What Does Daisy Approved Actually Mean?
It's not just a cute stamp. It's a promise.
Meet the Chief Approval Officer
This is Daisy. She's a nine year old rescue beagle with a nose for quality, a talent for couch monopolization, and an unwavering commitment to doing what's right.
She came into our lives in 2019 — found abandoned in South Carolina, rescued by a local organization and transported to the Washington DC area looking for her forever home. When we met her she climbed into a lap and stayed there. She came home with us that day.
Daisy didn't come from a testing facility. But she easily could have.
Beagles are one of the most commonly used breeds in animal testing laboratories. Their gentle temperament, manageable size and trusting nature — the very things that make them such wonderful companions — are the same qualities that make them targets for laboratory use.
Every time you see the Daisy Approved stamp on a product recommendation, you're seeing Daisy's answer to that reality.
She approves. We verify. You shop with confidence.
Our verification process — no shortcuts, no exceptions.
✅ Point 1 — Brand Certification We verify that the brand itself holds certification from at least one of the following recognized cruelty-free certification bodies:
Leaping Bunny Program
PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies
Choose Cruelty Free (Australia) - when needed
A brand's own claim of being cruelty-free is not sufficient. Third-party certification is required.
Please note: Our categories are not permanent. As brands change their practices, their transparency, or their ownership, our assessment changes, too. We will always tell you when and why something moves.
✅ Point 2 — Parent Company Check This is the step most people skip — and the most important one.
Many beloved brands that appear cruelty-free are owned by parent corporations that test on animals. We check every brand's ownership and flag any parent company concerns clearly and honestly.
We will always tell you if a non-cruelty-free parent company owns a brand — and let you decide what that means for your purchasing decision. These brands may end up in the “Use Caution” bucket, even if they are certified by PETA.
The words "cruelty-free" are not regulated. Any company can put them on a label. That's why we don't take labels at face value.
Every product that earns the Daisy Approved stamp goes through our four-point verification:
✅ Point 3 — Real World Availability A cruelty-free alternative is only useful if you can actually find it.
Every Daisy Approved product is verified to be available through at least one of the following:
A major national retailer — Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Ulta, or similar
Amazon with reliable fulfillment
The brand's own website with straightforward ordering
We don't recommend products you'd need to hunt down. If it's not accessible it's not helpful.
✅ Point 4 — The Real World Price Check Going cruelty-free shouldn't require a bigger budget.
Where possible we prioritize drugstore-priced alternatives that are genuinely comparable to the products you're already buying. We'll always tell you if a swap is a splurge — and give you a budget option alongside it.
A few things we want to be clear about.
Daisy Approved is not a paid placement. Brands cannot buy their way onto our recommended list. Period. If we ever feature a sponsored product, we will say so clearly, and it will still meet every point of our verification standard. *We may receive free samples occasionally to test, but we will disclose this to you, and give you our honest assessment.
Daisy Approved is not a guarantee of vegan products. Cruelty-free means no animal testing. It does not automatically mean vegan — some cruelty-free products may still contain animal-derived ingredients. We will always flag when a product is both cruelty-free AND vegan so you can make the choice that's right for you.
“If Daisy wouldn’t approve it, we don’t recommend it. And Daisy has very high standards.” 🐾”
Daisy Approved is not infallible. Brand ownership changes. Certifications lapse. Companies get acquired. We monitor our recommendations and update them when things change — but we always recommend double-checking for products you purchase regularly.
If you spot something that needs updating please tell us. We take that seriously.
Ready to see what's Daisy Approved?
Coming Soon
Browse our swap guides — every recommendation inside is fully verified and Daisy Approved.
