Cruelty-Free Down to a Fine Art: A Visual Trip
Cruelty-Free Art
Being cruelty-free has inspired talented artists over the years to create some pretty great visuals to help end animal testing. Check out some of our favorites, including one from our artist-in-residence, Emily Charniga, Design and Web Manager at the American Anti-Vivisection Society, the non-profit which manages the Leaping Bunny Program. We’ve included their Instagram handles, as well, in case you want to give them a follow (their accounts generally contain lots of other cool, animal rights drawings too!).
Packaging Stars
We are continually amazed by the top quality and enormous variety of Leaping Bunny certified companies on our list (over 2,100!) and all of the great products these companies create. But we’ve also come across some pretty awesome branding and packaging over the years. We wanted to share some of the ones that have particularly stood out.
You know the phrase, "Don't judge a book by its cover?" Well, go ahead and judge Alpyn Beauty! Their boxes, bottles, and jars are lovely, and as it turns out, so are the products inside! The aroma of clean, natural ingredients is evident as soon as you open up the pretty packaging. You can smell the notes of fresh fruits, like the papaya in the Creamy Bubbling Cleanser, as well as the huckleberry in the 8-Acid Polishing Peel. The PlantGenius Survival Serum and Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Firming Serum are high quality serums, leaving your face feeling smooth and firm. Alpyn Beauty’s products are beautiful inside and out; you could easily say Alpyn offers the "full package". -Maria
We’ve loved this brand for a long, long time. In addition to making amazing products out of clean, high quality ingredients as can be found in their hero product, Booda Butter (a multi-purpose amazing-smelling moisturizer) their bright cheerful logo of a smiling Buddha is an instant uplifter. They also make a huge effort to provide sustainable, recyclable packaging. Their compact lip balms are cleverly housed in 100% biodegradable push tubes and their other products come in either glass jars or tins (Pro tip: the tin is awesome for repurposing), so you can recycle/reuse when empty. -Kim
Have you ever looked at a company’s products and just knew you would love them? That is exactly how I feel about Riddle Oil. Their products, which come in glass containers, have minimalistic, yet eye-catching branding. I particularly love the black and white motif and how they utilize their question mark logo. I have recently become obsessed with Riddle’s Milky Spray Lotion in the Original Scent. It is such a clean and subtle fragrance that is also incredibly alluring. The light, creamy lotion is sprayed on the skin and is quickly absorbed, leaving behind hydrated and lightly fragrant skin. I love the scent and product so much that I definitely will be needing their Boujee Body Oil and Fragrance Oil in the Original scent in the very near future. I also feel super safe liberally using Riddle because all of their products are vegan and non-toxic, and free of parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde. -Caitlin
New Companies
Mid-summer check-in! We have been busier than ever with so many new companies making their commitment to cruelty-free products! Of note this month are two(!) new deodorant brands, a gender-neutral CBD skincare line, sustainable household cleaning products in the convenience of a subscription box, and cosmetics specifically developed for redheads! Check out these companies and be sure to click on their links to learn more.
Woman-owned, women-grown, and family run company specializing in products formulated with full spectrum hemp extract.
Apollo and Artemis Beauty by Equality
Skin care brand empowering people of all genders, races, and sexual orientation to harness their inner god and goddess through self-love and self-care.
BODE
Minimalist personal care brand offering a highly curated collection of products, all packaged in bottles made from sugarcane.
DONTOUCHMYCROWN
Brand that encourages a healthy haircare routine by understanding your scalp, texture, and retaining moisture to achieve maximum hydration.
Ernest Supplies
Multi-tasking skincare that is simple to understand and seamlessly integrate into an active, modern lifestyle.
First Honey
Family-owned company that uses medical grade Manuka honey in all of its topical healing products.
LILIXIR
High-performance natural skincare made in Canada with 100% plant-based and organic ingredients.
Nala Care
“Free-from” skincare line concentrating in deodorants free-from aluminum, parabens, propylene glycol, carcinogens, phthalates, and cruelty.
Full-spectrum CBD-infused skincare that is gender neutral and made high quality ingredients, and is free from unnecessary additives and traditional cosmetic marketing.
Olivia + Lucille Co
Luxurious, personal care products for the bath, body, lips, and skin.
Redhead Revolution
Redhead powered beauty products including eyeshadow, lipstick, mascara, sunscreen, and tinted moisturizer.
Small Batch Soaps
Vegan, made from scratch soaps and personal care products formulated with avocado oil, shea butter, rice bran oil, and coconut oil, and made in really fun colors and shapes.
