Natural and BIO cosmetics
BIO. How many times have you come across the magic word BIO in just the last week? Was it in the supermarket near the BIO food section? Or did you dine on organic steak? Have you mixed organic oatmeal?
But what about the label "BIO" in cosmetics and the cosmetic market in general, and what it all entails, that's what we'll talk about right now. On the Czech market, but in principle also on the European market, a number of cosmetic brands label their products as "natural cosmetics", "organic", or even "natural". There are quite a few of these designations. However, the basic conditions and parameters that every cosmetic product must meet are defined in EU Council Directive EC 1223/2009.
Efforts to produce and offer other, so-called natural cosmetics, began to appear from the 80s of the last century. Manufacturers wanted to differentiate themselves from the cosmetic mainstream by introducing their own standards and procedures. It was mainly about production without petroleum raw materials, synthetic fragrances and colors, synthetic preservatives and raw materials generated from GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
This process resulted in comprehensive standards issued by various cosmetic certification organizations. Currently, there are several such organizations. In general, we can state that their standards are very similar. In principle, it is primarily a matter of determining prohibited, permitted or directly mandatory raw materials. After meeting these standards and conditions, the product can be certified and marked with the mark of the given certification organization.
At this point, we already know how, when and why certified natural cosmetics was created. Let us now explain the difference between natural and BIO cosmetics. Because natural cosmetics and BIO cosmetics are not the same. Natural cosmetics use natural or derived (synthesized) raw materials for their products, which can be very similar to certified BIO cosmetics. The fundamental difference lies in the mandatory proof of the origin of the raw materials, which must be submitted to the certification organization by the manufacturer of BIO cosmetics. Not only the natural origin of the raw materials is demonstrated, but also the origin and cultivation in organic farming. When growing plant raw materials for the purposes of BIO cosmetics, synthetic fertilizers, chemical protection or pesticides must not be used.
Let us simply summarize the differences as follows: the same list of prohibited substances - whether synthetic or potentially harmful - usually applies to both natural and BIO cosmetics. For BIO cosmetics, however, there is an additional obligation to produce part of the raw materials in BIO quality.
What BIO cosmetics must not contain:
- Synthetic dyes
- Animal ingredients (except beeswax )
- Petroleum substances such as mineral oil, vaseline or paraffin
- Synthetically obtained perfumes (essential oils are allowed)
- Raw materials produced using GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
- Synthetic preservatives
- The use of chemical UV filters is prohibited
- The use of surfactants is limited
- Testing is prohibited on animals
How should we imagine natural or BIO cosmetics and what should we look for in them?
The basis of skin creams are vegetable oils, such as almond, olive, soy, argan, macadamia or castor. Creams must not contain mineral oils, petroleum jelly or paraffin as substitutes. These cheap substitutes do not allow the skin to breathe and clog the pores. In addition, they settle in the lymph nodes.
Natural cosmetics may only contain permitted natural preservatives, such as vitamin E or essential oils. Parabens may not be used as preservatives.
Essential oils are used for perfumery. However, many natural products are not perfumed at all and use their natural scents according to the ingredients. Colors are only of natural origin.
Natural cosmetics should not contain water. Cosmetics that contain both water and oil must use an emulsifier as a means to combine the water and oil to form a cream. At the same time, water reduces the service life and durability of the product. Microbes thrive in water, which is why alcohol is added to the product as a preservative. The latter will ensure a longer shelf life, but it can irritate and dry out the skin. The clear advantage of natural BIO cosmetics is the water-free composition without synthetic preservatives.
Now you know the basic information and differences between conventional, natural and BIO cosmetics.
VIEW PRODUCT BIO FACIAL CREAM EXTRA NUTRITION