I Audited My Skin Care Routine. Here's What I Found.
Daisy was not impressed. Part 1 of The Good Switch Beauty Audit.
I went through every skin care product in my bathroom cabinet this week and asked the question most of us never think to ask while grabbing our moisturizer on autopilot:
Is this tested on animals?
One quick note before we dive in — I'm not specifically checking for vegan certification at this stage. Just cruelty-free status. I'll flag it when the information is readily available.
Here's what I audited:
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Walgreens Cream to Foam Hydrating Cleanser
Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
Paula's Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50
Kitsch Kojic Acid Face & Body Cleansing Pads
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum
RoC Derm Correxion Firming Serum Stick
How I checked each one:
Two databases — and they don't always agree:
🐰 Leaping Bunny — the gold standard. Requires the brand to prove no animal testing across the supply chain. Requires yearly recertification, and the company has to agree to audits of their supply chain. Very strict.
🐰 PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies — requires a signed, legally binding agreement from the brand. Less strict than Leaping Bunny but still meaningful.
When the two didn't agree, I dug deeper — and you'll see why that matters below.
Here's what passed:
✅ Kitsch — Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free. Not listed on PETA but since Leaping Bunny is the stricter standard Daisy gives this one a full paws up. 🐾
✅ Paula's Choice — Leaping Bunny AND PETA certified. Worth noting this brand is owned by Unilever. Their animal testing philosophy is available on their website for your own reading.
Want the full results — including which products didn't make the cut, which ones fall into the Proceed With Caution category, and exactly why I'm swapping three products out of my routine?
It's all in this week's issue of The Daisy Dispatch — our free weekly newsletter where we do the cruelty-free research so you don't have to.
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Already a subscriber? The full audit is in your inbox. Check for Issue No. 1 from Rebecca & Daisy. 🐾
Tested by me. Trusted by you. 🌼
— Rebecca & Daisy, Chief Approval Officer