Julep
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About Julep
Julep operates as a nail, makeup, and skincare brand under parent company AS Beauty, positioning itself in the accessible beauty market with distribution through major retailers including Target. The brand has navigated significant business model shifts, including regulatory settlements with state authorities over subscription practices that required substantial consumer restitution.
The brand's sustainability profile reveals a selective approach to ethical practices, with verified cruelty-free status through independent certification bodies while maintaining non-vegan formulations across multiple product categories. Product development has emphasized chemical reduction through '21-free' nail polish formulations, though broader environmental initiatives remain undisclosed.
AS Beauty's corporate structure provides limited transparency regarding supply chain oversight, labor practices, or environmental strategy, positioning Julep within a parent company framework that prioritizes market access over comprehensive sustainability disclosure.
The Good Stuff
Where Julep appears to be making meaningful progress. We cross-referenced these findings with multiple independent sources.
Third-Party Verified Cruelty-Free Standards
Comprehensive cruelty-free certification through independent verification programs ensures no animal testing across product development and manufacturing processes
Customer-Directed Social Impact
Transparent social giving program allocates 1% of every purchase to nonprofit organizations chosen by customers, enabling direct community impact selection
Chemical Reduction Innovation
Select nail polish collection formulated as '21-free' demonstrates commitment to reducing potentially concerning chemicals in specific product categories
The Reality Check
Areas where the publicly available data gets murky, incomplete, or concerning. We're transparent about the limitations of our analysis.
Labor Practice Transparency Void
Complete absence of published labor codes, human rights policies, or third-party audit disclosures across brand and parent company communications
Environmental Strategy Gap
No climate targets, emissions reporting, water stewardship, or biodiversity protection programs disclosed despite established corporate structure
Non-Vegan Formulation Persistence
Continued use of animal-derived ingredients including carmine and beeswax without sustainable sourcing certifications or vegan alternatives development
Julep's
Impact Aura
A visual representation of Julep's positive impact
across People, Planet and Animals
Each colored area represents the brand's performance in that sustainability category. The size and intensity of each blob corresponds to their score—larger, more vibrant areas indicate stronger performance.
Our Research
Key findings from our comprehensive analysis of Julep's sustainability performance across People, Planet & Animals impact.
Positive Impact on People
Research Highlights
- Product safety concerns documented in third-party safety databases with hazard assessments
- Social impact commitment includes 1% of purchases donated to customer-chosen nonprofits
- Labor practices lack transparent disclosure with no published codes or audit verification
- Supply chain transparency absent with no manufacturing partner or supplier information disclosed
- Marketing integrity compromised by regulatory settlement with state authorities over deceptive subscription practices requiring substantial consumer restitution
Evidence Strength
Strong documentation for social giving and regulatory issues, significant gaps in labor and supply chain verification
Positive Impact on Planet
Research Highlights
- Climate action completely absent with no emissions data, renewable energy, or science-based targets disclosed
- Environmental stewardship limited to select '21-free' nail polish formulations avoiding certain chemicals
- Packaging innovation shows no evidence of refillable systems or circular design principles
- Water conservation and biodiversity protection programs entirely undisclosed across brand communications
- Product relaunch efforts emphasized formula changes over environmental packaging improvements
Evidence Strength
Minimal environmental documentation with only limited chemical reduction efforts verified
Positive Impact on Animals
Research Highlights
- Cruelty-free status verified through independent certification bodies with documented no-testing policies
- Vegan formulation incomplete with documented use of carmine and beeswax across product lines
- Animal-derived ingredients sourced without sustainable or ethical sourcing certifications disclosed
- Wildlife conservation support entirely absent from brand impact initiatives
- Conservation funding not allocated despite social donation program structure being established
Evidence Strength
Comprehensive third-party verification for cruelty-free claims, clear documentation of non-vegan ingredients
See the Receipts
We don't just make claims—here are the official certifications that prove Julep's sustainability commitments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Julep cruelty-free?
Yes, Julep maintains verified cruelty-free status through independent third-party certification programs. Our assessment confirms the brand's commitment to no animal testing policies across all product development and manufacturing processes.
Are Julep products vegan?
Julep is not fully vegan. While cruelty-free certified, the brand uses animal-derived ingredients including carmine and beeswax in various products. Individual product ingredient lists should be reviewed for vegan compatibility.
Is Julep sustainable?
Julep shows mixed sustainability performance with strong animal welfare practices but significant gaps in environmental and social responsibility. The brand excels in cruelty-free verification and social giving while lacking climate action and supply chain transparency.
What is Julep's social impact program?
Julep operates a customer-directed donation program where 1% of every purchase supports nonprofit organizations chosen by customers. This transparent approach allows consumers to direct social impact toward causes they value most.
Does Julep have clean beauty products?
Julep offers select '21-free' nail polish formulations that avoid certain potentially concerning chemicals. However, broader clean beauty commitments and third-party safety certifications remain limited across the product portfolio.
Who owns Julep?
Julep operates under parent company AS Beauty, which provides market access through major retail partnerships including Target while maintaining limited transparency regarding corporate sustainability practices and supply chain oversight.
What are Julep's environmental commitments?
Julep currently discloses limited environmental initiatives, with no climate targets, emissions reporting, or renewable energy commitments published. Environmental efforts appear focused on select chemical reduction rather than comprehensive sustainability strategy.
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The Bottom Line
Julep demonstrates commitment to animal welfare through verified cruelty-free practices while showing significant gaps in environmental stewardship and supply chain transparency. The brand's selective approach to sustainability suggests opportunities for comprehensive improvement across climate action, labor practices, and vegan formulation development.
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