The market is full of cosmetic products, from supermarkets to perfumeries, beauty salons, hairdressers and pharmacies. Consumers are increasingly looking for healthy products.
On the other hand, I know that there is a lot of confusion in most people's minds about the issue of natural cosmetics. After reading this article you will know much more about the differences between natural, organic and vegan cosmetics. Although for the more distracted it may seem that they are all the same thing, there are big differences between them!
First of all, I'd like to warn you about this topic and article: the legislation has not yet fully defined what a natural or organic cosmeticsAnd so everything I'm writing here could be changed.
In addition, we feel that some companies take advantage of the lack of legislation to make certain types of advertising, saying that the products are natural/organic, when in fact they only have a few natural/organic compounds...
What you should realise right away is that you're unlikely to find a cosmetic 100% natural produced and distributed industrially. In general, these products always contain synthetic substances.
There are a number of organisations that regulate this market and certify this type of product. I'll use the EcocertHowever, this classification may differ slightly from organisation to organisation.
What is a natural cosmetic?
According to Ecocert, a natural cosmeticsis a cosmetic in which at least 95% of its raw materials come from natural sources. The remaining 5% can be of synthetic origin, but these ingredients are regulated. Only some of the synthetic ingredients can be used.
What is an organic cosmetic?
One organic cosmetics is a cosmetic whose composition is at least 95% based on organic substances, and the remaining 5% can be synthetic in the same way as the natural cosmetics.
Thus, a organic cosmeticsis necessarily considered natural. The opposite is not true. A natural cosmeticsIt may not be organic.
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What is the difference between natural and organic cosmetics?
The point is that a natural cosmeticsIt has at least 95% of natural products in its composition, but these materials are not necessarily organic.
For something to be considered an organic raw material, it has to be produced in accordance with international directives on organic farming products.
Surely you've seen those products BIO in the supermarket. That's right! The organic cosmeticsIn order to be considered in such a way, they must be composed of raw materials grown in organic farming.
What is a vegan cosmetic?
One Vegan cosmeticsis a cosmetic that does not use animal products in its formulation. It therefore has nothing to do with being natural or organic. Vegan cosmetics may not be considered natural because they use synthetic ingredients in higher concentrations than 5%.
On the other hand, being vegan doesn't mean that it's not tested on animals! To make sure this isn't the case, you should look for certification Cruelty Free.
In any case, any cosmetics produced in Europe are no longer tested on animals, because the legislation doesn't allow it.
Allergies and health problems
Another of the great confusions on the market is in relation to allergies and health problems caused by cosmetics.
If a cosmetic is considered organic or natural, it doesn't mean it won't cause allergies or be harmful to your health.
Depending on the person, a organic cosmetics can cause allergies and even be harmful to your health, so be aware of this! On the other hand, it doesn't mean that cosmetics that aren't organic or natural are bad for your health or cause allergies.
This differentiation between natural, organic and synthetic cosmetics is only related to the provenance of its ingredients, and not to the likelihood of allergies or other issues.
What's important to know is that all cosmetics on the market must be rigorously tested. Preferably opt for cosmetics that have been dermatologically tested. In addition, it is Infarmed's job to regulate the cosmetics market, checking what is or isn't a risk to public health.
How to choose a cosmetic when buying
If you want to be sure of what you're consuming, you should look for cosmetics with the appropriate certifications from the relevant organisations.
However, there are natural, organic and vegan cosmetics that are not certified by any of these organisations, and they don't stop being so. These certifications are quite expensive, and there are brands that don't want to pay for them. There are also artisanal productions that don't even have the financial capacity to pay for such certifications.
You can also find out about the various ingredients that these organisations allow, and read the labels on the packaging. It's a more difficult task, but it's not impossible! In this document issued by EcocertYou can see all the ingredients that can be used, as well as how they are obtained and other relevant information.
All labels must describe the composition of the product, with the first ingredients listed being those that the product contains in the highest concentration, and the last in the lowest.
Some ingredients to look out for
There are several ingredients that we should pay special attention to when buying cosmetics, especially because they may not help the health of your skin or hair. The main ones to avoid are
- Parabens;
- Sulphates;
- Oil derivatives.
Cosmetic brands I recommend
There are many brands of natural and organic cosmetics that they can choose from, even in the supermarket.
The brands which I recommend, as well as being natural or organic, present professional level results. In other words, they have proven results in terms of their effect.
It's easy enough to make a natural shampoo or mask. Now you need it to have an effect! For example, shampoos can be specific for adding volume, making hair smoother, for hair loss etc... And that's where the difference lies! The products I propose are used by my team on a daily basis to facilitate our professional work. By using them, we can really give our hair the effects we want!
Get to know each brand in particular in our online natural cosmetics website!
Philip Martin's
A organic cosmetics brandand therefore natural. All of this brand's products are organic, i.e. they are made with ingredients from organic farming. They can be used on both the body and the hair, moisturising and nourishing both the hair and the skin. Of course, each product has its own specific function, but can be used for all others.
The scents and textures are really spectacular, and they have fantastic results as well as being sulphate-free, paraben-free and free from petroleum derivatives.
This is the brand we use to make our biological rituals.
Seward Mediter Bio - Helen Seward
It's a range of products from the Helen Seward, with 100% natural extracts and at least 95% of the raw materials are of natural origin. The packets are environmentally friendly and do not contain glue. They are 100% made from recyclable material. Soya ink is used to print the packets.
They are dermatologically tested and also free from sulphates, parabens and petroleum derivatives.
The fragrances and textures are also fantastic!
