Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. NonToxicFinder (Solved Labs LLC) may earn commissions on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with the Environmental Working Group or Leaping Bunny/CCIC.

"Cruelty-free" printed on a shampoo bottle is not a regulated claim in the United States: any brand can put it there without a review from anyone. The Leaping Bunny logo is different: it means a third-party organization audited the claim. This guide explains exactly what Leaping Bunny certification checks, how it differs from an unverified "cruelty-free" label and from EWG VERIFIED®, and which Leaping Bunny certified shampoos and body washes are currently available on Amazon. See our What Leaping Bunny Certified Means (and What It Does Not Cover).

What Leaping Bunny certification means

Leaping Bunny is run by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), a partnership of animal-protection groups that operates a single, shared cruelty-free standard. A company earns the logo by meeting several specific requirements:

  • No animal testing at any stage of development: not just the finished product, but ingredients too.
  • Supply-chain accountability: every ingredient supplier must also sign a statement confirming it does not test on animals, and the certified company is responsible for verifying that up its own supply chain.
  • A fixed cutoff date: the company and its ingredient suppliers must not have conducted or commissioned animal testing after a specified date, per CCIC's standard.
  • Annual recommitment: certification is not permanent. Companies re-sign and are subject to ongoing monitoring, including occasional independent audits, to keep the logo current.

That combination of ingredient-level scope, supplier accountability, and required annual recommitment is what makes Leaping Bunny a meaningfully stronger claim than an unverified "cruelty-free" label a brand prints on its own packaging.

Leaping Bunny vs. "cruelty-free" on the label

"Cruelty-free" has no legal definition or regulatory body behind it in the U.S. A brand can use the phrase based entirely on its own internal standard, with no outside party checking ingredient sourcing or supply-chain testing history. That is not necessarily dishonest, but it is not independently verified either.

Leaping Bunny certification requires the opposite: a documented pledge to CCIC, ingredient supply-chain disclosure, and a public listing in the Leaping Bunny Compassionate Shopping Guide that anyone can check. If a bottle shows the Leaping Bunny logo, you can confirm the claim yourself instead of relying on the brand's own wording.

Leaping Bunny vs. EWG VERIFIED®: what each mark does and does not cover

These two marks answer completely different questions, and a shampoo can carry one, both, or neither:

  • Leaping Bunny (CCIC) certifies that no animal testing occurred at any stage of development, including ingredient sourcing. It says nothing about which ingredients are in the formula or how EWG rates them for potential hazard.
  • EWG VERIFIED® is the Environmental Working Group's own certification, confirming a formula meets EWG's ingredient-disclosure requirements and avoids ingredients on EWG's Unacceptable list. It says nothing about animal testing practices.

Many EWG VERIFIED® personal care brands also happen to be Leaping Bunny certified, because both programs attract brands built around ingredient transparency. But one mark does not imply the other; a product needs to earn each certification separately, and this guide states each product's actual certification basis rather than assuming one from the other. Babo Botanicals' Fragrance-Free 2-in-1 Baby Shampoo & Wash below is a genuine example of a product holding both marks, each confirmed independently.

Leaping Bunny certified shampoo and body wash: six verified picks

Amazon availability was checked 2026-09-24. All six ASINs below returned active, in-stock listings.

1. ACURE Ultra Hydrating Shampoo, Argan & Pumpkin ($9.99)

ACURE is listed on leapingbunny.org as a Logo user certified since 2013, with Shampoo/Conditioner among its certified product categories. This 100% vegan formula pairs argan oil with pumpkin seed for hydration on dry or damaged hair, in an accessible 8 fl oz size.

Check the ACURE Ultra Hydrating Shampoo on Amazon.

2. Alaffia EveryDay Shea Shampoo, Vanilla Mint ($17.49)

Alaffia is listed on leapingbunny.org as a Logo user certified since 2022. This sulfate-free formula is built around fair-trade shea butter and coconut oil in a 32 oz bottle, making it one of the better value-per-ounce picks on this list.

Check the Alaffia EveryDay Shea Shampoo on Amazon.

3. Everyone 3-in-1 Soap, Body Wash, Bubble Bath & Shampoo, Lavender & Aloe (2-Pack) ($25.98)

Everyone is EO Products' second brand, listed on leapingbunny.org as a Logo user certified since 2004, one of the longest-standing certifications in this guide. This is the pick if you want one bottle that covers body wash, bubble bath, and shampoo for the whole family; the lavender and aloe formula comes in a 2-pack of 32 oz bottles.

