For 20 years now, the association Cosmebio continues its growth. From 18 member companies in 2002 to more than 540 today, the organic cosmetics sector occupies a significant/primary place in the market!
Despite this evolution of truly certified natural and organic cosmetics, consumers are now faced with a new form of greenwashing: "Clean Beauty." What is Clean Beauty and what is behind this misleading terminology?
Cosmébio tells you everything!
What is Clean Beauty?
Clean Beauty is a new form of marketing used by cosmetic brands. The goal is to convince consumers that products labeled as "Clean" do not contain harmful or unnecessary ingredients.
Among the strategies employed by brands accused of greenwashing: the creation of their own "Blacklists." They can thus claim that their ranges are "paraben-free" or "sulfate-free" based solely on a list they have created. Yet the same range may very well contain phenoxyethanol or sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI), which are, for example, banned by the COSMEBIO label.
Clean Beauty is neither controlled nor certified
Why should we be wary of this new, ubiquitous claim on the cosmetics market? Quite simply, it's a claim without regulation or universal specifications.
Since the use of the term "Clean Beauty" is not regulated, it can be used for all brands: those that offer cosmetics based on petrochemical ingredients, those that offer cosmetics based on ingredients of natural origin but not certified (therefore with a lack of traceability of its raw materials) and those that are truly certified.
How can the consumer find his way around?
To avoid falling into the greenwashing trap, you need to trust the certification. The certification recognized by Cosmébio is COSMOS certification, whose specifications are available online (a guarantee of transparency). There are two levels of certification for finished products: COSMOS ORGANIC or COSMOS NATURAL.
The consumer can therefore, upon reading the aforementioned information, be assured that the product in their hands is truly organic or of natural origin. They can also trust the Cosmebio logo, since its use is conditional upon certification by an independent body.
So when a brand uses the terminology "Clean Beauty," you'll need to do some research to understand why the brand is relying on an unverified claim. What is this brand's definition of clean beauty? Is it just a marketing promise?
The importance of certification is a shared vision between Natexpo and Cosmébio, and it's an element that has framed the partnership since its inception. Natexpo requires certification for a cosmetic brand to be able to exhibit at the show. At the same time, Cosmébio requires certification for a brand to be able to carry the organic label.
To learn more about Clean Beauty, don't hesitate to consult the Cosmébio Position Paper, available soon!
Meet at the Cosmetic Innovations Forum
In partnership with Cosmébio, a professional association for ecological and organic cosmetics, Natexpo offers each year a space entirely dedicated to beauty and well-being: the Cosmetic Innovations Forum. On this occasion, you will be able to find Cosmebio-certified brands on the association's stand for mini-conferences. Also, a testing bar will allow you to discover the latest new products.