Why certified natural cosmetics?

Many believe that natural cosmetics are more compatible with the skin than conventional cosmetics. But what exactly are "certified natural cosmetics"? How do they differ from "near-natural cosmetics"? And how do I, as a consumer, find out which cosmetics can really call themselves "certified natural cosmetics". Here are some answers:

Products that contain only natural, environmentally friendly, and resource-saving ingredients and meet certain standards are usually referred to as natural cosmetics. However, these terms can be used by any provider - because they are not legally protected in Germany. Unlike the term “organic”, for example, there has not yet been a legal definition for natural cosmetics.

Conventional products are commonly marketed as "natural cosmetics". Some suppliers manage to give the impression that their cosmetics are "natural". A good which contains higher quality ingredients compared to alternative products is the best definition of "natural cosmetics" as long as a recognized seal of approval is missing.

Every supplier is allowed to advertise their products as "near-natural” if this does not deviate too far from the truth. However, natural cosmetics cannot yet be certified. It therefore helps to know how to distinguish conventional products from natural cosmetics - and which trustworthy seals stand for real natural cosmetics.

What are natural cosmetics?

The most widespread seals for certified natural cosmetics have some essential criteria in common:

No synthetic dyes or fragrances
Waiver of certain preservatives (e.g. parabens)
No petroleum-based ingredients (e.g. paraffins)
No silicones
No genetically modified organisms (GMO)
All ingredients must be of natural origin or nature-identical
In most cases, a minimum proportion of the product’s ingredients must come from organic farming
Manufacturing of the products that is as environmentally friendly and resource-saving as possible
Contains packaging which is as environmentally friendly/recyclable as possible

The above criteria means that the body, especially the skin, is exposed to far less stress from allergens etc. This is particularly important for people with sensitive or damaged skin/mucous membranes. In addition, sustainable production and packaging is becoming more valuable.

Certified natural cosmetics at Apeiron

Apeiron opted for independent certification by the BDIH decades ago. Since 2017, the most important national associations have agreed on a common standard, the COSMOS standard.

These European associations founded COSMOS (COSMetic Organic Standard):

BDIH (Germany)
Soil Association (UK)
Ecocert (France)
Cosmebio (France)
ICEA (Italy)

The COSMOS standard was established in 2010 and the seal was already printed on some products, although this was still done voluntarily. The COSMOS standard became mandatory for members of the individual associations in January 2017.

The well-known seals, such as the BDIH seal, are still valid as they are a part of this larger organization.

As producers of certified natural cosmetics, Apeiron products bear the following seals:

BDIH Logos

Detailed information on the respective requirements for cultivation, processing, packaging materials, etc. can be found on the multilingual websites of the BDIH and IONC:

BDIH: https://www.kontrollierte-naturkosmetik.de/
IONC/COSMOS: IONC/COSMOS