Benefit

How ethical is Benefit?

Benefit, a make up brand owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E. is given a low ethical rating by The Good Shopping Guide. Unfortunately, because this brand receives a low Good Shopping Guide ethical score in our Ethical Make Up Ratings Table, Benefit has not yet met our minimum benchmark. This brand has several areas to improve upon before it would likely qualify for our Ethical Accreditation. 

About Benefit Cosmetics and LVMH

Jean and Jane Ford, identical twins, created Benefit. They were raised in Indiana and went to Indiana University before relocating to San Francisco. The Face Place, a beauty shop, was established by the twins in the Mission District of San Francisco in 1976.

LVMH Hennessy Mot The luxury goods giant Louis Vuitton, also known as LVMH, is a French holding company with its headquarters in Paris. The company was created in 1987 as a result of the union of the fashion house Louis Vuitton and the cognac manufacturer Mot Hennessy, which had been created in 1971 as a result of the union of the champagne and cognac producers Mot & Chandon and Hennessy. LVMH was valued at $329 billion in 2021, making it the most valuable corporation in Europe.

In what areas does Benefit perform poorly?

Benefit stocks no certified-Organic make up products, which means that ingredients may have been produced using pesticides. Considering that make up sits on the skin and may also be accidentally ingested on occasion (such as in the case of lip products), it’s important that brands provide consumers with Organic options. Pesticides also harm the environment, farmers, local communities and wildlife.

LVMH’s position on animal testing is uncertain. Though the company has released no formal statement on Animal Welfare, the brand has previously faced backlash for using animal skins, furs and body parts. (In order to put pressure on LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E to cease selling bags using exotic animal skins, PETA bought a share in the company in 2017.) 

In what areas does Benefit perform well? 

Fortunately, Benefit redeems itself somewhat with its Social and Environmental Responsibility Report. Targets are included in this report, and though some of these aims are nebulous, some are commendable.

How can the Benefit brand improve its ethical rating? 

The Good Shopping Guide’s score results from 15 ethical criteria in relation to Benefit. To reach our ethical benchmark and qualify for our Ethical Accreditation, Benefit has several issues to deal with, including its lack of certified-Organic products and its parent company’s Animal Welfare stance.