E.L.F. Cosmetics Ends Use of Animal Hair in Brushes

Beauty industry pioneer e.l.f. Cosmetics has ended its use of animal hair in every one of its more than 50 different styles of brushes and has switched to superior synthetic bristles. This decision was based on strong collaboration between e.l.f. Cosmetics and PETA.

e.l.f. Cosmetics makes a wide selection of luxurious brushes at extraordinary value. “We have high quality brushes that are now 100 percent synthetic fibers. It was the right thing to do and we sincerely hope the rest of the beauty industry follows our approach,” says e.l.f. Cosmetics Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Erin Daley.

“As soon as e.l.f. found out that animals whose hair is used in brushes are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them, the company took swift and compassionate action,” says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “PETA is delighted to share that all e.l.f. brushes are now 100 percent cruelty-free.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—notes that the bristles in many makeup brushes originally belonged to squirrels, minks, sables, boars, horses, or other animals. Brushes with bristles from minks, sables, or squirrels are products of the cruel fur industry. These animals are bred and raised on squalid factory farms, where they suffer miserably before they are killed for their fur. Every year, millions of fur-bearing animals are trapped and bludgeoned to death in the wild—or gassed or electrocuted on fur farms. Horse hair is commonly obtained from horses who are slaughtered for their flesh.  Using airbrush makeup as an alternative to using an animal hair brush is also a good solution and provides a very smooth finish.

About e.l.f. Cosmetics

e.l.f. Cosmetics makes luxurious beauty accessible for all women to play beautifully®. Established in 2004 as a leading e-commerce business, e.l.f. has become a true multichannel brand through its own stores and national distribution at Target, Walmart, CVS, Old Navy, and other leading retailers. By engaging young, diverse makeup enthusiasts with innovative, high-quality cosmetics at an extraordinary value, e.l.f. has become one of the fastest growing beauty brands in the U.S.