Your Leaping Bunny Certified Brands Guidebook

 Via Unsplash

If you are an animal-conscious, environmentally friendly person, that means you might want your consuming habits to match. When it comes to the cosmetics and home products you use, look for Leaping Bunny certified brands. Since 1996, the approval of these brands has come from the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals, aka the Leaping Bunny Program, which is run by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics in the United States and Canada. Their mission has been to connect compassionate customers with cruelty-free companies.

Contents

1. The Requirements

2. Skincare

3. Haircare

4. Makeup

5. Final Thoughts

Key Points

• The Leaping Bunny Program's mission is to connect consumers with cruelty-free companies
• Leaping Bunny certified brands meet and maintain strict requirements
• There are hundreds of brands, beauty and otherwise, that boast the Leaping Bunny label

The Requirements

The Leaping Bunny logo is the only internationally recognized symbol that assures customers that no additional animal testing was used in the production of any item displaying the logo. 

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The logo can be seen on cosmetics and home product packaging, advertising, and websites all around the world. If a company wishes to become another of the growing number of Leaping Bunny certified brands, it must meet all six of these requirements (as outlined on their official website):

1. The company does not and will not conduct, commission, or be a party to animal testing of any cosmetic and/or household products including, formulations and ingredients of products.
2. The company does not and will not purchase any ingredient, formulation, or product from any third party manufacturer or supplier that conducted, commissioned, or had been party to animal testing on said ingredient or formulation. If a formulation, ingredient, or product is found not to comply with the standard, the company must replace it with an alternative that complies with the standard's criteria or remove it from the product range.
3. If the company only distributes finished cosmetics and/or household products, the company shall require that the third party manufacturer(s) confirm that they did not and shall not conduct or commission animal testing on said ingredient, formulation, or product, and the company must implement a supplier monitoring system to verify these claims. *Companies are not required to obtain declarations of raw material compliance from suppliers of natural agricultural ingredients.
4. The company shall not allow animal testing to be performed by or for submission to regulatory agencies in foreign countries. The company shall include language as an addendum to its contracts with any distributor(s) selling the company's products for entry into foreign markets (any country other than the United States and Canada). A sample contract addendum must be submitted to the CCIC as proof of compliance. 
5. The company shall submit the application for approval to the CCIC and retain a copy of this document at the company's principal place of business.
6. The company agrees to the following: Recommit annually, and require a company's supplier monitoring system to be submitted to an independent audit. 

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The full list of Leaping Bunny certified brands can be found here. However, as there are currently hundreds of them, this list can feel a little overwhelming. Checking for specific brands that you are interested in may be a more effective use of your time if you want to ensure that your products are meeting the ethical standards they claim. Here are just a few Leaping Bunny certified brands that you may have heard of:

Skincare

Curology: Curology is an online, customized skincare company that offers personalized remote treatments and sells customized goods. This company caters to people who suffer acne on any part of their body and provides them with online access to skin experts with whom they can upload photos and discuss their skin history. Individuals can obtain a customized formula after this consultation. They offer multistep treatments, typically containing a cleanser, moisturizer, and rich moisturizer. The catch to having a personalized plan is that customers must sign up for a monthly prescription in order to purchase items from the site.

Haircare

It's a 10: This is one of the oldest of the Leaping Bunny certified brands. It's a 10 has been in business for almost 20 years, beginning its journey in 1998, and is now a standard in salons and households. It’s a 10 attempts to provide the benefits of 10 hair products in one, hence their name. 

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Makeup

Naked Cosmetics: In 2005, Naked Cosmetics was created as a professional cosmetics brand and is primarily offered in salons, spas, studios, and other professional beauty venues, as well as by independent beauty professionals. Naked Cosmetics is one of the most natural and pure makeup brands on the market. Their best-selling colors are created entirely of oxidized mica and include no talc, oil, wax, or other potentially harmful additives. Their products are hypoallergenic, non-perishable, and simply lovely.

Final Thoughts

With so many brands making shifts within their company and changing their formulas to comply with stricter regulations, consumers now have more power. Looking for and buying from Leaping Bunny certified brands can help you do your part to make your skin, hair, and environment better. By giving our money to companies that put profit first, we blindly fuel global pollution, deforestation, child labor, and more. Being conscious and holding companies accountable is not only in your best interest, but benefits society as a whole.

Written by Kiana St. Onge

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SOURCES:

1. https://www.leapingbunny.org/about/corporate-standard-compassion-animals-standard
2. https://www.leapingbunny.org/shopping-guide