Yes. The Ordinary is cruelty-free and vegan under its current PETA record and DECIEM's published policy. We would keep it on a cruelty-free skincare shortlist, especially for someone who wants a basic product without a large upfront expense.
There is a real certification discrepancy to explain. Leaping Bunny's US program lists The Ordinary among companies that did not recommit in 2025, while its parent still describes the DECIEM family as approved. That conflict deserves a clear note, not a claim that the brand has suddenly started testing on animals.
What the current evidence establishes
The Ordinary's positive PETA record covers ingredients, finished products, suppliers and third parties. DECIEM's animal policy describes its products as cruelty-free and vegan worldwide and says it does not test or ask others to test for it.
Those are the grounds for our recommendation. The vegan statement also means we don't have to guess whether a clear serum or a plant-named ingredient establishes the origin of the entire formula.
| Buying requirement | Our answer |
|---|---|
| An approved cruelty-free brand | Yes, based on the current PETA record |
| Vegan products | Yes, supported by DECIEM's policy |
| Verified current US Leaping Bunny status | Not established; the published records conflict |
| An owner outside The Estée Lauder Companies | No; The Ordinary belongs to that group |
The Leaping Bunny discrepancy
The Estée Lauder Companies' policy names the DECIEM family as Leaping Bunny-approved. The US program's 2025 recommitment record says The Ordinary did not recommit that year.
Annual recommitment is part of the program's requirements, alongside supplier commitments and openness to independent audits. We would not use an older logo or the parent's statement alone to promise current approval in that program.
A missed recommitment also does not identify an animal test. It changes what can be said about certification. Shoppers who require Leaping Bunny specifically should get a current answer from the program before buying; shoppers who accept PETA have a positive record to use.
Who owns The Ordinary?
The brand sits within DECIEM, which belongs to The Estée Lauder Companies. That matters if your aim is to move spending outside the group.
It doesn't erase the brand's own approval. Clinique has a different testing verdict even though it shares the corporate owner. A brand-specific commitment is not automatically a group-wide promise.
Three purchases worth comparing
The Ordinary's useful feature for a budget-conscious shopper is the ability to buy one relatively inexpensive product. The less useful temptation is buying several extra bottles because each one looks cheap.
Choose the job first. A cleanser, a serum and a moisturizer aren't alternatives to each other, even if their packaging looks similar.
A simple moisturizer at a low starting price
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA cost $6.70 for 30 ml at our October 28, 2026 check. That is about $22.33 per 100 ml before tax and shipping.
We would start here if you want a modestly priced cream in a squeeze tube. BYOMA's compared Moisturizing Gel Cream cost $14.99 for 50 ml, or about $29.98 per 100 ml. The Ordinary was cheaper upfront and by volume; BYOMA offered a gel-cream format in a pump.
Our moisturizer guide sets out the ingredients. BYOMA includes niacinamide and green tea, but an extra named ingredient is not automatically a reason to pay more. Pick the format and formula that fit the step you need.
Squalane Cleanser for someone who prefers a balm
The Squalane Cleanser is a rinse-off balm in a tube. The brand identifies the squalane as plant-derived and labels the product vegan. Warm it between your hands, massage onto dry skin and rinse, following the directions.
The 50 ml mini was $10.50 on October 29, or $21 per 100 ml. A larger size is also offered, so match the displayed price to the selected tube. The mini's price should not be read as the price of every size.
We would consider it for the cleansing format. It isn't a leave-on face oil just because squalane appears in the name. That distinction is more useful than assuming every product built around the same ingredient serves the same purpose.
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% only if you want that serum
The 30 ml serum cost $6 at the October 29 check. It is a water-based formula labeled vegan and cruelty-free.
Its percentages describe the named ingredients. They don't turn it into an overall quality score, and the low price doesn't establish that your routine needs another serum. We would compare it to a specific gap you want to fill, rather than treating it as an automatic addition to the moisturizer.
Read the complete ingredient list when avoiding a particular ingredient. The brand notes that formulas can vary with purchase date and region, so use the information that matches your pack.
Where the products fit in a routine
A rinse-off cleanser goes before the leave-on steps. The Ordinary's directions for the niacinamide serum put it after cleansing and before heavier creams. A moisturizer is a later step. That order helps decode the similar packaging: three white bottles do not mean three interchangeable products.
For the serum, the brand says to use a few drops morning and evening, on unbroken skin, and to patch-test first. Its current compatibility advice also recommends keeping vitamin C products in a separate routine. That is product-specific guidance from The Ordinary, not a blanket claim that every niacinamide and vitamin C formula is incompatible.
This is a good reason to read the directions before filling a basket. Someone already using a vitamin C product may want to keep their routine simple rather than add another serum and rearrange it. Someone who only needs a wash can stop at the cleanser. Vegan products still need to make sense together.
The serum is sold for concerns including excess oil and the look of pores. Those are the brand's intended uses. The percentages on the front tell you the concentrations; they do not predict a guaranteed result for your skin. If you want a basic moisturizer, the cream remains the more relevant product.
A cheaper bottle can still become an expensive basket
At the checked sizes, the moisturizer, mini cleanser and serum together total $23.20 before delivery and tax. That is a different purchase from the $6.70 moisturizer you may have opened the site to buy.
A bundle discount or free-shipping threshold should be compared with the products you actually need. Buying an unwanted serum to save delivery charges can increase the amount spent overall.
The same logic applies to a bigger size. A lower cost per milliliter helps when you already like the product and will use it. For an unfamiliar texture, a smaller first purchase may be the more sensible choice.
These comparisons use published formulas, sizes and prices. We haven't run a wear test ranking their feel or results. Our recommendation is to choose the one useful product, check the delivered total and leave the rest of the routine alone unless it needs changing.
Sources
PETA. Brand record. https://crueltyfree.peta.org/company/the-ordinary/. Accessed on October 28, 2026.
DECIEM. Our relationship with animals. https://deciem.com/pages/animals. Accessed on October 29, 2026.
The Estée Lauder Companies. Animal testing. https://www.elcompanies.com/en/our-commitments/viewpoints/animal-testing. Accessed on October 28, 2026.
Leaping Bunny. Who recommitted in 2025?. https://www.leapingbunny.org/Web/content/Recommitment%20Page.aspx?hkey=860311a8-d5ff-4f7a-8812-c9b2cadb8bf5. Accessed on October 29, 2026.
The Estée Lauder Companies. The Ordinary. https://www.elcompanies.com/en/our-brands/the-ordinary. Accessed on October 28, 2026.
Leaping Bunny. Frequently asked questions. https://www.leapingbunny.org/Web/content/faq.aspx?hkey=03da4c1e-eb16-412a-a308-223519502ea0. Accessed on October 28, 2026.
The Ordinary. Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA. https://theordinary.com/en-us/natural-moisturizing-factors-ha-moisturizer-100435.html. Accessed on October 28, 2026.
BYOMA. Moisturising Gel Cream. https://byoma.com/products/moisturizing-gel-cream. Accessed on October 28, 2026.
The Ordinary. Squalane Cleanser. https://theordinary.com/en-us/squalane-face-cleanser-100446.html. Accessed on October 29, 2026.
The Ordinary. Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. https://theordinary.com/en-us/niacinamide-10-zinc-1-serum-100436.html. Accessed on October 29, 2026.
