EcoCert & COSMOS certifications
Following are the essential criteria that needs to be met to receive EcoCert certification for organic cosmetics. EcoCert is an international organic inspection and certification body with nearly 30 years of experience for audit and certification of organic products in France and in more than 130 countries. Note that certifications cost and therefore not all the brands apply for them even though they would meet the criteria. But choosing certified organic products, you can be 100% certain of the standards met.
Natural origin
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All the ingredients are from natural origin except a restrictive approved ingredients list (including preservatives) autorised in small quantity. In average, Ecocert certified products contain 99% ingredients of natural origin.
- Environmentally friendly production and processing processes respecting also human health.
- Development of the concept of green chemicals
- Responsible use of natural resources
- Respect of biodiversity
- Absence of petrochemical ingredient ( except for authorized preservatives): parabens, phenoxyethanol, perfumes and synthetic colorants
- Absence of GMO
- Recyclable packaging
A beauty care product is COSMOS ORGANIC certified only if:
- 95% minimum of the plants it contains are organic
- At least 20% of organic ingredients are present in the total formula (10% for rinse-off products)
Note: water or minerals are not regarded as "organic" for they are not from agriculture. Since water is a major component of numerous cosmetic formulas, it implies a dilution of the proportion of organic ingredients out of the total of the product. Thus a massage oil which does not contain water may display up to 100% of organic ingredients.
Authorised synthetic ingredients:
- Benzoic acid and its salts
- Benzyl alcohol
- Salicylic acid and its salts
- Sorbic acid/potassium sorbate
- Sodium benzoate
- Potassium sorbate
- Phenethyl alcohol
- Glyceryl caprylate
- Sodium levulinate
- Benzoic acid
- Ethyl lactate
