Is The Ordinary Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free? New status?
Information about The Ordinary Leaping Bunny cruelty free certified status.
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Is The Ordinary Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free?
The Ordinary has entered China via an exclusive partnership with Sephora. 24 of the Canadian owned skincare brand’s products are now available in China via Sephora, including new offerings.

In China, certain cosmetic products may be subject to mandatory animal testing regulations. If a brand wants to sell its products in physical stores in China, it has to comply with these regulations, where animal testing may occur.
Certain ingredients, products, and claims can still trigger animal tests and post-market testing involving animals is still a possibility. There’s a lot of hoops to jump through
To avoid animal testing in China, companies must meet specific criteria:
- Sell only items considered ‘general’ cosmetics in China (such as makeup, skincare, haircare and perfumes).
- Avoid selling ‘special’ cosmetics like sunscreen. In many countries SPF’s are considered a drug.
- Do not sell products containing ‘New Cosmetic Ingredients.’
- Have a standard policy in place to recall products if post-market testing is required rather than allowing them to be tested on animals.
The above list is interesting since The Ordinary has now entered the sunscreen market with some of their latest skincare.
There are two ways to bypass these animal tests.
One is is to only have their products available only online, and not in physical stores. The other way is to manufacture the products in China while making sure to adhere to strict regulations.
“We are thrilled that The Ordinary is debuting in mainland China this February (2025) ” said de La Faverie . And we are launching with a very strong assortment in China with some adaptation of the products and some new ones as well.”
Stéphane de La Faverie, CEO of the Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), which acquired Deciem in 2024, announced The Ordinary’s news on February 4th of 2025 during the group’s earnings conference. The Ordinary is owned by Estée Lauder which is not a cruelty-free brand.
The Ordinary also launched its first flagship store on China’s Alibaba’s Tmall, just months after entering the Chinese market in February 2025. To mark the launch, The Ordinary hosted an event in Shanghai, attended by Kilner, Estée Lauder China chief growth officer Lulu Chang, and executives from Tmall.
“The launch of our Tmall store marks an important step in our journey to make effective skincare more accessible to Chinese consumers,” said Nicola Kilner, co-founder of The Ordinary. “We’re excited to deepen our connection with this market”
Is The Ordinary Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free? What does the Leaping Bunny website say?
The Ordinary’s web site says its still Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free. However when you look on Leaping Bunny’s website, The Ordinary is not listed at all. It’s also not listed in the websites list of those companies of Who Recommitted in 2024 to Leaping bunny standards.
The above information has given me pause on this once fully committed cruelty free company. I can’t imagine the beloved founder of The Ordinary, Brandon Truaxe (Iranian-Canadian ), being okay with this. I certainly am not.
Brands that don’t sell in China that are cruelty free.
Inkey List: Ulta or Sephora
Leaping Bunny certified. Caffeine Eye Cream is INKEY’s top-performing product at Ulta. The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer is also a best seller.
Good Molecule: Ulta
Leaping Bunny certified. Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Lightweight Daily Moisturizer are best sellers
Cocokind : Ulta
Leaping Bunny certified. Cocokind’s electrolyte-powered water cream delivers lightweight, breathable hydration. Their Milky-Soft Face and Body Cleanser is a best seller.
Versed: Ulta or Versed brand site
Leaping Bunny certified. Versed’s Good Defense Daily Sunscreen SPF 50+ is an ultra-hydrating gel-cream sunscreen
Bubble: Ulta or Walmart
Leaping Bunny certified. Bubble Water Slide Hydration Boosting Serum Hyaluronic Acid + Peptides! This hydrating serum is a stand out. As well as Plus One Tinted Daily Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40.
Links to brands are all affiliated.







