Natural and organic cosmetic certifications and standards for EU beauty industry

There has been an increased interest in natural and organic cosmetics over the past few years. Consumers are becoming more conscious about the cosmetics they are using every day and want to make sure they are using the best products for their skin and the environment. For some, that means avoiding certain ingredients or looking for organic and natural cosmetics.

Cosmetics brands are well aware of the consumer interest in ‘green’ cosmetics, and the plethora of cosmetic products on the market clearly show that. But with little regulation around the terms ‘organic’ and ‘natural’, it can be difficult for consumers to know whether these products are indeed organic or natural or if everything is just a marketing move.

Here is where the certification and standards come into play, as they provide an important role in providing a guarantee to consumers, who can be sure that the products meet certain criteria for natural/organic and environment-friendly products. Certificates, as well as consumer awareness about this topic, helps them to recognise unsubstantiated claims which convey a false impression or provide misleading information about a product’s origin – so-called ‘greenwashing’.

In this article, we look at the major organic and natural certifications in cosmetics, which will hopefully provide some clarity for cosmetic brands and consumers who are only beginning to learn about this topic.

The NATRUE label​ was created in 2008, and it allows only the highest level of natural and organic ingredients to be NATRUE certified.