Interest in natural and organic cosmetics continues to rise amidst a wider green beauty boom, but with little regulation around these two terms, certification schemes have taken on fresh importance - for industry and consumers alike.
SPECIAL EDITION: NATURALS & NATURALLY-DERIVED – SOURCING, CHEMISTRY AND CLAIMS
The natural and organic cosmetics category will continue its growth in coming years, but broader green sustainability issues will become central for brands operating in the space, says the founder of Ecovia Intelligence.
Special Edition: NATURALS & NATURALLY-DERIVED – SOURCING, CHEMISTRY AND CLAIMS
As the beauty industry continues its push forward with natural and organic cosmetics innovation, focus must be placed on the biodegradability of ingredients – still surprisingly overlooked in the field, says a formulation expert.
The natural and organic cosmetics category will expand in pharmacies, beauty stores, salons, spas and e-commerce over the coming years, shifting outside of its traditional speciality retail setting, says Ecovia Intelligence.
Naturalness is the most important aspect of a beauty product for consumers in Germany and France, but there are mixed views on what the term means and how it translates into cosmetics, finds natural and organic certifier Natrue.
Female consumers in Saudi Arabia are highly aware of organic cosmetics and the environmental implications of these products, but price remains a factor impeding use among many, a study finds.
With the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) having recently released the second of its two part guidelines for technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetics, we take a look at how the industry is responding.
At the European Parliament in Brussels, NATRUE revealed that while 75% of women are aware that there is a difference between natural and organic ingredients, only a third feel that they really understand what the difference is.
Consumers are more concerned about the ingredients in their cosmetics, driving up the demand for natural and organic products, meaning more manufacturers are reacting and certification figures are on the rise too.
Michael McGuffin, President of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), has lent his support to the CACC recommendation that the National Organic Program (NOP) should be amended to explicitly include cosmetics.
Industry insiders predict that natural and organic cosmetics will hold up well in 2009 even if they do not enjoy the dramatic sales growth of previous years.
The move towards a European harmonisation of regulations concerning
organic and natural cosmetics is under way, explained the President
of Cosmebio at this year's Beyond Beauty show.
![Industry and consumers have a plethora of certifications and standards that can be used for natural and organic cosmetics [Getty Images]](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/publications/cosmetics/cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/article/2022/04/07/natural-and-organic-cosmetic-certifications-and-standards-for-eu-beauty-industry/15313432-5-eng-GB/Natural-and-organic-cosmetic-certifications-and-standards-for-EU-beauty-industry.jpg)
![A lot of the natural and organic pioneers are now leading the charge in wider sustainability efforts as well, from circular ingredients to greener packaging [Getty Images]](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/publications/cosmetics/cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/article/2021/12/10/natural-and-organic-cosmetics-market-now-focusing-on-sustainability-and-green-beauty-issues-says-ecovia-intelligence/13083984-1-eng-GB/Natural-and-organic-cosmetics-market-now-focusing-on-sustainability-and-green-beauty-issues-says-Ecovia-Intelligence.jpg)
![The biodegradability of a beauty product - its ability to decompose into simpler substances like CO2, water or ammonia - must be on the green agenda for suppliers, formulators and brands [Getty Images]](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/publications/cosmetics/cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/article/2021/11/18/biodegradable-beauty-focus-needed-in-natural-and-organics-before-regulatory-change-says-expert/13026628-1-eng-GB/Biodegradable-beauty-focus-needed-in-natural-and-organics-before-regulatory-change-says-expert.jpg)
![In France - one of Europe's most important natural and organic cosmetic markets - strong growth has been seen for the category in pharmacies and parapharmacies [Getty Images]](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/publications/cosmetics/cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/article/2021/10/14/natural-and-organic-cosmetics-market-europe-to-grow-in-pharmacies-beauty-stores-and-online-says-ecovia-intelligence/12924773-1-eng-GB/Natural-and-organic-cosmetics-market-Europe-to-grow-in-pharmacies-beauty-stores-and-online-says-Ecovia-Intelligence.jpg)
