Organic certification: what is it ?

Organic certification

The « Ecological and Organic Cosmetics » standard was created in 2002, at the initiative of Ecocert, to allow cosmetic products to obtain the “Organic Cosmetics” label. This label establishes strict formulation criteria verified by an on-site audit.

In 2011, ECOCERT and 4 other actors (BDIH, Cosmébio, ICEA and Soil Association) decided to formalise a new, demanding and evolving set of specifications to harmonise the organic certification rules at European level: the COSMOS standard.

COSMOS Charter

To be certified organic, a formula must at least comply with the following COSMOS criteria:

• 95% natural ingredients

• A minimum of 20% of the formula’s ingredients must be organic (excluding non-certifiable raw materials and rinse-off products: 10%)

• Organic plant extracts must have been grown without using GMOs and pesticides

• Fragrances must be 100% natural

• The formulas must not contain ingredients of synthetic and petrochemical origin (parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oils, perfumes and synthetic dyes)

• The formulas must not contain ingredients of animal origin, except those naturally produced by animals (honey, milk, eggs, wax, etc.)

Certified organic and non-organic cosmetics: what's the difference?

A certified organic cosmetic product, identifiable by its label (COSMÉBIO, ECOCERT)*, is a product that:

Complies with strict, public and official specifications (COSMOS guidelines) governing the formula, packaging and manufacture

Supports the Organic Farming sector and its cultivation techniques that respect the environment and human health

Uses production and transformation processes that respect the environment and human health, and promotes green chemistry

Promotes the responsible use of natural resources and respect for biodiversity

Is subject to an annual audit by an independent certification body (including ECOCERT), which examines and controls all the ingredients in the formulas, all the components of the packaging and the manufacturing processes.

Organic-certified products are therefore clean and natural, but the reverse is not true.

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