FOLLOW OUR EXPERTS' ADVICE What are the different labels in organic cosmetics?
After reading this guide, you will know:
- The benefits of consuming natural, organic, vegan and cruelty-free products
- What these very fashionable names hide
- Recognize the labels to trust
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What are the differences between makeup conventional and organic?
The difference between organic cosmetics and conventional cosmetics lies in their composition . While they may look similar in general, they do not use the same ingredients. Here are some concrete examples to illustrate their differences:
In the aqueous phase , conventional cosmetics use simple water , while organic cosmetics often use hydrosols (floral waters) to add their benefits to the final product. The perfumes in conventional cosmetics are often artificial materials with a vague composition, while organic cosmetics use natural perfuming materials (essential oils or other). In traditional cosmetics, the usable ingredients are governed by European regulation n°1223/2009 (which tolerates ingredients that are disliked by consumers), while organic cosmetics are formulated taking into account the blacklist of labels.
Organic substitutes VS conventional
Organic formulas
Aqueous phase : water, vegetable glycerin, floral waters (rose, cornflower, etc.)
Fatty phase : fatty acids, vegetable oils (jojoba, argan, etc.)
Active ingredients : natural origin (plant extracts, vitamins, etc.)
Emulsifier : natural origin (oat and wheat extracts, etc.)
Gelling agent : natural origin
Preservatives : restrictive list of permitted ingredients
Perfumes : natural origin
Colorants : natural origin
Non-organic formulas
Aqueous phase : water, glycerin of petrochemical origin...
Fatty phase : fatty acids, mineral oils, silicones, vegetable oils, etc.
Active ingredients : petrochemical or natural origin
Emulsifier : petrochemical or natural origin
Gelling agent : polymers of petrochemical origin
Preservatives : paraben, phenoxyethanol...
Perfumes : petrochemical origin
Dyes : petrochemical origin
What is makeup? organic and natural?
Let's start decrypting!
An organic cosmetic product is made from natural ingredients sourced from organic farming. It allows you to apply makeup gently, without damaging your skin or the planet. Contrary to popular belief, choosing organic cosmetics does not require extensive knowledge in this area. Likewise, you can take it step by step; no one is forcing you to immediately adopt a 100% green and organic routine. Choosing organic products is the assurance of applying healthy and respectful formulas to your face, a sensitive part of the body, particularly prone to aggression.
The promise of organic makeup is to offer makeup that is just as effective as conventional makeup thanks to ingredients found in nature: minerals, dried flowers, floral waters , etc., all while limiting their transformation as much as possible and using gentle processes during manufacturing.
Applying conventional petrochemical-based makeup to your skin daily can cause damage both in the short and long term: do you tend to have oily skin, blackheads, and blemishes? Does your skin react badly when you apply your cosmetics? This is surely a sign that the products you are using are not right for you. Drying, aggressive products, harmful, irritating, and clogging agents ... all of this is banned from organic cosmetics, which uses natural ingredients to offer you quality products, adapted to your needs for beautiful skin, for a long time. Enough to feel good and beautiful thanks to natural ingredients.
How to recognize a organic cosmetic formula?
A so-called organic cosmetic product must meet numerous standards, particularly in terms of formulation. Are you looking to buy organic makeup but are lost among the many options on the market? Don't be fooled by the greenwashing trend. Greenwashing is a process that involves promoting ecological arguments to create an eco-responsible image when the facts don't quite match reality.
Moreover, today, the range of so-called "organic" products is very wide, and it is difficult to navigate and find the products that really suit us. Do you want to see things more clearly?
It's simple: to ensure that a product is "certified organic," you must rely on the two main independent certifications and labels recognized for their quality.
To guarantee complete transparency, organic certifications are issued by independent organizations. The two organizations recognized in France for years are Ecocert and Cosmebio. They are a guarantee of reliability, traceability, and the quality of the ingredients and processes used.
The labels organic
COSMEBIO
🍃 Cosmebio is a label based on demanding specifications, an additional technical and ethical guarantee. Every year, an inspection by an independent certifier takes place to verify the conformity of the products. This makes it possible to verify that a Cosmos Organic certified product also meets a charter of ethical values. To be considered a true organic cosmetic, a product must meet numerous conditions on ingredients, packaging, social commitments and responsible communication .
The Cosmos Organic Cosmebio certification ensures that:
- On the total product, limitation of petrochemical origin (list of authorized ingredients with maximum dosage), which ultimately amounts to approximately 95% minimum of ingredients of natural origin
- Minimum 95% of the ingredients in the formula are natural
- 95% minimum organic ingredients on all ingredients that can be organic (such as plants, beeswax, milk, etc.)
- 20% minimum of organic ingredients in the total product (10% for rinse-off and mineral products - water and minerals considered non-organic because they are not grown)
ECOCERT
Ecocert is a completely independent organization that issues the organic certification known as COSMOS ORGANIC. The Ecocert brand is the benchmark for organic and ecological labeling, recognized by consumers. This certification is intended for producers of raw materials, manufacturers of cosmetic products, brands, or any other player in the “cosmetics” sector. It ensures a formulation based on natural and organic ingredients. A beauty product is certified COSMOS ORGANIC by Ecocert only if:
- At least 95% of the plants it contains are organic
- At least 20% organic ingredients are present in the formula in total (10% for rinse-off products).
This certification provides numerous additional guarantees regarding the production process and the sourcing of the ingredients used:
- Production and processing processes that respect the environment and human health
- The development of the concept of green chemistry
- Responsible use of natural resources
- Respect for biodiversity
- The absence of petrochemical ingredients (excluding authorized preservatives): parabens, phenoxyethanol, synthetic perfumes and colorants and the absence of GMOs
- Recyclable packaging
Why only 20% guaranteed organic ingredients?
Cosmetic products often contain a lot of minerals and water. Naturally, they are very present in living products. Water can represent 50 to 80% of a day cream, and up to 90% for a shampoo. However, water and minerals are not cultivated; they are taken directly from nature, so they cannot be certified organic! :)
Therefore, the more minerals and water a cosmetic product contains, the lower the proportion of organic ingredients in the overall product will be.
➡️ With the Cosmos Organic label, the percentage of certified organic ingredients is set at a minimum of 20% of the overall product. This label guarantees transparency across the entire formula and 95% organic ingredients in the cultivable part.