The IKW (German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association) has just announced the pre-publication of Guidelines for “nature-oriented cosmetics”, whose positioning is often less clear than that of natural or organic products. Drawn up by a working group bringing together representatives of public authorities, industry and consumers, it aims to bring more transparency and contribute to a better structuring of the diversity of natural-oriented products on the market.
This guidance is primarily addressed to manufacturers, distributors, the retail trade, and public authorities. The document is supposed to be an up-to-date practice-oriented guidance in support of an authentic communication with the avoidance of greenwashing concerning the different interpretations of natural cosmetics, and particularly target products with blurred borders, especially those that are not labelled by a recognised reference system such as COSMOS or NATRUE.
It proposes 11 points qualified as the “smallest common denominator” that products must respect in order to be effectively “natural”, as well as recommendations for the use of claims.
The 11 obligatory steps to natural cosmetics
According to this text, the following is excluded:
1. The use of NOT completely biodegradable surfactants (according to Regulation (EC) No.648/2004)
2. The use of ingredients which according to Regulation (EC) No.1829/2003 must be labelled as genetically modified organisms - This applies, by analogy, to ingredients which do not come within the sphere of application of this Regulation
3. The use of ingredients recovered from dead vertebrates
4. The treatment of vegetable and animal ingredients or the finished product with ionising radiation
5. The use of halogenated as well as aromatic solvents
6. The use of raw materials on …
