What are the Top Certification required for Cosmetics Brands?

If you are in the cosmetic business, you may know that specific safety and quality standards are to be maintained. These standards are regulated by various organisations, the government, and the industry. Therefore, cosmetic brands you may associate with need specific certifications to conduct their businesses.

Top certifications by various internationally renowned institutions ensure the customers that a product can be safely used. In addition, these certifications determine whether the cosmetic product is chemically and biologically safe. By reading this article, you will be able to learn about the various top certificates that are necessary for cosmetics brands. 

These certifications also ensure that these products are safe for the environment and cause no harm to nature and animals.

 

The various kinds of certifications that this article will look at are as follows:

• Ones that ensure that the brand does not test on animals.
• Ones that ensure that the products are safe for the environment
• Ones that ensure that the cosmetic brand is legally conducting all business.
• Certifications that ensure that the product is safe to be used

 

Aims and objectives of the various Certifications

The various organisations that regulate cosmetic products ensure that quality is maintained. Their laws and regulations show that manufacturing products in no way cause any harm to nature, animals, or the customers who use them.

They aim to ensure that the entire journey, from the raw ingredients to the finished product, is traceable. They target transparency in every step of production to strengthen customer bonds. They prevent illegal activities and ensure that the consumers and customers receive the best services.

 

Top Certifications required for Cosmetics Brands

You might be wondering what some of the top certifications are for cosmetics. Well, they are quite a few and they are pretty diverse in the areas they represent. If you work for a cosmetic brand or use the products of various major brands, you might already know some of them. This list will help you get to know them if you don’t.

 

Organic Beauty Certifications:

These certifications approve the products as safe for usage. In addition, they test and inspect and ensure that the products are completely organic and do not violate health standards. In science or agriculture, organic means growing without the involvement of pesticides and harmful chemicals. They also exclude genetically modified organisms, abbreviated as GMOs.

 

1. United States Department of Agriculture – Abbreviated as USDA, they certify various brands and products as organic. A product can only be approved as organic if it contains at least 70% organic constituents. Some of the products certified by USDA are as follows: Juice Beauty Organic Facial Wash, Honest Beauty Organic Facial Oil, 100% Pure Organic Skin Care Collection, and CocoRoo Natural Skin Care.

2. NSF International – National Sanitation Foundation International is based in Michigan, abbreviated as NSF International. They test, inspect, and certify various products. Their area of work also includes cosmetic products. They check whether the product meets certain specifications. The main criterion is that the product contains at least 70% organic ingredients.

Some of their best-known certified products include Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Shampoo, OverSculpted Face Stick, and Osmia Purely Gentle Mud Cleanser.

3. Ecocert Cosmos – Established over three decades ago, Ecocert Cosmos has become one of the biggest names in the business. They have tested, inspected and certified over 29000 products from over 71 countries. They have a  stringent set of rules. They are as follows:

 

1. A minimum of 95% of plant ingredients should be organic.
2. The packaging should be recyclable.
3. There are no genetically modified organisms.
4. The brand uses green chemistry. That is, they use methods to cut out hazardous substances.
5. The product respects biodiversity, human health and the environment.
6. There is a minimum of 20% organic products in the product’s formulation.
7. Some of the best-known products certified by them are One Love Organics, Coola, KORA, Antonym Cosmetics, and Odacite.

 

Fair Trade :

These certifications ensure that the company or brand conducts fair business. It sees to the fact that the company makes legal transactions. It certifies that the workers are paid a fair wage and all the business is honest. It also ensures that the producers are paid a fair amount.

1. Fair Trade USA – Fair Trade United States Of America certifies various products as Fair Trade Certified. It has multiple set rules and regulations, and products are accredited only if they pass under those laws. In addition, they certify products only if they use Fair Trade Certified ingredients. They must also pay the producers the Fair-Trade Certified Price.

Fair Trade works hand in hand with the International Labour Organisation. Thus, products must follow strict labour laws and regulations the ILO sets. Some of the Fair Trade Certified brands are as follows: cocokind, Eco Lips, and Badger Healthy Body Care.

 

2. Fairtrade – If your product is certified by Fairtrade, it is approved by Fairtrade America. Fairtrade America works in association with Fairtrade International. They are based in Bonn, Germany, and were established in  1997. They work throughout the world and are a non-profit organisation.

Products and brands certified by Fairtrade include Acala Zero Waste, BAO Skincare, Bowe Organics, Haoma, Holistic London, Husk And Seed Skincare, and BareFaced Beauty.

 

3. Certified B Corporation – They test and inspect products and certify them as B Corp Certified. B Lab is a non-profit organisation in charge of this entire process. They certify brands and products depending on their community survey, governance, customers, and environment. 

Some of the best brands which are B Corp Certified are as follows:

MaCher, Melanin Essentials, Rudolph Care, The Body Shop, Koa+Roy, Oneka, Prose, Rituals Cosmetics, Greenvines, Herbatint, Green Circle Salons, Expanscience Laboratories, Bronner’s, Skandinavisk.

 

Certifications of Sustainability:

These certifications certify that the product does not cause any harm to the environment. It harvests various resources safely and sustainably. They ensure that the different brands and companies cause no damage to animals, insects, ecosystems, and humankind.

