Uh Oh, L’Oreal Just Bought Aesop: The Drama Over Cruelty-Free Brands and Their Parent Companies

L’Oreal just spent a whopping $2.5 billion to buy Aesop, the Aussie skincare brand known for its vegan and cruelty-free products, from Natura & Co. While this may seem like good news for Aesop some consumers (myself included) are not happy about the new parent company.

L’Oreal has a bad rep when it comes to animal testing. They’ve faced major heat and boycotts in the past for their policies. Remember when they bought out The Body Shop in 2006? That caused a massive uproar among consumers because The Body Shop was all about being cruelty-free. Thanks to boycotts from cruelty-free shoppers, L’Oreal eventually sold it off in 2017. And now, L’Oreal’s at it again with their latest acquisition of Aesop. Naturally, this has got consumers riled up and worried about supporting a non-cruelty-free brand.

Obviously, it’s totally up to you to decide which brands you want to buy from, regardless of who owns them. Some people might not care about buying from a cruelty-free brand that’s owned by a non-cruelty-free company, while others are totally against it.

But for those who do care, the fact that L’Oreal just bought Aesop is super annoying. Aesop used to be owned by Natura & Co, who are cruelty-free. So it’s a bummer that they’ve now switched over to L’Oreal, a company that’s infamous for their stance on animal testing. Lots of shoppers who care about animal rights are gonna be disappointed.

We Can Make a Difference

Let this controversy be a reminder that consumer activism can have an impact. The boycotts of The Body Shop in 2006 were a notable example of consumers using their purchasing power to push for change. Whether it’s boycotting non-cruelty-free brands or actively seeking out and supporting cruelty-free options, consumers have the power to make a difference.

Whilst the decision to support a brand or not is up to each individual consumer, I’d love for you to consider finding an alternative for your Aesop faves. If you’re looking for high quality skincare with a minimalist aesthetic consider trying out Evolve Beauty, Antipodes or The Body Shop.

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