Organic VS natural: what is the difference?

How to analyze and understand the content of cosmetic labels?

Are your customers increasingly looking for natural products?

Are you wondering about organic cosmetics?

Are you looking for your next cosmetics supplier, consistent with your ethics?

These are essential questions, which are all based on the natural or organic dimension of cosmetics.

And as a beauty salon or spa, you must be able to recognize cosmetics and their composition .

To do this, you can ask yourself about cosmetic product certification , and what it implies.

You can also learn how to read a cosmetics label.

But in all cases, the question ends up asking: what is the difference between organic cosmetics and natural cosmetics ?

Because no: these are not synonyms.

These are two very different terms, which have specific implications.

Should we favor natural cosmetics or organic cosmetics ?

Green Spa helps you answer this question!

Everything you need to know about natural cosmetics

Let's start with natural cosmetics.

So-called natural cosmetics are cosmetic products that generally contain at least 95% ingredients of natural origin.

These are therefore ingredients which are of plant or mineral origin.

This allows treatment institutes and spas to affirm their ethical commitments by choosing cosmetics that respect the planet, but also animals.

Alongside what we find in the composition of natural cosmetics, there is also what we do not find there.

For example, many certifications impose rigorous specifications which exclude the presence of silicones , parabens and certain substances harmful to the skin.

And cosmetic certifications can make all the difference for natural cosmetics.

Indeed, we observe that natural composition has become a trend.

Which is a very good thing, because it encourages suppliers to move towards healthier formulations .

But this awareness also has negative sides.

Some brands try to appropriate natural designations, in a poor attempt at green washing while their cosmetics do not respect the implications required by the natural designation.

If you are looking for truly natural cosmetics, Green Spa advises you to ask the supplier about the origin of its ingredients.

You can also rely on the guarantees provided by certifications.

Indeed, the certifying bodies are completely independent, and the specifications they apply are 100% transparent.

So you know what to expect in terms of natural composition!

Organic cosmetics: what are we talking about?

For organic cosmetics, the requirements are different.

First of all, you should know that organic cosmetics are natural cosmetics.

But in addition to the natural composition requirements, it is a product to which other criteria are added.

These requirements concern the percentage of ingredients from organic farming found in the cosmetic in question.

Regarding the organic designation, it implies that 95% of the ingredients that can be organic must be organic.

In other words: the ingredients have not been affected by any pesticide or other products that could harm health.

Good to know :

You should know that water and mineral products cannot be organic, because they are not ingredients that are grown.

This is why many organic products have a second percentage displayed on their label.

This percentage indicates the quantity of organic ingredients in relation to the entire product.

The minimum threshold is set at 20% in most cosmetics.

Organic cosmetics VS natural cosmetics: which ones to choose?

Now that you know more about the differences between organic cosmetics and natural cosmetics, the question arises: which one should be preferred?

There is actually no right answer to this question: it all depends on you, your institute and your values!

It also depends on the products that are offered. Beyond meeting the ethical requirements of your customers, it is also essential to take into consideration the tastes of your customers.

For example, they may prefer aqueous bases rather than oily bases , floral scents rather than sweet ones, etc.

It's up to you to browse the catalog of your cosmetics supplier to make the right choices!

Do you need information on the issue of cosmetic certifications? Green Spa answers all your questions: