How We Verify Brands

I carefully check each brand’s animal testing policy following this process. This ensures that brands on our list don’t test their products or ingredients on animals anywhere in the world. This includes making sure that all brands:

Do not test their products or ingredients on animals;
Do not fund or allow a third party to test on their behalf;
Have verified their raw material suppliers do not test on animals;
Do not sell their products in-stores in mainland China under conditions where post- or pre-market animal testing may be conducted;
It does not allow its products or ingredients to be tested on animals when required by law.

This standard ensures that no brands or companies use loopholes to claim a cruelty-free status. For the latest facts on animal testing, we rely on reputable organizations such as Leaping Bunny, Cruelty-Free International, Humane Society International, Ethical Elephant, and Cruelty-Free Kitty.

The Brand’s animal testing Policies

The brand doesn’t test any of its finished products, formulations, or ingredients on animals at any stage of product development. There’s absolutely no animal testing involved.

Suppliers & Third Parties

The brand’s suppliers and manufacturers don’t test finished products or ingredients on animals or allow or ask a third party to test its ingredients or products on its behalf.

law requirements & locations

The brand ensures no animal testing is performed when the law may require it and/or isn’t available in markets that require animal testing unless they can bypass these tests.

The brand’s certifications

Even though a brand can still be cruelty-free without certifications, we always check if they’re Leaping Bunny and/or PETA certified, as this can be a helpful confirmation.

The Brand’s parent company

We check whether the brand has a parent company and whether that parent company is cruelty-free. You can decide for yourself whether you want to buy from these brands.

Thorough Product Research Standards

Besides checking for a brand’s cruelty-free status, we also like to verify their status on other important information. This document outlines how we assess brands, ensuring transparency and trust for our readers.

Certifications: We look for certifications from organizations like Leaping Bunny or Peta. While certifications are helpful, some brands may not have them and can still be cruelty-free. It’s more of an indication that we like to consider.
Parent Company Assessment: We check if a cruelty-free brand has a parent company that tests on animals so you can make an informed decision.
Vegan Criteria: We check whether products are completely free from animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
Clean Ingredients: We provide details on and check products for harmful ingredients, helping you make informed decisions.
Sustainability Practices & Giving Back: We provide details on brands and their eco-friendly and social impact, like using recyclable packaging and giving back to the community.
Allergen Information: We provide details on common allergens like parabens, fragrances, gluten, nuts, and soy to help you make informed decisions.

Our commitment to ethical consumerism means you can trust our research process. We’re here to make beauty shopping easy for everyone and their values.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conscious Bunny is committed to providing accurate, well-researched, and transparent information about cruelty-free, vegan, clean, and conscious beauty. Every brand we list is thoroughly researched using publicly available data, direct brand communication, and reputable sources.

While no system is completely foolproof, we go the extra mile by following up with brands multiple times, asking detailed questions, and even requesting documentation when needed. If a brand’s cruelty-free status is unclear, we place them in the Grey Area rather than making assumptions.

Our goal is to make it easier for you to make informed, ethical beauty choices based on the most up-to-date and honest information available.

We start by doing thorough online research, checking the brand’s website and other reliable sources for any information on their animal testing policies. If key details are missing or need verification, we reach out to the brand directly.

Most brands don’t respond right away—or they reply with vague, generic answers—so we often have to follow up multiple times. We dig as deep as possible, sometimes even requesting certifications or documents to confirm that a brand is truly cruelty-free (or vegan, clean, or conscious, based on the information we provide in our brand articles).

Once we’ve gathered enough details, we determine whether the brand is cruelty-free, falls into the Grey Area, or does not meet cruelty-free standards.

We start with a set of core questions to determine if a brand is truly cruelty-free:

Does your brand test on animals for either finished products or ingredients?
Do your suppliers test on animals? How do you ensure this?
Do any third parties test on animals on your behalf?
Do you test on animals where required by law?
In which countries are your products sold (excluding online sales)? Is China one of these countries?

Depending on their answers, we ask follow-up questions to get more details about their production process, suppliers, and any third-party involvement.

Beyond cruelty-free status, if key information isn’t publicly available, we also ask about their ingredients (such as whether they use clean ingredients or potential allergens like gluten, nuts, or soy), sustainability efforts, and where their products are manufactured. Our goal is to get the most complete and transparent picture of a brand before classifying them.

We rely on brands being transparent by publicly sharing their full animal testing policy. While there’s no foolproof way to guarantee honesty, being caught in a lie can seriously damage a brand’s reputation. This is why, in general, most brands are honest about their policies.

No, it doesn’t have to mean that a brand tests on animals. As I manage this site all by myself, it might be possible that (newer) brands haven’t been added yet.

If you can’t find a particular brand, feel free to reach out, and I’ll look into the brand you’re requesting.

A brand in the “Grey Area” means there isn’t enough clear information to confirm whether they test on animals or not. This usually happens when a brand doesn’t respond to multiple inquiries over a long period or refuses to share details about their suppliers, ingredients, or third-party testing policies.

As I’m still working on adding more and more brands to the database, lists may not get updated as frequently as I would like. I keep an eye out and make changes at least once a month.

No, there isn’t. Joining any list on Conscious Bunny is free. However, a brand must be willing to answer all needed questions and provide all necessary information.