Biocosmetics: Pros and Cons
I would like to share an impartial analysis of one of the cosmetic sector topics most full of contradictions and potentially misleading information: BIOCOSMETICS. The lack of true legislation and the marketing abuse of terms such as “natural”, “organic” and “eco” have created a context in which consumers can easily be misled.
After the boom recorded in the United States, European and Italian consumers are increasingly looking for cosmetic products that claim the presence of ingredients of natural origin. In the “natural” cosmetic, people seek authenticity and reassurance: plants and fruits are associated in the common imagination with simplicity, purity and product safety.
As soon as eco-bio products stopped being a niche market, mass-market manufacturers adapted to the trend by adding natural ingredients to formulas, using flowers and plants on labels and promoting claims and logos linked to the organic world.
Consumers should therefore be informed about misleading practices, while at the same time protecting those manufacturers who genuinely believe in organic cosmetics and in the sustainability of all the processes leading to the finished product: renewable energy, low-impact raw materials, conscious packaging choices and reduced waste.
Definitions
The term organic originates in the agri-food sector and describes a product obtained from nature without pesticides, chemical fertilisers and with limited additives, preservatives and colourings. In cosmetics, however, “organic” cannot have exactly the same meaning because a cosmetic is always the result of processes that transform the raw materials used.
- ECO cosmetics contain ingredients obtained from renewable sources, extracted with low-pollution methods and designed to minimise environmental impact. They are intended to be biodegradable, including their packaging, and should exclude petroleum derivatives such as petrolatum, paraffin and silicones.
- BIO cosmetics are usually understood as products in which vegetable extracts represent a very high percentage of the composition and come from organic agriculture.
- Certified organic cosmetics are products that have obtained certification from private bodies after checks on the origin and traceability of ingredients. In Europe, the most relevant references are COSMOS and NATRUE.
Certification Bodies
COSMOS
Cosmetics Organic Standard was founded in September 2009 and is supported by certification bodies such as Ecocert and Cosmebio in France, BDIH in Germany, the Soil Association in the United Kingdom, Bioforum in Belgium and ICEA in Italy.
The presence of a common label and a common standard at European level has made it easier for consumers to recognise certified organic cosmetic products within the single market. One of the main challenges for COSMOS was to draw up a specification that could be applied consistently by different certification bodies.
COSMOS divides cosmetic ingredients into five main categories:
- Water: the water contained in cosmetics is not considered organic and does not count towards the organic percentage of the finished product.
- Minerals: these are not considered organic because they are not renewable resources; only naturally occurring minerals processed by physical methods are accepted.
- PPAI (Physically Processed Agro-Ingredients): ingredients obtained through physical processes. Irradiation is not accepted and solvents used for extraction must be water or plant-derived.
- CPAI (Chemically Processed Agro-Ingredients): ingredients obtained through chemical processes. COSMOS aims to encourage green chemistry by promoting renewable resources and restricting petrochemical solvents.
- Other ingredients: ingredients considered hazardous on the basis of scientific evidence are banned. Nanoparticles, GMOs and irradiation processes are not allowed.
On the basis of these rules and percentage calculations related to organic plant material, COSMOS distinguishes between different types of certifiable cosmetic products, such as COSMOS-ORGANIC and COSMOS-NATURAL.
Final considerations
Biocosmetics are not a fraudulent concept in themselves, but they require technical knowledge, accurate wording and transparent communication. The absence of a single legal definition means that labels, images and claims must be assessed carefully. Otherwise, the consumer may believe that “natural” automatically means more effective, safer or more sustainable, which is not always the case.