What is a COSMOS Organic Certification?
.. and how does it differ from ECOCERT?
Not sure what organic certification is all about? Here’s a quick cheat sheet.
Green beauty has really blossomed in recent years, but with so many products claiming to be organic, how do you really know what’s inside? That’s where organic certification comes in. For many years in Europe, consumers have had the choice of several organic labels, each with their own set of rules and requirements; but finally, in January of 2017, the organic certification ‘COSMOS®’ was created to harmonise these regulations and give one set of guidelines for organic and natural cosmetics across countries.
Five European associations and organic certification bodies – ECOCERT (France), Cosmebio® (France), BDIH® (Germany), AIAB/ICEA (Italy) and Soil Association® (UK) – worked together to create this one unifying certification – COSMOS®.
ECOCERT was the first certification body to develop standards for ‘natural and organic cosmetics’. Founded in France in 1991, ECOCERT has established itself as a world reference in organic certification, particularly for consumers and professionals. That is why the COSMOS® standard follows the ECOCERT guidelines for the supplying, manufacturing, production, marketing and control of organic cosmetic products.
To carry the COSMOS ORGANIC® signature, products must be made exclusively with ingredients from a green-approved list. Ingredients not allowed on that list include GMOs, parabens, phenoxyethanol, nanoparticles, silicones, PEG’s, synthetic perfumes and dyes and animal-derived ingredients (unless naturally produced by them: milk, honey, etc.). These organic products must also contain a minimum of 20% organic content for no-rinse products, at least 95% natural ingredients overall and, when possible, promote the use of renewably sourced ingredients.
When it comes to packaging, it must be ecological, recyclable and reduced to a minimum. For manufacturing, an environmental waste management plan for the production site must be established and an annual audit of registered companies, suppliers and manufacturers is enforced to ensure that all COSMOS® requirements are met.
Now Garnier Organics is happy to make the COMOS ORGANIC® certification more accessible to women. All the Garnier Organics products carry the ECOCERT and COSMOS ORGANIC® seals on the packaging to ensure their quality and commitment to delivering truly organic skincare. Click here to learn more about Garnier Organics products today.
