Our friends at Salt of the Earth explain what to look out for.
Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your entire body and that what you put on it is likely to be absorbed into the bloodstream?
Alarmingly, any beauty product can be labelled as organic or natural as there is no legal standards for the use of the term. Therefore, even if it only contains 1% of natural or organic ingredients or materials, it means that it can be called organic.
Water isn’t organic
This may come as a surprise but water cannot be organic. That means that a beauty product such as roll-on deodorant which may contain lots of water, would only have a low percentage of organic or natural materials.
As a result, products labelled as organic or natural could still have lots of synthetic ingredients and have a low amount of natural or organic ingredients.
Certified organic
The exception to this is the certified organic products. These are products that are natural and organic but also guarantee environmentally sustainable sourcing and production as well as only containing natural ethos ingredients.
With natural cosmetics rising at a fast pace, many are forgetting what it means to be natural. This has led to lots of misuse and confusion of the word and amplifies greenwashing. It also presents an issue to customers who are purchasing these products with little ways to know if the product is natural or organic.
So, to be sure, only products with independent certifications to a recognised standard guarantee that the product is genuinely organic or natural. Make sure to look out for COSMOS Organic or COSMOS Natural next time you’re shopping.
Salt of the Earth
All Salt of the Earth UK manufactured deodorants and foaming hand washes are certified as COSMOS Natural through the Soil Association. This means you can be assured their products are truly natural and free from harmful chemicals.
Products with this COSMOS Natural certification:
- have been assessed against a rigorous, third-party standard
- don’t contain any harmful ingredients
Products with the Soil Association COSMOS logo guarantee:
- NO animal testing
- NO GM ingredients
- NO controversial chemicals
- NO parabens and phthalates
- NO synthetic colours, dyes or fragrances
- NO synthetic micro plastics
- NO harmful effects to marine life nor the wider environment when washed down the drain
This certification evaluates the entire supply chain for its environmental footprint. It involves scrutinising packaging materials and mandating the use of exclusively non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products in manufacturing facilities. Licensees are required to implement an environmental management plan aimed at minimising waste through reduction, reuse, and recycling.
To uphold these standards, all licensees undergo a rigorous yearly inspection.
Don’t be greenwashed by organic and natural claims; look for a reputable certification logo – such as COSMOS, or alternatively, ECOCERT or NATRUE which have strict certification standards too. These certifications offer a consumer guarantee for buying genuine organic and natural cosmetic products.