Sephora Doubles Down on Cruelty with MAC Partnership

M.A.C Cosmetics has recently launched at Sephora US as well as Sephora at Kohl's, with the brand now available in over 100 stores and online. A further nationwide rollout at additional Sephora locations is planned throughout the year.

This is a disappointing partnership as Sephora has taken on yet another brand that falls short on animal welfare. Despite pressure from animal welfare organizations like Species Unite calling on Sephora to do better and drop brands linked to animal cruelty, the major cosmetics retailer is instead taking a major step backwards by entering into a partnership with MAC, a brand that continues to profit from animal testing in China. 

MAC Cosmetics markets itself as committed to humane alternatives to animal testing, yet they openly sell products in China, where cosmetic safety testing still involves torturing and killing rabbits, mice, and guinea pigs through force-feeding chemicals, eye and skin irritation tests, and other painful procedures, despite the fact that modern alternatives exist that are both humane and more reliable. By continuing to sell in China, MAC profits from unnecessary animal suffering, and Sephora’s decision to carry the brand amplifies this cruelty.

The launch of MAC at Sephora is accompanied by a new campaign featuring brand ambassador Chappell Roan, a hugely popular singer who has been celebrated for promoting pet adoption and incorporating rescue animals into her pre-concert routines. It is unfortunate that the beloved musician is connected to a brand linked to extreme animal suffering abroad, but it shows the profound importance of awareness initiatives that shed light on the dark realities of cosmetics animal testing, as many consumers now believe these types of testing are a thing of the past. Celebrity endorsements can also inadvertently lend credibility to unethical brands, which is why transparency and informed advocacy are crucial.

We will continue to push both Sephora and MAC to do better for animals. This new partnership is a stark reminder that cruelty is still considered acceptable in much of the beauty industry. Despite this setback, we will keep calling on these companies to stop supporting practices that cause widespread animal suffering, to commit fully to cruelty-free policies, and to refuse to profit from animal exploitation anywhere in the world.

You can help us continue shining a light on corporate cruelty by signing our petitions, asking MAC to finally go cruelty-free and urging Sephora to drop yet another cruel brand, Lily Lashes, which sells real mink fur eyelashes.