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Dear Compassionate Consumer,
Happy April! With the weather finally warming up and the sun shining bright, we are super excited for products packed with the beauty of nature to enhance our skincare routine. Check out Kim and Caitlin’s reviews of their most recent favorite finds below.
We also have several exciting and important updates to share regarding the 2018 recommitments to our Program, a new version of our Cruelty-Free App, and our most recently certified companies. These announcements are helpful to ensure that your list of brands to support are the most up-to-date.
Lastly, we interview VIVAIODAYS, a company committed to creating pure and safe products for babies and children. Be sure to scroll through to the end of this email for exclusive deals from Amber Budd Atelier, LEYOS, Luna Nectar, NIU Body, and Whitespace Goods.
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For the animals,
 Caitlin McGrother
Leaping Bunny Program Administrator
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| Spring Beauty We are all nature lovers here at Leaping Bunny. So, we’re always happy around this time of year when the trees start sprouting leaves and tulips are in full bloom. And, when we get to try products that remind us of flora and fauna, we get extra pumped.
We recently had a chance to try out these products below, which are perfect for spring rejuvenation. We love them and think you will, too!
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| Forest Rhapsody Skincare’s Dew Drops Enzymatic Cleansing Gel
We are obsessing over this jar of golden goodness. It’s a super concentrated, luxurious gel comprised of gentle exfoliating enzymes, soothing willow bark extract, and a powerful concoction of plant oils and extracts to moisturize. I absolutely love to slather this on at the end of a long day. It refreshes my skin but doesn’t irritate it (like some enzyme cleaners could) or strip it (thanks to those botanical oils). This is a special cleanser that deserves more than to be quickly slapped on and rinsed off. I like taking an extra minute to massage it onto my face to get the full effect before rinsing with warm water. This formulation, along with the brand’s complete skincare line, is plant-based and works wonderfully with their Thousand Petals Flower Acid Resurfacing Mask and Green Nectar-Marine Hydrator. -Kim
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| The Konjac Sponge Company’s Woodland Creatures Collection
The Konjac Sponge has become an indispensable beauty tool in my shower. These all-natural sponges come from the Konjac potato plant in Asia, which is rich in minerals and naturally alkaline (read: good for the skin!). They are amazing for super gentle exfoliation and come loaded with other skin-loving ingredients like charcoal, green clay, green tea, and chamomile. So how perfect is it that this Woodland Creatures collection features not only the cutest packaging, but different kinds of sponges in compact sizes so you can try them all out to see which one you like best? The size is perfect for those hard-to-reach areas on your face and they are excellent travel companions, helping to brighten tired, jetlagged skin. Use with or without cleanser! -Kim
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| The Mellow Mermaid Foaming Sugar Scrub in Turbulent Seas
The Mellow Mermaid has quickly become my newest go-to brand to feel fresh and clean and smelling lovely. All of their scents are reminiscent of the beach, sea, and summer, and smell absolutely incredible. One product that I was a bit skeptical of, but quickly became enamored with, is the foaming sugar scrub. Upon first view, the scrub is brightly colored and looks to have a whipped consistency. I dislike most sugar scrubs because they leave my bathtub super slippery after use. But, this scrub lathers and cleanses, all while providing a light exfoliation and washes clean without any oily residue. In addition to the amazing results of smooth, clean skin, this product is vegan, made with fair-trade organic sugar, organic sweet almond oil, and organic jojoba oil, and has the light, invigorating scent of eucalyptus and spearmint. It’s the perfect product to take my shower routine to the next level. -Caitlin
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| Recommitment Every year, we ask our certified companies to recommit to the Leaping Bunny Program. It’s our way of ensuring companies’ manufacturing processes remain free of animal testing. Annual Recommitment is a cornerstone of our Program and one which we take very seriously. Leaping Bunny is committed to providing consumers with the most reliable list of cruelty-free companies that instills confidence when shopping.
We are happy to report that the majority of our companies successfully completed the 2018 recommitment process! Click on the link below to see the complete list of companies that recommitted to our Program (and the ones that did not recommit). Please note that the most up-to-date list of certified companies remains our Brand Page and is the best resource for our complete list of approved brands.
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| Our App is Updated! We are happy to announce that a new version of our Cruelty-Free App for iPhones and Androids has been released! While our online shopping guide remains our most up-to-date resource for all of our cruelty-free brands, we understand the convenience of having a handy app while you are out and about shopping. The Cruelty-Free App is updated quarterly and contains all companies that have been approved through April 12th. We have also updated it to remove the companies that did not complete the 2018 Recommitment.
Our App is available on both iTunes and the Play Store. Simply search “Cruelty-Free” in your preferred app store or check out the link below!
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| New Companies April showers bring...so many more companies making the commitment to be cruelty-free! We have had so many amazing companies seeking certification over the last few months; see below for some of our most recently certified brands.
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Aunt Fannie
Whole ingredient, microbiomic “Healthy Housekeeping” products that are highly effective and safe for our bodies.
