Do you think there are too many organic cosmetics labels? Can't find your way around? That's perfectly normal, since there are so many different standards to choose from. But why? Because there are currently no specific government regulations applying to organic cosmetics. In 2002, Cosmebio was one of the first organizations to establish a framework for organic cosmetics, to combat "green marketing". One of the concerns of Cosmebio and its partners is to guarantee consumers in every country cosmetics that respect both people and the environment. With this in mind, 5 founding members (Cosmebio, BDIH, Ecocert, ICEA, Soil Association) have created the European Cosmos standard - with an international scope - which will be mandatory for all new organic cosmetics from January 1, 2017! In concrete terms, cosmetics bearing the Cosmebio organic label will no longer be certified under the French Bureau Veritas or Ecocert standards, but under the European Cosmos standard. The aim? Harmonize the different standards to simplify life for consumers!
What's new
There are no changes to the logo, but a new "Cosmos Organic" label has been added to the Cosmebio organic label. The Cosmos label is intended to help consumers identify organic cosmetics that meet the same requirements, from one country to another. The international scope of this standard means that 85 % of certified organic cosmetics worldwide will carry the Cosmos signature. Companies that are members of and/or certified by the founding members (Cosmebio, Ecocert, BDIH, Soil Association and ICEA) now account for the vast majority of certified products worldwide: more than 2,000 brands, distributed in over 50 countries, producing over 45,000 cosmetic products. Cosmos has a promising future!
With regard to formulation, the Cosmos Organic label will be affixed to cosmetics containing :
> 95 to 100 % of natural ingredients (as before)
> 95 to 100 % of organic ingredients out of vegetable ingredients (as before)
> Maximum of 5 % ingredients approved in a restrictive list (as before)
On the other hand, 2 new criteria have been added to the Cosmos standards, making organic cosmetics more demanding than they were before:
> Organic content of total ingredients rises from 10 to 20 %
> Biodegradability: only biodegradable ingredients are accepted.