1. Rainforest Alliance – The Rainforest Alliance is one of the biggest names in the world of product certification in terms of sustainability. It was established almost four decades ago by an American environmental activist named Daniel Katz. They have branches in over 20 countries and operate in more than 70 countries. They provide ecological certification for agricultural sustainability.

It is widely known for its work in the field of palm oil. Palm oil is safe for usage, but the overgrowth of palms leads to deforestation and the destruction of biodiversity. The Rainforest Alliance ensures that a product contains a minimum of 30% sustainably farmed and harvested palm oil. 

Some of their most well-known products include Mrs Meyer’s Clean Day Daily Bar Soap, Grandpa Soap Co.Oatmeal Soap, and Tom’s of Maine Creamy Coconut Natural Beauty Bar.

 

2. B Corporation – The B Corporation pops up in this list a second time. Operated by the B Lab, the B corporation has an all-around area of work. B Lab is based in Pennsylvania and was founded in 2006. It works to certify the products of for-profit companies and follows very strict rules and regulations. The B Corp Certification is the ultimate certification for any brand.

 They have specific predefined standards of transparency, sustainability, accountability and performance. The validity of products is decided by measuring these standards. 

Some of the best-known products with B Corp Certification include Alima Pure, Ursa Major, Sunday Riley, Ethique, Beauty Counter, and Elate Cosmetics.

 

3. Forest Stewardship Council – If you are not new to the world of cosmetics, you may have noticed the logo of    Forest Stewardship Council before. And you may also know how vital their certification is. The logo is that of a tick mark extended into a tree. 

Founded in 1993, it is currently based in Bonn, Germany. It is a non-profit organisation and has multiple stakeholders. It aims to protect the world’s forests by using the method of timber certification. Therefore, it mainly focuses on sustainable forestry.

Some of the best-known products, which are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council are W3LL PEOPLE, Versed Skincare, Aether Beauty, and Vapour Beauty Brushes.

 

4. Carbon Neutral Certification – For over two decades, the Certified Carbon Neutral Global Standard has aimed to certify carbon-neutral products. It was founded and is now run by Natural Capital Partners. It has a five-step plan for inspection and certification. This method follows: define, measure, target, reduce, and communicate.

 It acts to prepare businesses for a low-carbon transformation. In addition, it has worked tirelessly to ensure that sustainability is maintained.

Their best-known brands include Ethique, BYBI Beauty, Azure, Dame, LOOPECO, Fussy, Forgo, Bramley, HIGHR, Bolt, Tropic, and Neighbourhood Botanicals.

 

Free of Animal Cruelty:

These certifications ensure that the product was made without the involvement of animals. That is, the brands did not test the product on animals. 

Earlier on, most brands would come clear about whether they tested on animals or not. However, nowadays,with scandals filling the world of cosmetics and beauty products, you can never really know. Thus, these organisations ensure that no animals are harmed while manufacturing these cosmetics.

Among the governments that actively support this initiative is the Chinese government. For products made by brands outside China, animal testing certification is required. Many major brands such as Benefit and NARS also pay various organisations to certify their products as cruelty-free.

 

1. Leaping Bunny – One of the biggest names in the world of cosmetics, you must surely have heard of them if you are working in the world of cosmetics. You will also have heard of them if you are an animal lover and have any association with animal rights activism. Leaping Bunny was founded in 1996 in the United States of America and is operated by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics. It is abbreviated as CCIC.

They have certified over 2000 products and work all over the world. They are based in the United States of America and Canada.

Some of the best-known products which are certified by them are as follows: True Botanicals, Ursa Major, ILIA  Beauty, Alpyn Beauty, and W3LL PEOPLE.

 

2. Beauty Without Bunnies – The world-renowned Beauty Without Bunnies is operated by People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals, abbreviated PETA. They have various cosmetic giants in their roster and work in multiple different countries of the world. 

PETA was founded 42 years ago in Norfolk, Virginia, in the United States of America. Their main area of focus is animal rights and animal welfare. They have over 9 million members worldwide.

Beauty Without Bunnies has certified some high profiles such as: 

OSEA, Bonnie Doon, Elate Cosmetics, Aether Beauty.

 

3. CrueltyFreeKitty – CrueltyFreeKitty is another organisation that ensures that the various beauty products on the market are vegan and cruelty-free. It has over 600 certified brands and products in its extensive roster,and you can quickly check the list to find out about these brands and their products, which are all certified. They have certified various cosmetic lines owned and operated by high-profile celebrities. Some of these include:

 Stella McCartney by Stella McCartney, God Is a Woman by Ariana Grande, and Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez.

 

 4. Ethical Elephant – This organisation works tirelessly to ensure that the cosmetics on the market are cruelty-free.It has an elaborate website that you can check out to find which brands to trust and which logos are genuinely free of animal cruelty. They also have a list of brands that are certified as cruelty-free, divided into different categories. They also have a list of products you can shop for, along with necessary descriptions and prices. So you can shop for your desired products here at affordable prices.

   

Conclusion 

Thus, these are some of the most important certifications that you might consider when it comes to launching your line of cosmetics. You may also want to see these certifications on the products you are using, as it ensures that they are safe and free of animal cruelty.