Natural and organic cosmetics have gained great popularity the last decade. Conventional beauty products contain a lot of harmful chemicals and consumers concerned about their health, the protection of the environment and the protection of animals, have started to avoid them, opting for more natural solutions. The terms “organic”, “natural”, “vegan” and “cruelty free” are widely used, but what do they actually mean? Let’s try to explain.
What are organic cosmetics?
You must have noticed that terms like “organic”, “green”, “bio” are very often used to describe a beauty product. In general terms, an organic beauty product is a product that contains organically grown ingredients.
Of course, if you check the ingredients list on the back of the product, you may find synthetic ingredients and harmful chemicals that are certainly non-organic. Unfortunately in the beauty industry, the term “organic” is not protected and that means that a company can use this term on a product even if the product is not actually organic.
So, what can you do if you want to be sure that your product you are interested in is actually organic? The answer is: Look for an organic certification.
An organic certification is given to a product by an independent certifier and is a guarantee that a product meets some strict standards. Depending on the certifier, these standards may slightly differ but in general terms if you come along a certified organic beauty product you can be sure that it does not contain petrochemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances and colors and other harmful ingredients. The percentage of organic ingredients is extremely high and the packaging is recyclable.
In spite however, of the advantages of certifications, there is also a serious drawback. Small companies cannot afford them. There are a lot of producers like kalliope's who deliver their own beauty products, handmade in small batches. Their products are free of chemicals, ingredients are derived from wild or organically-grown plants and packaging is recyclable. Their products are actually organic but unfortunately not certified. Our recommendation is - after you have checked the ingredients list - to opt for these products and support small businesses.
What are natural cosmetics?
In general terms, a natural beauty product is a product that contains natural ingredients. Natural ingredients include plant, animal and microbial ingredients as well as mineral resources and sea components.
The problem with the term “natural” in the beauty industry is the absence of regulation and so a product can be characterized as “natural” even if it contains only one natural ingredient. To avoid dangerous ingredients, look for a certification. The certifications for natural products don’t have so strict criteria like those for organic products but still guarantee that the product is safe and that the percentage of natural ingredients is extremely high.
In case you are interested in a “natural” product that is not certified, check the ingredients list to make sure it doesn’t contain dangerous chemicals. Read this article to find out more about the harmful ingredients in beauty products:
The most toxic ingredients in beauty products – Avoid them!
What are Vegan and Cruelty free Cosmetics
The terms Vegan and Cruelty-Free can sometimes cause confusion to some consumers. Let’s see what they mean.
- Vegan Cosmetics
The term “Vegan” in the beauty industry means that a beauty product does not contain any animal-derived ingredients. These ingredients include animal fat and milk, honey, beeswax and all the ingredients derived from bees, keratin, lanolin, snail secretion, carmine et al.
- Cruelty free Cosmetics
The term “cruelty free” in the beauty industry means that a beauty product and its ingredients haven’t been tested on animals.
Vegan cosmetics are always cruelty free? Cruelty free cosmetics are always vegan?
The answer to both questions is no.
A product can be vegan and cruelty free, but:
- A vegan product does not contain animal ingredients but may be tested on animals or some of the ingredients it contains may have been tested on animals and therefore it is not cruelty free.
- A cruelty free product is not tested on animals but may contain animal derived ingredients and therefore it is not vegan.
As you can see, the world of cosmetics can be really complex but if you show some patience and do some reading you will figure it all out and make choices that are right for you.
