When I think of Buxom Cosmetics, I always think of their iconic White Russian plumping lip gloss. Their plumping lip glosses are great because they truly work but never sting or burn the lips. Along with their lip glosses, which is what they’re best known for, they also have tons of eyeshadows and lippies to offer. If you’re cruelty-free with your makeup routine, you can’t help but wonder, is Buxom cruelty-free and vegan? Here’s everything you need to know!
Is Buxom Cruelty-Free
Yes, Buxom is in fact cruelty-free and they are a great source for all your lip product needs! Buxom is not sold in Mainland China. They don’t test their formulas on animals or commission others to do so for 3rd party testing. Along with that, Buxom has a wide range of vegan products and everything they make is paraben-free. If you’re looking for a cruelty-free, ingredient conscious brand, Buxom is a wonderful option!
Here is Buxom’s cruelty-free statement:
“Please feel at ease when using BUXOM Cosmetics products as we do not test on animals. We also do not work with any manufacturers that do animal testing. BUXOM Cosmetics natural haired brushes are made of Goat and Pony. Please note that no animals are harmed in the process of making our brushes. For our customers who chose not to use animal haired brushes we do offer a variety of high end synthetic brushes.”
Buxom does not sell in China, they do not use suppliers that test on animals, they don’t test on animals and they don’t use 3rd party sources that do. These are the main criteria that separate cruelty-free brands from non cruelty-free brands. PETA does list Buxom as a cruelty-free brand and it’s nice to have that 3rd party certification.
It is worth noting that Shisedo owns Buxom. The parent brand does test on animals where it is required by law. Shisedo owns NARS, Drunk Elephant, Laura Mercier to name a few.
Is Buxom Vegan?
Buxom is not fully vegan but they do have some vegan products. Of the products that aren’t vegan, they contain the common carmine, beeswax and lanolin.
Buxom’s vegan products include:
- Va-va-Plump™ Shiny Liquid Lipstick (not all shades are vegan)
- Full-On™ Plumping Lip Cream (not all shades are vegan)
- Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick (not all shades are vegan)
- Wildly Whipped Lightweight Lipstick / Wildly Whipped Soft Matte Lip Color (not all shades)
- Metalix™ Lip Glide (not all shades)
- Waterproof Lash Mascara
- Hold the Line™ Eyeliner (not all shades are vegan)
- Show Some Skin Weightless Foundation (not all shades are vegan)
- Divine Goddess Luminizer
- Hot Escapes Bronzer
It can be a little tricky since not all of their lipstick and gloss shades are vegan. Buxom recommends that you reach out to them to confirm what specific shades are vegan.
Is Buxom Organic?
No, Buxom is not organic and they have not made any claims to be. Some organic brands with stellar lip products include Lawless Beauty, Ilia and Kosas.
Where is Buxom Made?
Buxom’s manufactures their products in the US. All their products are made here as they are a US based brand.
Is Buxom Sold in China?
No, Buxom is not sold in physical stores in Mainland China. This is what allows them to maintain their cruelty-free status! Any brand sold in Mainland China must submit products for 3rd party animal testing and is required by law.
Is Buxom Paraben-Free?
Yes! Buxom’s products are paraben free! Parabens are found as preservatives in cosmetics. While approved by the FDA in small amounts, they are linked to fertility issues in women and are highly controversial. If you can avoid them, you won’t regret it so we’re very happy to share that Buxom is paraben-free.
Is Buxom Gluten-Free?
While Buxom has gluten-free products, they don’t make any promises to be gluten-free. All their products are made on the same machines which can lead to trace contamination. Here is their statement from their website:
“Many of our products do not contain ingredients derived from barley, oats, rye, spelt or wheat, which are commonly known sources of gluten. However, due to the wide range of raw materials and equipment used during the manufacturing of our products, we cannot confirm that our products are free from any traces of gluten. If you have specific questions or concerns regarding gluten, and the ingredients contained in our formulas, we recommend that you consult your physician. All product ingredients can be found on the product page.”
You can always reach out to Buxom to clarify about which of their products contain gluten in the formula.
Is Buxom Phthalates-free?
Yes, Buxom is phthalate-free! Phthalates like parabens are controversial in cosmetics since they’re linked to endocrine disruption. Phthalates are commonly found as perfume or fragrance in products. It can be a little tougher to determine if phthalates are present in a formula as sometimes they’re just listed as ‘fragrance.’ Buxom is sold at Sephora and all their products there are noted as paraben, sulfates and phthalates free.
Is Buxom Non-comedogenic?
No, Buxom is not non-comedogenic. They don’t really create complexion products like foundations or concealers so this is less of an issue for them. The only products they make for the complexion are blushes, bronzer and highlighter. Powder usually poses less of a pore-clogging threat. Only their highlighters are liquid/cream so be careful of those.
Is Buxom PETA Cruelty-Free Approved?
Yes, Buxom is noted as a cruelty-free brand on PETA’s website and they do have their certification. It’s nice for credibility, but as we learned with Wet n Wild, a PETA certification is not an ironclad cruelty-free certification.
Where to Buy Buxom?
Buxom is available at:
Final Thoughts
We are totally supportive of Buxom Cosmetics and the brand’s transparency. They are cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free and they offer a nice range of vegan products. As a high end brand, they fall on the more affordable side of the spectrum and we can’t recommend them enough for quality lip products. While they have slim complexion products, our hope is that as they expand, they work to create more diverse shade offerings. We’re excited to see what they have in store for the future.