Te Protejo Hands Out 2026 Cruelty Free Awards as Chile Awaits Testing Ban Regulations

Chilean non-profit Te Protejo recently held its second annual Cruelty Free Awards, recognizing cosmetics, household cleaning, and pet care products sold in Chile that do not involve animal testing. The awards ceremony took place at María Luisa Café in Santiago, with local brands La Cinta and Go Nails winning alongside Brazil's Natura and the US company Oxyfresh. The winners were chosen in four categories: Sustainability (Natura’s Ekos Cupuaçu firming cream), Innovation (Oxyfresh’s water additive), Plant-Based (La Cinta’s moisturizing intimate lotion), and People’s Favorite (Go Nails’ Cotton Candy hand and foot cream), which garnered over 10,000 votes.

Te Protejo, which has been active since 2012, is Latin America's sole certification program for cruelty-free cosmetics and cleaning products. With Chile's Law 21.646 prohibiting animal testing for cosmetics now in effect, Te Protejo cites a 2024 survey showing 88% public support for the ban. While the law was enacted in January 2025, necessary regulatory guidelines are still pending. Te Protejo emphasizes the growing consumer interest in animal-friendly products and aims to support this trend through its certification efforts.