It’s the end of July, which means we are fully in halfway through summer, one of the most challenging times for skincare. But don’t fret, we have some great features to help you navigate your skincare needs for the next couple of months and beyond. We share our favorite face creams to keep you looking fresh and hydrated and we interview the cult-favorite sun care brand, Vacation. Plus, we also put all of our recent video shorts in one place. You won’t want to miss our video reviewing moisturizers and more!
Cream of the Crop: Our favorite moisturizers revealed
Finding a moisturizer that works well for your skin type can be tricky. Some are too heavy; others are too thin. And of course, it needs to work well with other skincare products and/or makeup. Luckily, there are literally hundreds of Leaping Bunny certified skin care companies to choose from. To help you narrow down the possibilities, we’ve assembled our top choices below!
Provence Beauty Deep Bleu Cloud Night Moisturizer
I have to say that Provence has some really great products out there, and their Deep Bleu Cloud Night Moisturizer is certainly one of them. Using it before bed is a great way to build hydration and brighten skin. It also works to correct some of the signs of aging, providing a gentle overnight reboot. Its "whipped texture" is light enough to allow all of the moisture to be absorbed, so you wake up with a perfect balance. Oh, and Provence's products are easily accessible (online or in Ulta), with a reasonable price point; so you can pair Deep Bleu with Provence's No Baggage Eye Cream, and conveniently set your visage up for a bonne nuit! - Maria
Untoxicated Moisture Boost Hydrating Cream
When looking for a face cream, I have a few non-negotiables. First, it needs to be ultra-hydrating for my dry skin. Second, it can be used for both a day and night cream because this busy mama doesn’t have time for multiple types of skincare products. Third, it needs to have an ingredient list with purposeful ingredients that are safe and effective. Imagine my surprise when I began using Untoxicated’s Moisture Boost Hydrating Cream. Not only does it tick all my boxes, but goes above and beyond! This fragrance-free moisturizer is packed with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycolipids, and arginine to provide deep hydration without being overly heavy, even in the humid, 100-degree Northeast! Additionally, the ingredient list is like none I have ever seen before; it lists each ingredient and its specific purpose! No filler ingredients here. Another key feature is that this moisturizer comes in a very generous 10 fl oz size, which gives you the freedom to apply both day and night without worrying about how quickly it will run out. - Caitlin
Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream
This summer, if you’re looking to lighten things up a bit, consider Versed’s Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream. It’s a bouncy moisturizer that works like a powerhouse to hydrate skin behind the scenes. A cross between a gel and a cream, it feels very unlike a traditional moisturizer with its texture of silky jelly, but it absorbs quickly leaving zero residue. Your skin will only feel wondrously plump and hydrated almost immediately. It is an absolute must during the warmer months if you want to avoid heavier products. And the formula works on all skin types; it deeply moisturizes even the driest complexions while also being non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores. It truly is the best of both worlds! - Kim
Roundup of our latest videos
We’ve put together our recent video releases for you all in one place, i.e. here. Everything from Provence Beauty’s moisturizers to Rare Beauty lipsticks with fireworks in between! Make sure to follow us on YouTube and/or TikTok for the latest releases.
@leapingbunnyprogram Strong, fun, wise, gifted, and bold. What do these qualities have in common? They're all lip shades in @Rare Beauty’s Kind Words Matte Lipstick collection. long-lasting lip color that feels weightless and moisturizing. Oh, and Rare Beauty has recently been Leaping Bunny certified, which is certainly something to smile about. Thank you @Selena Gomez and Rare for going the extra mile and getting certified cruelty-free 🐰🫶🏻 #leapingbunnycertified #rarebeauty #rarebeautymakeup #rarebeautybyselena #selenagomez #selenagomeztiktok #crueltyfreemakeup #crueltyfreebeauty #crueltyfree
♬ Good For You - Selena Gomez
@leapingbunnyprogram Ok but did you spot the NEW launch in there 👀 ????? Meet BARE LUMIÈRE Protecting + Perfecting Cream—a 5-in-1 moisturizer that improves the skin barrier, primes for makeup, boosts glow, et plus. And if you havent already, check out @Provence Beauty for rich, french inspired, vegan and cruelty-free skincare that will make you say “oh la la” 🇫🇷🥖🧖🏻♀️ You can find them online or at @Ulta Beauty #leapingbunnycertified #crueltyfreeskincare #crueltyfree #crueltyfreebeauty #affordableskincare #ultaskintok #leapingbunny #provencebeauty
♬ Ok I Like It - Milky Chance
New Companies
This month boasts multiple fragrance companies, as well as “anti” anti-aging skincare. Check out our newest certified companies below and click their names to learn more!
Aviito Aromatics
High-quality, organic home fragrance.
Braided Twine
Home fragrance that transforms into memories and sources of comfort.
Caraline Skincare
Brand that focuses on the unique characteristics and needs of older skin with products formulated with nutrient-rich botanicals and nourishing oils to support long-term skin health.
Circles and Cycles
Handcrafted botanical skincare made in micro batches.
Hello Joyous
Organic, plant-powered beauty products with the goal to support your well-being, make you feel good, and are kind to the planet.
Lilit Botanicals
Sustainable skincare handcrafted with botanicals sourced on the company’s own 12-acre herbal farm.
