equate products?
Equate products are free from synthetic ingredients. They don't use any petroleum products, phthalates, or triclosan in their products. In addition to that, their product formulations are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
All of Equate's products are formulated without animal testing, bisphenol A (BPA), synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, and animal byproducts.
Their products are eco-friendly and sustainable, using natural ingredients that are good for the environment.
Equate wants to provide safe cosmetics to consumers without animal testing or other animal-derived ingredients. This makes it a great choice for consumers who value animal welfare and environmental protection.
Is Equate Certified By Cruelty-Free Organization?

The Humane Society International (HSI) is a global organization that works to protect and preserve animals, promote vegan lifestyle, and fight for the protection of animals used for food, clothing, research, or entertainment.
The certification that products are cruelty-free is provided by HSI's certification program. This program ensures that all products made are free from animal cruelty.
To achieve this goal, all of the ingredients used in Equate products are tested for animal cruelty, and if found guilty, those ingredients are replaced with non-cruel ingredients.
In order for a company to be officially certified as cruelty-free, they must first prove that they don't test any of their ingredients on animals and that they don't outsource this process to any third party companies.
If you don't see a specific company listed on any of the cruelty-free certification lists, this means that the company in question is not certified and, as such, is not cruelty-free.
For example, Equate is not listed on any of the organizations that issue these certificates, which solidifies the fact that Equate is not a cruelty-free brand. If you're looking for a cruelty-free option, look for one of their competitor companies who are certified.
Is Equate Vegan?
Equate is not a vegan brand because some of its products contain animal-derived ingredients such as honey, collagen, beeswax, keratin, and lanolin.
For a brand to be vegan, all of its skin and hair care products must not be produced from animals or animal byproducts.
Some brands have products that are completely free from animal-derived ingredients, but that doesn’t make them vegan. To be vegan, a company must first be cruelty-free.
Conclusion

In the vegan society that we live in, it is essential to take animal-free products for granted.
If you are vegan and have used Equate products, let us know your thoughts on their status in the comments below.
We'd love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions About Equate
Is Equate cruelty-free?
No, Equate is not considered a cruelty-free brand. The brand does not have a clear policy confirming that it avoids animal testing at all stages, including third-party testing.
Does Equate test on animals?
Equate allows animal testing where required by law or through third-party manufacturers. Because of this, the brand does not meet cruelty-free standards.
Who owns the Equate brand?
Equate is a private label brand owned by Walmart and is manufactured by third-party suppliers, including Perrigo Company plc.
Is Equate certified by any cruelty-free organizations?
No, Equate is not certified by organizations such as Leaping Bunny, PETA, or Humane Society International.
Is Equate vegan?
Equate is not a vegan brand. Some products contain animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, honey, lanolin, collagen, or keratin.
Are any Equate products vegan-friendly?
Some individual Equate products may not contain animal-derived ingredients, but this does not make the brand itself vegan or cruelty-free.
Can cruelty-free consumers use Equate products?
Consumers who prioritize cruelty-free beauty may want to avoid Equate and instead choose brands that are fully transparent and certified cruelty-free.



