"Cruelty-free" is a term used to describe products and brands that do not test their products on animals. This includes all stages of production, from individual ingredients to the finished product. "Cruelty-free" products must not have been tested on animals by the company itself, its suppliers, or any other third party.

However, it's important to note that "cruelty-free" does not necessarily mean that the product is vegan. A product may not be tested on animals but still contain animal-derived ingredients.

In short, “cruelty-free” guarantees the absence of animal testing, but does not provide information on the exact composition of the product in terms of ingredients of animal origin.