L'Oreal is supposed to buy Urban Decay

L’Oreal is supposed to buy Urban Decay

I woke up this morning to a ton of emails and comments on my blog asking if I’d seen that L’Oreal is to buy Urban Decay. While this would be a good move for L’Oreal, I am afraid it would be a terrible one for Urban Decay.

(Image Credit)

Currently if you visit the About Page for Urban Decay, Urban Decay declares itself the largest independently owned color cosmetics company.

“We’ve now become the largest independently owned color cosmetic company in the United States. Our moms are proud. “Urban Decay” is no longer such a crazy name for a makeup company. And young women today have never known a world where they couldn’t get purple nail polish over the counter. Mission accomplished.”

I took a screenshot but it’s tiny, so I also retyped it underneath.

One of the quotes from the Wall Street Journal article “Tim Warner, general manager of Urban Decay, said the deal “will enable Urban Decay to reach its full potential in the marketplace.” This quote makes me afraid that they will start selling in China, which means animal testing.

What a horrible way to start the week

L’Oreal is one of the worst offenders for animal testing.

I think The Body Shop is the only cruelty-free company that L’Oreal owns.

What are your thoughts on L’Oreal purchasing Urban Decay? Do you think they’ll be able to stay cruelty-free?

Edit: Looks like they already bought them

This entry was tagged Urban Decay.

15 comments

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misfitgirlie

I'm definitely bummed by the news. L'oreal is such a titan, so I understand that this is an extremely profitable business decision, but in terms of animal testing, I am concerned. Urban Decay is one of the most well-known CF brands and L'oreal owns so many brands that are not CF. If UD changes its policies, I will sadly no longer support them, since being CF was one of the main tenets of the brand.

I do still feel disappointed in the brand. First China, now the sale. They seemed to me like a company that was built up and proud of its success, but now seems more motivated by money than staying true to their founding principles. I feel like CF beauty has taken kind of a hit this year and it's just a bummer overall.

beautybycat

WoW! I'm floored by this announcement! It suck how much they wanted to get in China and get more $$$, because we all know is all about that! Its about commercialization and money. Who knows what's going to happen to their whole "quality, and identity" we might see it fade within the next few year. :-(

lov2read68

I have to say I agree with RiffRaffRanch - I am very suspicious of the whole China debacle. But hindsight is always 20/20.

And like femputer - I don't stick to cruelty-brands as a rule. But for those that do - the pool of brands available to them continues to shrink. I am encouraged by the European Union's upcoming ban on animal testing. I am hopeful that more countries will follow their lead.

Phyrra moderator

@lov2read68 Me too! I want more companies to start ethically testing - not on animals - for cosmetics.

@Phyrra It's 2012 for crying out loud - we know how to do it. Just make the switch already!

SRHLCS

Seriously considering returning a giant Urban Decay haul I just bought on Black Friday. Thank you Phyrra on keeping us updated.

@SRHLCS You're welcome.

RiffRaffRanch

This makes me suspicious of their recent decision not to sell in China. If this was on the table - or in the works - at that time, then it seems like they could: 1) announce that they WOULD sell in China, then 2) announce that they WOULDN'T sell in China...and come out like good guys just doing right by their customers, all the while knowing that L'Oreal would buy them and the decision would be out of their hands anyway.

@RiffRaffRanch I'm not suspicious of that decision, but I do want to see what happens.

thecakepie

I really hope they stay cruelty free but unfortunately I don't expect it >:

@thecakepie We're playing the wait and see game.

femputer

i'm just gutted about this. i'll be totally honest, i've never stuck to cruelty free brands myself, but i totally understand that it's very important to many bloggers, yourself included. it makes me sad that the list of cruelty free companies keeps getting shorter and shorter. it limits the brands that cruelty free bloggers can sample, and that's bad for everyone. i just...gah. i wish urban decay didn't have to do this. i never got the sense that they were struggling as a company. or maybe this decision isn't even about money? i don't know.

@femputer Every company wants to make money and be successful. I don't fault them for that. I do think it's a problem when they get rid of their core values (a la MAC and animal testing).

jeanniesmiles

I was hoping you'd address this! First off can I say I admire you for standing by your beliefs in not using products tested on animals, there were several beauty bloggers who I read that were upset when MAC & Estee Lauder no longer became cruelty free but continued to buy and endorse their products.

Someone on the Urban Decay FB page is kind of defending them and posting this article about how L'Oreal is going cruelty free in 2013 because the European Union is going to ban animal testing (http://veggieshaveaheart.com/?p=1361). I wonder though if this will at all affect how L'Oreal conducts their business in China? If L'Oreal continues to test products on animals in China, can the EU ban them from selling products in Europe (since they're not testing in Europe?)

@jeanniesmiles From what I've read at Tashina's Site (Logical Harmony) the only l'Oreal brand to not sell in China and not animal test is The Body Shop.

If Urban Decay stays cruelty-free, I will continue to support them. They make great products, in my opinion.

I have wondered all year how the 2013 EU ban will affect companies like L'Oreal, Cover Girl, Estee Lauder, etc.

Dear Santa, Please End Animal Testing | Phyrra | Beauty for the Bold says:

November 26, 2012 at 2:23 pm

[...] now, in the wake of the news of L’Oreal purchasing Urban Decay, I sincerely hope that Urban Decay will remain cruelty-free, and that L’Oreal and the rest [...]

L’Oreal and Urban Decay « Geek Girl says:

November 26, 2012 at 8:36 pm

[...] just learned via Phyrra that L’Oreal will be buying Urban Decay Cosmetics. (Update: According to Reuters, the [...]