Have you ever wondered what specific characteristics a cosmetic must have to be natural? Have you ever wondered how the ingredients in the cream you use every day were obtained? When you go to buy natural and organic cosmetics, do you look at the labels and seals on the products?
Today, we're increasingly seeing more natural cosmetics for body care that include ingredients of natural origin in their formulations. But how can we know their concentration, what other ingredients they contain, or how they were obtained without being a chemistry expert?
There are certifications from independent organizations that audit and guarantee that products are truly what they claim to be. These are governed by standards that protect the environment and give consumers the certainty that what they are getting is authentic.
The strictest controls can be found in the European Union, where different organizations such as Ecocert, ICEA or BDHI have been working for years and came together to form Cosmos Standard , a non-profit entity that defines the criteria that companies must meet to guarantee consumers that their products are authentic natural cosmetics, manufactured based on the most demanding sustainability practices.
What does a product that obtains this certification comply with?
- Its raw materials: The ingredients are obtained from certified organic farms, which comply with strict controls such as not using chemical fertilizers, are harvested without machinery that uses fuel, and the plants and flowers are processed within 2 hours to ensure that their nutrients are not lost.
- Its formulation : There is a minimum concentration of 95% natural ingredients to be incorporated into the formula, but these organizations also have lists of ingredients that cannot be used, such as SLS, mineral oils, parabens, among others. None of these raw materials should be obtained by causing harm to animals, of course.
- Testing : The irritation tests performed on these products must not be performed on animals. These are cruelty-free products.
- Packaging: must be recyclable or obtained from recycled material.
If your product has a seal like any of the following, it means it meets these requirements, and you can be sure you're getting a natural product into your home. 
Now you know the importance of identifying these seals on your cosmetic products.