Check the Everyone 3-in-1 Lavender & Aloe on Amazon.

4. Babo Botanicals Fragrance-Free 2-in-1 Baby Shampoo & Wash ($20.00)

Babo Botanicals is listed on leapingbunny.org as a Logo user certified since 2019, and this specific fragrance-free formula also carries the EWG VERIFIED® mark, confirmed on EWG Skin Deep®. It's the dual-certified pick in this guide: Leaping Bunny confirms no animal testing anywhere in development, and EWG VERIFIED® confirms the ingredient list separately met EWG's disclosure and hazard-avoidance criteria. Made with shea butter, calendula, and aloe for babies and kids, 16 fl oz.

Check the Babo Botanicals Fragrance-Free 2-in-1 Shampoo & Wash on Amazon.

5. Andalou Naturals Argan Oil & Shea Butter Moisture Rich Shampoo ($17.45)

Andalou Naturals is listed on leapingbunny.org as a Logo user certified since 2011. This moisture-rich formula combines argan oil and shea butter for dry or frizzy hair, in an 11.5 fl oz bottle.

Check the Andalou Naturals Argan Oil & Shea Butter Shampoo on Amazon.

6. Desert Essence Tea Tree Replenishing Shampoo with Peppermint ($12.83)

Desert Essence is listed on leapingbunny.org as a Logo user certified since 2012. This is the clarifying option on the list: tea tree oil and peppermint target oily roots and scalp buildup, in a 12.7 fl oz bottle.

Check the Desert Essence Tea Tree Replenishing Shampoo on Amazon.

How we chose these picks

Every product in this guide is from a brand independently listed as a current Logo user on leapingbunny.org, with Shampoo/Conditioner or Body Care named among that brand's certified categories at the time of research. We did not rely on packaging claims alone: each brand's certification was checked directly against the Leaping Bunny registry. Where a product also carries EWG VERIFIED®, we confirmed that separately on EWG Skin Deep® and stated both marks with what each one covers. We also confirmed each ASIN returned an active, in-stock Amazon listing on the date of publication, and we picked a mix of formats (clarifying, moisture-rich, sulfate-free, a 3-in-1 body wash, and a fragrance-free baby option) so there is a relevant pick regardless of hair type or household need.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

What does Leaping Bunny certification actually test?
Leaping Bunny (run by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, or CCIC) certifies that a company does not conduct or commission animal testing at any stage of product development, including raw ingredient sourcing, and requires every supplier further up the chain to make the same commitment. Certified companies sign a pledge, submit to monitoring, and must recommit annually. It is a supply-chain and testing-practice standard, not an ingredient hazard rating.

Is "cruelty-free" on a label the same as Leaping Bunny certified?
No. "Cruelty-free" is not a regulated term in the United States, so any brand can print it without third-party review. Leaping Bunny is a documented, audited certification with a public registry at leapingbunny.org. A shampoo can say "cruelty-free" without carrying the Leaping Bunny logo.

Is Leaping Bunny the same as EWG VERIFIED®?
No, and a product can carry one, both, or neither. Leaping Bunny certifies the absence of animal testing. EWG VERIFIED® is a separate, unrelated certification from the Environmental Working Group confirming a formula meets EWG's ingredient-disclosure and hazard-avoidance criteria. Neither implies the other.

Does Leaping Bunny mean a shampoo is vegan?
Not by itself. Leaping Bunny certifies the absence of animal testing, not the absence of animal-derived ingredients like honey, beeswax, or lanolin. If a formula is also vegan, brands typically state that separately.

How do I verify a brand is currently Leaping Bunny certified?
Search the brand name in the Leaping Bunny Compassionate Shopping Guide at leapingbunny.org, or use CCIC's free Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide app. Every certified brand page lists the year first certified and its certified product categories.

Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. NonToxicFinder (Solved Labs LLC) may earn commissions on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with the Environmental Working Group or Leaping Bunny/CCIC.

Leaping Bunny certification reflects CCIC's independent audit of a company's animal-testing practices. EWG ratings reflect the Environmental Working Group's independent assessments. Neither certification is a safety guarantee, and NonToxicFinder is not affiliated with or endorsed by either organization.