2021 Beauty Winners
As 2021 winds down (where does the time go!?), we bring you some of our most favorite beauty products we discovered this year and take you inside Natural Products Expo East, held in our home city of Philadelphia!
2021 Winners
What’s one of the perks of working on the Leaping Bunny Program? Being able to try so many great cruelty-free products! Our Leaping Bunny companies are putting out some truly incredible things. This month, we wanted to share with you our absolute favorites of 2021. It was really hard to narrow our list down, but these items below are ones we would no longer be able to live without.
Washing my face has never been a favorite step in my skincare routine, but that has changed since I started using Boscia’s Cryosea© Firming Icy-Cold Cleanser. For real! This amazing lightweight gel cleanses deeply without drying, removes makeup, and actually transforms my skin to be smoother and more radiant. The unique blend of algae, menthol, and sea kelp are amazing firming agents and the cooling sensation is absolutely incredible. My face feels thoroughly cleansed, rejuvenated, and refreshed after using it. Of course, I love to follow this up with more Boscia favorites, like the Balancing Toner and Tsubaki Swirl moisturizer, but that’s another story altogether! -Kim
I so enjoy trying new soaps and body washes, and when I discovered Formulary 55's Sea Salt & Lavender Bath Bar, I knew it would be one I'd need to replenish when it was gone. The scent sold me immediately. I could smell pleasant beachy undertones of sea salt through the packaging, and the lavender is especially complementary. The wrapping with its black and white design is very attractive and makes a beautiful presentation for a gift. Actually, gift sets are available that offer a couple of other items to try, including lotion and bath bombs. I love a cruelty-free and vegan soap that not only goes on super soft, but also has an aroma that stays with you! Happy to have found this treasure! -Maria
There are few things in life that are truly luxurious and transformative in one easy step. But, Riddle Oil’s Boujee Body Oil applied directly out of the shower is one of them, and this has been my favorite self-care ritual lately. Although most body oils tend to linger on the surface of the skin, Riddle's absorbs beautifully and leaves behind a subtle, clean scent that feels like a warm hug. Formulated with plant-based oils including sunflower seed oil, rosehip fruit oil, avocado oil, and Vitamin E oil, Riddle is super nourishing to the skin and provides instant hydration and moisture. As a bonus, the minimalist glass bottle looks very elegant on my bathroom sink. -Caitlin
Expo East 2021
One of our favorite trade shows is Natural Products Expo, and ‘Expo East’ happened to take place in our hometown of Philadelphia last month. So, of course, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to attend. Our Program Manager, Kim Paschen, spent two days visiting Leaping Bunny certified companies and meeting new companies interested in certification. While the event was scaled back due to the pandemic, she got to meet lots of interesting people and sample many products. Check out the gallery below to see which companies were there.
New Companies
This month, we bring you newly certified companies that offer an array of products, such as nail care must-haves to create a professional-looking gel manicure, skincare inspired by food, and sustainable, subscription-based toothpaste gel. Please check out some of our most recently certified companies below and click on their links to learn more!
Premium, plant-based skincare brand utilizing proprietary, natural botanical blends.
Boiess Colognes
Baby and kid’s colognes, inspired by Mediterranean scents and infused with prebiotics and Vitamin B3, and available at an affordable price.
Butterbean Organics
Brand that encourages a healthy and happy outdoor lifestyle, that is safe for both mother and child, with products including sunscreen and bug spray.
Candor
Reverse-engineered hair care products that prioritize hair and scalp health.
Earths Laundry
Sustainable laundry detergent sheets.
Everyday Oil
All purpose, organic, plant-based skincare.
Giving Palette
Eyeshadow palettes that donate to nonprofit organizations every time someone buys a product.
Glamlite
Innovative, fun, and inclusive beauty products inspired by food.
Beauty brand rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.
NOICE Care
Toothpaste gel in zero-waste packaging with a recyclable glass bottle and an eco-friendly subscription model.
Ojai Wild
California sourced and crafted fragrances and skincare.
Purecode
Beauty and wellness products, infused with Argan oil, to enhance life.
Reed + Gwen
Plant-based beauty products that are sustainable, transparent, formulated with little to no water, made in the USA, and free from synthetic fragrances.
Sundara Nails
Sister-founded company dedicated to bringing the nail salon straight to your house with at-home gel and dip polishes.
Vamigas
Skincare formulated with Latin American botanicals and packed with over 20 plant species from Maya, Aztec, Andean, Mapuche, and Inca territories.
Wildcraft
All-natural, high quality skincare products that are handcrafted in small batches in a Toronto studio.
Company Spotlight: Codex Beauty
This month, we are excited to interview Barbara Paldus, CEO of Codex Beauty. Read below to learn more about Codex’s minimalistic yet science-backed approach to protecting the skin from environmental factors, as well as its efforts to be a sustainable company.
What was the inspiration behind the creation of Codex Beauty?
Our inspiration creating minimalist skin solutions that address physical reality—from the invisible microbiome organisms that protect our skin, to globally dispersed visible pollution that irritates and ages our skin. As scientists, our vision is to quantify all aspects of skincare with real data, to empower people to choose truly safe and clinically proven products at the best possible price.
What is Codex Beauty’s mission?
Our mission is to blend the sciences of ethnobotany and genetics with biotech ingredients, to create a new standard in skincare: potent, plant-based biotech beauty.
Is there a story behind the name of your company?
The Codex was the first bound book. For two thousand years, humankind stored its scientific and religious knowledge in codices. As champions of preserving planetary biodiversity and the knowledge of indigenous people, we named the company after the Codex.
What efforts do you take to be a sustainable company?
We are obsessed with sustainability and take a minimalist approach to skincare routines and packaging. Our cartons are FSC certified and will soon contain recycled paper, while our tubes are made from sugarcane-based green PE, have a negative carbon footprint, and are recyclable. We are introducing the first mono-material airless tubes this year. We support efforts to remove ocean plastic, and hope to be zero plastic waste by 2030.
What is your favorite Codex Beauty product and why?
It’s the Antu Brightening Serum. It protects from pollution, restores the skin barrier, hydrates, firms, and re-densifies. It is also rapidly absorbed and a little goes a very long way so you don’t create packaging waste.
What is Codex Beauty’s most popular product?
It’s a tie between the Bia Skin Superfood and the Bia Exfoliating Wash, which were launched in 2019. People love the soothing hydration of the Superfood, and the gentle smoothing of the exfoliator.
What has been the most rewarding part of creating/being a team member of Codex Beauty?
It has been the journey of learning about new things: geography, plants, ecosystems, skin biology, genetics, skin disorders, recycling, and many other diverse and interesting topics. Science is fun, interesting, and limitless.
Are all of Codex Beauty’s products vegan?
YES—vegan is a cornerstone of our CODEX BEAUTY CODE. We are certified by The Vegan Society.
Why is being Leaping Bunny certified important to Codex Beauty?
Cruelty-free is another cornerstone of our CODEX BEAUTY CODE, and re-states our commitment to biodiversity and “first do no harm.” We want independent third-party verification of our claims, so the Leaping Bunny certification is critical to us.
What is something unique about Codex Beauty that others may not know?
We scour the earth for plants that can provide solutions for skin needs. Wherever we go, ethnobotany teaches us the genius of indigenous people to co-exist so harmoniously with Nature. For our learnings, we pay a royalty, even if it there are no patents, as without economic fairness, innovation loses its heart and soul.
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