Spruse Box Co
Subscription box of sustainable household cleaning products for dishes, laundry, and a wide variety of surfaces.
Sunglow Boho
Skincare utilizing an ethical and environmentally-friendly approach to formulation and packaging.
Super Deodorant
Deodorant that is allergenic protein/peptide-free, phytoestrogren-free, isoflavone-free, and is safe for pregnant women, nursing mothers, teens, and anyone with sensitive skin.
The Beard Struggle
All-natural beard care and grooming products for the modern day Viking.
The Skinyst
Skincare products that contain cutting edge ingredients and biocompatible formulations, proven to address all skin types and concerns.
Company Spotlight: M.S Skincare
This month, we are super excited to interview Anit Hora, CEO and Founder of M.S Skincare. Read below to learn more about how Anit’s unique background inspired the creation of M.S Skincare, the steps it takes to be a sustainable company, and its clean and minimalistic branding.
What was the inspiration behind the creation of M.S Skincare?
When I first started the line in 2012, I was very inspired by the concept of slow living. I wanted to create something that was very natural and had roots in deep, ancient traditions. I started taking herbal medicine classes and it just took form there. With roots in Ayurvedic healing and training as a certified western herbalist and licensed esthetician, I combined the powerful healing and beauty practices of both eastern and western traditions. We use herbal healing from around the world to create a comprehensive line of skincare that reflects the knowledge and diversity of the interconnected world we live in today.
What is M.S Skincare’s mission?
M.S Skincare is a luxury skincare and lifestyle brand built on the core belief that we all have the power to make a difference with our choices. Since our founding in 2012, our mission has resided in creating products that not only allow you to cultivate radiant and healthy skin, but also to source ingredients and packaging ethically and responsibly. We have one planet, and we choose to treat it with kindness and compassion.
Is there a story behind the name of your company?
Yes! Mullein was the first herb that I learned about when I started studying plant medicine. And Sparrow is a nickname that my mom calls me. This line really is all about my journey with herbal medicine.
What efforts do you take to be a sustainable company?
We choose ethically sourced ingredients of uncompromising quality to make products for the woman who understands the power of her choice. Since our launch in 2012, I have personally curated every last ingredient. We ensure the highest quality product by building relationships with small ateliers and farmers who care as much about our mission as we do. We research the entire process of how each ingredient is cultivated, from curating an essential oil to extracting a plant hydrosol. M.S Skincare uses only the finest quality botanicals sourced from the best artisanal suppliers. Simply put, sustainable packaging matters. Everything from our tissue paper to the bubble wrap we use is all selected with sustainability in mind. Our tissue paper supplier contributes to global reforestation, our bubble wrap is biodegradable, and of course our cardboard boxes are recyclable. One of our most appreciated packaging initiatives are our glass bottles and jars. Unlike plastic, glass does not contain chemicals that can leach chemicals into the product. It also is easily upcycled or recycled, and when recycled, it does not compromise the glass’ quality or structure. Sustainability has remained a priority throughout the evolution of our brand. We will continue to provide well-researched, high-quality ingredients so that you know exactly what is going onto your skin.
What is your favorite M.S Skincare product and why?
My favorite product is our Luminary Face Oil. It was the first product that I created that I got to blend my knowledge of plants and essential oils and use my esthetician skills. I experimented on so many people with this before it went out to the world and it has continually been a bestseller since the beginning!
What is M.S Skincare’s most popular product?
Our Jaipur Mask is the most popular product—people really love the formulation and the results that it gives them! It is a pumpkin enzyme mask that will leave your skin looking and feeling amazing!
What has been the most rewarding part of creating M.S Skincare?
It really is all about community for us! It's been so incredible to be a part of the indie makers community, the female entrepreneur community, and of course the community that we have created with our customers.
Your branding is so clean and minimalistic! How did you decide on your branding and how important is it to your company and products?
I wanted a clean and modern look so that the products and ingredients could really shine through. It took us a while to get to this version of our branding and it feels the most natural and most like what we wanted to put out into the world.
Are all of M.S Skincare’s products vegan?
Yes! M.S Skincare has 100% all-natural, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients.
Why is being Leaping Bunny certified important to M.S Skincare?
Being cruelty-free has always been a part of our ethos and Leaping Bunny shares our values. This is a great way for us to show our commitment to our community and beyond.
What is something unique about M.S Skincare that others may not know?
This company really was started by a passion for great products before there were a million indie skincare brands. I started this out of my Brooklyn apartment with no funding, no business plan, no staff, nothing but a love for plant medicine and wanting to put that out into the world.
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