Blocki
Family-owned perfumery dating back to 1865 that utilizes sustainable ingredients that are vegan and do not contain parabens, phthalates, or artificial colors.
Gentleman Farmer
Modern men’s grooming company dedicated to high-quality, sustainable products, inspired by upstate New York.
GreenSky Cosmetics
Anti-aging skincare dedicated to fighting free radicals and other environmental factors.
GuruNanda
Essential oils sourced from six continents.
KAB Cosmetics
Lip kits formulated and designed with high quality ingredients and packaging.
Lululemon
Active lifestyle brand launching a line of personal care products.
Milk Makeup
Cult beauty brand offering vegan, paraben-free cosmetics and skincare with trendy names and innovative packaging. |
Minifix Makeup
Mini makeup for eyes, lips, and face.
Nude Envie
Cosmetic line that focuses on “nude”-colored shades to showcase a woman’s skin tone without overpowering her other defining features.
Sage Stone Botanicals
Family-owned skin care company made with only certified organic ingredients and packaged in recyclable materials whenever possible.
Supergoop!
SPF-infused body and face care.
Sweet Cheeks Organics
Plant-based face and body polishers.
The 7 Virtues Beauty
Natural perfume created to empower women around the world.
The Humble Gents
Small batch, handmade men’s grooming products.
Wash With Water
Vegan skin and hair products for babies, expectant moms, and the rest of the family. |
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Spotlight Interview:
VIVAIODAYSThis month, we are excited to interview Elina Lampaki, co-founder of the company VIVAIODAYS. Kim and Caitlin had the pleasure of meeting Elina and her partner, Marios, earlier this year at Indie Beauty Expo LA and were immediately drawn to their passion creating high-quality yet gentle products for babies and small children. Read below to learn more about the inspiration behind VIVAIODAYS (including the name!) and what makes their products so special.
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Where does the name Vivaiodays from?
The name comes from: a) VIVAIO (vee-vi-oh). VIVAIO is ‘nursery’ in Italian with two meanings; it’s a place where young plants grow and it’s a place where little kids learn as they grow. b) DAYS is related to our School Days program. Our products sold happily fund School Days for aspiring students somewhere in the world.
What kind of products does Vivaiodays make?
We make pure and safe personal care products for babies and kids that are efficacious and pleasant to use by the whole family.
 You’ve told us that each of your products has a story behind its name. Can you share one of these stories with us?
Our ROSE GERANIUM CLEANSING WATER that is inspired by the Land of Zulu. Rose Geranium leaves are still used by the sage Zulu women healers of Southern Africa, where this medicinal plant species is native and wild-collected. Organic Rose Hydrosol or floral water, mildly but effectively helps restore and bring balance to sensitive skin conditions by soothing irritation and underlying inflammation. With 98% Organic Rose Geranium Floral Water, this beautiful soap-free skin tonic is designed to gently cleanse, soften and soothe even the most delicate skin.
How are your baby care products different?
Each VIVAIODAYS product is inspired by a proven, centuries old remedy, recently rediscovered somewhere in the world and is enhanced with organic science, resulting in a safe, pure and effective organic certified product. From the emollient benefits of Apricot Oil in India, to the healing properties of Olive Oil in Greece we personally witnessed powerful healing traditions gifted by nature. All organic and natural ingredients used are carefully selected and sourced in order to create effective products to the highest standards possible, resulting in elevated textures ideal for precious little ones (and us). Every product is certified COSMOS-ORGANIC; allergen, GMO, cruelty & gluten-free; and vegan (with the exception of the Apricot Lotion and the Turmeric Sunscreen that contain beeswax).
What is your favorite product that you make?
My favorite product is the VIVAIODAYS TURMERIC BROAD-SPECTRUM SUNSCREEN inspired by Borneo. It is a very water-resistant SPF with 0% synthetics, 20% non-nano zinc oxide, and turmeric, an antioxidant that protects from long-term damage caused by UV radiation. I love it because it is colorless and easy to apply from head to toe, it is easily absorbed, coral reef safe, and is ideal for the entire family!
What is something people don’t know about Vivaiodays?
Our signature baby animal illustration that is featured on each product is inspired by the origin of each remedy. These wise little guys prefer to be pictured on our 100% recyclable sugarcane tubes and bottles.
 Where can people purchase your products?
Our products are sold in selective indie beauty stores (e.g. Lemon Laine, Shen-Beauty, Glow Apothecary, The Indie Shelf), baby boutiques (e.g. Maple Phoenix, Thrive Mama Collective) and cool gift stores (e.g. Gus & Ruby Letterpress, City & State, Larkellen Santa Monica). Also, you can find VIVAIODAYS at Anthropologie.com, beautyhabit.com, vivaiodays.com.
Why is it important to you to be Leaping Bunny certified?
For us, not to be cruelty free was out of question! The Leaping Bunny certification is the most appropriate for us as a brand doing business globally because it is the only internationally recognized certification that requires a supplier monitoring system to be implemented by the company and supply chain checking for animal testing right down to ingredient manufacturer level!
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