What is the difference between natural cosmetics, certified natural and organic cosmetics?
“Natural,” “organic,” “vegan,” “paraben-free” – we see these words more and more often on the shelves of drugstores and online shops, but do we truly understand what they mean?
Consumers are increasingly paying attention to what they put on their skin – they read labels and choose products they can trust. In the sea of information, they look for confirmation that a product is high-quality and safe, and increasingly also that it is natural. But do you know what “natural cosmetics” actually means?
WHY DO THESE TERMS CONFUSE CONSUMERS?
The term “natural cosmetics” is not legally defined or regulated, which means there are no clear guidelines on what a product must contain to be called natural. This creates difficulties not only for consumers who want to make an informed purchase, but also for manufacturers striving to create truly natural products.
CERTIFICATIONS – A RESPONSE TO THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY
To bring clarity and ensure transparency, organisations have been established to define strict standards for natural and organic cosmetics. Their role is simple: to set clear criteria that a product must meet in order to be labelled as genuinely natural.
One of the best-known and strictest international standards is the NATRUE standard. Its criteria are publicly available and include, among others:
- Products may contain only natural, derived natural and nature-identical substances, with clearly defined minimum and maximum percentages depending on the product category.
- The use of GMOs, silicones, parabens, microplastics, synthetic fragrances and mineral oils is strictly prohibited.
Products and manufacturers undergo detailed inspections of documentation, production processes and the final product. Based on these results, the NATRUE certificate is awarded as proof that the cosmetic product is truly natural or organic.
According to the latest version of the NATRUE standard, all certified products must contain only NATRUE-approved or certified raw materials. This change ensures even greater transparency and traceability, giving consumers confidence that every single ingredient in a certified product meets NATRUE’s strict requirements.
NATURAL AND ORGANIC – TWO DIFFERENT TERMS
The terms “natural” and “organic” are often used in the same way, but the difference between them is important. To put it clearly, organic represents a higher level than natural because it requires a certain percentage of ingredients to come from certified organic farming.
Natural cosmetics contain ingredients from nature (such as plant oils), while organic cosmetics additionally guarantee that these ingredients are grown organically and hold an ecological certificate.
For example, a natural product may contain apricot, plum and wild rose oils, while an organic product requires that a certain percentage of these oils be certified organic. According to the NATRUE standard, at least 95% of the natural ingredients must be of organic origin for a product to carry the “organic” label.
At Lantestina, we believe that skin deserves pure and honest care.
We formulate and manufacture natural and organic cosmetic products, and to prove this to our customers, we have chosen to certify our products according to the NATRUE standard. In doing so, we reaffirm what has guided us from the beginning – transparency, quality and genuine naturalness.
