Certifications are used to assure consumers that a product meets certain requirements. Thanks to them, we can know the nature of the composition of a cosmetic without having to analyze its list of ingredients, also called the INCI list.
Certifications are issued by independent bodies that are mandatorily regulated by law. To have the right to certify care, the certifying body must be officially recognized in the country.
The organic labels play somewhat the same role as certifications, as they guarantee the characteristics of a product. However, the labels do not themselves verify compliance with these characteristics:it is the certifying bodies, in the form of companies or associations, which do this. Thus, this avoids labels being both judge and party.
The Ecocert group has set up the COSMOS certification, which guarantees the organic or natural nature of a cosmetic.
To obtain it, it is necessary for a product to go through several checks regarding its manufacturing process. Ecocert notably ensures production processes, which must be respectful of the environment and human health, the responsible use of resources, the absence of petrochemical ingredients and GMOs, as well as the instead of recyclable packaging.
Ecocert, created in 1991, is a certification body specializing in organic farming. Its purpose is to provide access to more transparency regarding the content of natural and organic ingredients in a product.
The Certisys inspection body can provide certification that allows beauty products to use the designation “from organic farming”.
To certify a cosmetic, the Certisys teams systematically go through 5 stages. First, the organization collects information about the treatment. Then he verifies the implementation of organic farming practices. Next, brand engagement is assessed. Finally, Certisys performs a battery of checks that ensure compliance with regulations. The last step is to obtain Certisys certification.
A product certified by Certisys has the authorization to be marketed in the organic sector.
This certification is granted by Bureau Veritas, a certification and quality assessment services company.
Qualité-France actually grants two distinct certifications depending on the situation. The first concerns organic cosmetics:the minimum rate of ingredients from organic farming must be 10%. The second targets ecological cosmetics , which must have at least 5% organic ingredients.
In both cases, to be certified by Qualité-France, the product must consist of at least 95% natural ingredients or ingredients of natural origin.
The Soil association is a UK based organization which has its own certification body. It issues certifications of two types.
The first is an “organic product” certification, which assures the consumer that the product contains at least 95% of ingredients from organic farming. This is the most demanding certification from the Soil Association.
The second is a certification indicating that a product contains X% organic ingredients, X being the percentage of organic elements found in the treatment. To qualify for this certification, a cosmetic must contain a minimum of 70% ingredients from organic farming.
In addition to certifications, organic labels help identify organic and natural cosmetics . Among the most renowned labels, we can cite Cosmébio, BDIH or Cosmos Organic. That's it, you now know how to tell the difference between organic cosmetics and conventional cosmetics, it's up to you!
