Standards for finished cosmetic products
What is the Ecocert/Cosmos standard?
The Cosmos standard is managed by a non-profit and independent association known as AISBL. The founding members include BDIH - Germany, Cosmebio - France, Ecocert - France, ICEA - Italy and the Soil Association - UK.
Founded in France in 1991, ECOCERT is a founding member of the Cosmos Standard and is recognized as one of the strong leaders in the field of organic certification on the international market. ECOCERT plays an important role in promoting and maintaining the integrity of organic products across diverse markets and regions. Many reputable organizations worldwide have established regulations to ensure the quality of products before reaching consumers. Among them, the Ecocert/Cosmos certification is considered the gold standard for natural and organic cosmetics.
What is a natural or organic cosmetic product?
• Standard for evaluating the ingredients of a cosmetic product
At present, the Ecocert organization provides two levels of evaluation for cosmetics: Cosmos Natural for natural cosmetics and Cosmos Organic for organic cosmetics. The evaluation criteria are as follows:
• Illustration of a cosmetic product certified by Ecocert/Cosmos
A cosmetic product certified as natural or organic cosmetic must be evaluated rigorously based on comprehensive criteria throughout the research, development and production process of that product. The key guarantees for Cosmos Natural and Cosmos Organic from Ecocert are as follows:
1. Natural and organic ingredients: Certification ensuring that cosmetic products must contain a regulated proportion of natural and organic ingredients. Prioritizing the use of materials from organic cultivation reflects a commitment to respecting the values of natural elements.
2. No petroleum-derived ingredients (except permitted preservatives): The certified products avoid the use of petrochemical ingredients such as parabens, phenoxyethanol, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic colorants.
3. Transparency about the ingredients: Require clear and accurate labeling of the ingredients that present in the product. Consumers can easily understand the product's components, enabling them to make informed choices about what they use.
4. Absence of harm to animals: The certification includes the assurance that the product and its ingredients have not been tested on animals. The packaging derived from animals or leading to the death of animals (such as leather, silk, etc.) are all prohibited. This reflects a commitment to ethical behaviors in the research, development, and testing of cosmetics.
5. Environmentally friendly production: Certified cosmetics adhere to environmentally friendly action throughout the production process. This includes sourcing sustainable raw materials, using eco-friendly packaging and minimizing environmental impact.
6. Minimal environmental impact: Manufacturers of organic and natural cosmetics try to have minimal impact on the environment. This is reflected in considerations regarding water usage, energy consumption and waste generation during the production process.
7. Support for sustainable activities: Brands often support and promote sustainable agricultural activities. This includes considerations regarding the use of land, water, energy,… and finding the solutions to recover or regenerate those resources. These assurances provide for consumers confidence that the organic and natural cosmetics which they choose adhere to high-quality standards and sustainable development regulations.
How will a product that meets Cosmos Natural and Cosmos Organic standards bring benefits to the brand?
Choosing Ecocert for certification and verification can bring many benefits for manufacturing and consumption of natural and organic cosmetics products:
• Reliability and credibility: The certification of Ecocert/Cosmos is recognized as the global number 1 certification - N°1 global certification. Ecocert is operating in more than 130 countries with support from over 2100 partner companies. During the operation, Ecocert has verified and certified Cosmos standard for over 34000 cosmetic products (60% market share of natural and organic cosmetics) in the international market. This demonstrates credibility and reliability, allowing businesses to build customer’s trust in certified products by Ecocert adhering to high and stringent standards.
• Open the global door for your products: Ecocert/Cosmos’s certification is globally recognized, helping businesses expand their export markets and reach international customers with a high demand for natural and organic cosmetics. Using the Ecocert logo on products and in marketing strategies can create a particular attraction to customer groups interested in sustainable development.
• Brands building support: Ecocert/Cosmos is not only a certification organization but also a partner that can support businesses in improving production processes, enhancing product quality and building their brand.
Types of certification
1. Certification according to Cosmos Standard
Standard for finished cosmetic products
• Cosmos Organic: For organic cosmetic certification, the regulations stipulate that the finished product must contain 95% plant ingredients sourced from organic agriculture, with a minimum of 20% organic agricultural ingredients present in the total formula. However, for rinse-off products, non-emulsified aqueous products and products containing at least 80% minerals or ingredients of mineral origin, a minimum of 10% of the total product must be sourced from organic agriculture.
• Cosmos Natural: For natural cosmetic certification, the finished product is required to meet the regulations according to standards, but there is no minimum requirement for the percentage of organic ingredients in the total formula.
Standard for raw materials
• Cosmos Certified: This certification approves agricultural ingredients with organic content. These ingredients come from organic farming and undergo strict control in all processes: cultivation/production, packaging, storage, and environmental impact management. The evaluation will be conducted annually through documentation and on-site inspections at the cultivation/production areas, ensuring rigorous assessment of all the mentioned processes.
• Cosmos Approved: This certification approves non-organic raw materials for the use in cosmetic products certified according to Cosmos Standard. However, for Cosmos Approved, the evaluation of raw materials will be based on the documentation for each raw material and conducted every 3 years or as soon as any change of the material.
2. Certification according to Ecocert Standard
Standard for finished cosmetic products
• Organic Cosmetic: The certification requires the finished product to contain a minimum of 95% ingredients sourced from plants and at least 10% of the total ingredients in the formula that sourced from organic agriculture
• Natural Cosmetic: The certification requires the finished product to contain a minimum of 50% ingredients sourced from plants, and at least 5% of the total ingredients in the formula that sourced from organic agriculture.
Standard for raw materials
Raw materials are certified by Ecocert through its own standard, known as the Ecocert Standard.
Certification process
References: https://www.ecocert.com/en/home