Is Pantene Cruelty-free?

What We Believe

Pantene is calling for an end to animal testing in hair care and the beauty industry. We do not believe animal tests are necessary to evaluate the safety or performance of products. Pantene does not test our products on animals.

Pantene is actively working closely with governments around the world to provide alternative research methods that eliminate the need to test on animals. In the case of governments that still mandate animal tests, such as in China, Pantene is committed to working alongside those authorities and scientists to have alternative testing methods recognized and enable the cosmetics regulation to evolve towards a total elimination of animal testing.

Changing the Beauty Industry

Pantene has been committed to ending animal testing for over 30 years. Since the 1980s, we have recruited scientists and invested in state-of-the-art laboratories that has enabled the development of best-in-class safety testing without the use of animals. In the 1990s, our parent company, P&G, testified before the U.S. Congress to support legislation promoting alternatives research, establishing criteria for regulatory acceptance of alternatives, and accelerating adoption of these alternative tests.

How Pantene tests its products

Pantene tests its products on “swatches” of human hair (imagine ponytails of all different hair types and colors). To guarantee our products are also safe on scalp and skin, we test on “lab skins” that have the same physical properties as natural skin but are created wholly in a lab setting from non-animal materials. Testing on human hair and lab skin helps ensure our products work as intended and are safe to use. We also research our products with thousands of people around the world to ensure they really work and are gentle for daily use.

Investing in Non-Animal Alternative Research

Pantene is proud to be part of a company that is has been in the forefront of the development and support of cruelty-free alternatives. P&G has devoted more than $440 million to develop cruelty-free alternatives. In addition, we have joined industry coalitions to share research and testing methodologies and have partnered with various organizations, including the Humane Society International, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), National Institute of Health, and Animal Rights International, so that other hair care brands and the industry-at-large can end animal testing and move toward cruelty-free hair care.

Partnering with the Humane Society

Pantene supports the Humane Society International’s #BeCrueltyFree campaign to ban animal testing for cosmetics and hair care in all major global beauty markets.

"For more than 20 years, the Humane Society family of organizations has collaborated with Procter & Gamble to advance the development and regulatory acceptance of non-animal testing approaches. We are excited to welcome P&G as an official supporter of our #BeCrueltyFree campaign to achieve a legislative end to cosmetic animal testing and trade in all major cosmetic markets worldwide.”

Troy Seidle Vice President of the Humane Society International