Made Simple Skin Care
High-quality, certified organic vegan skincare and oral care products.
Modern Age Skin
Seeing beyond society’s tired anti-aging rhetoric and offering nourishing and restorative skincare products to treat the unique systems of peri/menopause.
Octavia Morgan Los Angeles
Genderless fine fragrance and beauty brand created with the intention to “elevate your senses.”
Oshin Love
A head-to-toe moringa oil blend to help hydrate and nourish your face, hair, and body.
Preston Lane
Luxury home fragrance and cleaning products.
Squigs
Ayurvedic-inspired personal care products that are approachable, fun, and effective.
Company Spotlight: Vacation
This month, we are so excited to interview Marty Bell, Founding Partner of Vacation. Vacation has certainly made a splash for itself since launching in 2021. From products to branding, and even the website design, we love being able to dive in and learn more about this company’s wow factor.
What was the inspiration behind the creation of Vacation?
While sipping banana daiquiris on the beach in Playa del Carmen, my partners Lach Hall and Dakota Green began wondering why sunscreen, a product forever attached to people’s most joyous moments in the sun, was so boring. When we started looking into the category, we realized sunscreen was a whole lot more fun in the 80s, 70s and before – the only problem was that it typically centered around tanning. In the 90s, when the dangers of tanning (thankfully) became more understood, sunscreen brands became clinical, serious and focused on responsibility. We felt that people are now on board with the need to protect their skin, and decided it was time to have fun with SPF again. With that, we set out on a mission to make sunscreen fun: with what we call “Leisure-Enhancing” sunscreen products.
What is Vacation’s mission?
Vacation’s mission is to make sunscreen fun: products that will make you look, feel, and smell like you’ve been to paradise and back. For us, it’s about the carrot versus the stick; what will make someone genuinely excited about wearing sunscreen as opposed to feeling like it’s a chore?
Is there a story behind the name of your company?
You never need sunscreen more than when you’re on vacation, lounging poolside: our products transport you to that universal, quintessential “vacation” state of mind with every use. We were mind-blown when the trademark application went through without opposition!
Your branding is so fun! Can you tell us more about how your branding vision came about?
My partners and I have individually been obsessed with ‘80s aesthetics for as long as we can remember, despite me not even being alive then. When I first met Lach, we were both coincidentally wearing the same Casio watch and Reebok Classics. We knew from day one we wanted to call upon people’s core memories of their favorite vacations. So, we sourced imagery from archives of vintage travel brochures, timeshare pamphlets and even heartwarming Facebook groups where older generations would share their vacation photos from years gone by. Our love for authentic vintage aesthetics underscores our focus on making sunscreen fun and familiar, yet doing so in a sophisticated and modern way.
What efforts do you take to be a sustainable company?
Our formulas are all vegan and cruelty-free, adhere to the Hawaii Reef Compliant Act 104, and our packaging is made with recycled plastics to help keep the Earth green and our waters blue.
What is your favorite Vacation product and why?
I’m madly in love with our Super Spritz SPF 50 Face Mist. The design perfectly captures everything I’ve wanted to create in a brand; I love the name, and the pop of pastel pink when you open the cap. The actuator, which we went to great lengths and expense to source, sprays a perfect cooling mist over your face whenever you need a quick top-up, which for my Scottish skin (which friends have dubbed “neon pale”) is very often.
What is Vacation’s most popular product?
Our Classic Whip SPF 30 has enjoyed an incredible number of viral moments on TikTok.
Amidst one of many brainstorming sessions we’ve had, dreaming up all kinds of crazy products we could invent – someone suggested recreating a can of classic whipped cream in sunscreen form… we all immediately agreed that we had to bring it to life. People fell in love with it from day one, and we’ve racked up hundreds of millions of views across socials since launch. From the award-winning scent and its “lighter than air,” nourishing vegan formula, to the authentic tilt valve actuator and the familiar “whooshing” noise, it’s impossible not to smile while you use it.
What has been the most rewarding part of creating Vacation?
Knowing that we can genuinely influence people to wear more sunscreen purely through creativity, excessively good formulas, and a healthy dose of eccentric brand building.
What has been the most surprising part of creating Vacation?
I’ve run a number of brands since I started my entrepreneurial journey, and by far the most surprising part of building Vacation® has been the organic outreach from blue chip retailers who want to stock our products. That’s always been an uphill battle with previous brands; we’d be begging to get into the kind of stores who reach out to us now on a weekly basis!
Are all of Vacation’s products vegan?
Yes, all of our products are proudly 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
Why is being Leaping Bunny certified important to Vacation?
Being Leaping Bunny Certified is so important to us, as it demonstrates our commitment to making sunscreen formulas that will not only enhance your moment of leisure, but which are designed thoughtfully, ethically, and humanely.
What is something unique about Vacation that others may not know?
Despite our focus on ‘fun,’ we take formulation and sun protection very seriously. Each of our formulas are created with our ‘CleanClassic’ philosophy, combining tried-and-true ingredients from classic sunscreens (such as coconut, aloe vera, and vitamin E) with the best in modern sun care science. All of our formulas are rigorously tested for safety and efficacy, and are reviewed by leading dermatologists and toxicologists; our Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Hale is an authority on skin cancer treatment and prevention, and is even an SVP of The Skin Cancer Foundation.
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