In case you live on another planet and haven’t noticed, natural, organic, and plant-based cosmetics are huge right now.
Even budget drugstore brands are starting organic ranges. More and more women are choosing clean beauty both for ethical reasons and because it’s healthier. And that’s great!
Here at Pick N Dazzle, Aniko and Ani are both big fans of natural cosmetics.
However, how do you navigate the myriad labels out there: bio, organic, Ecocert, cruelty-free, vegan?… They all mean something good, but what exactly? And which one is best for you?
Read on to find out.
Bio is an established standard of the European Union.
Bio products undergo regular checks so they can keep this label. They are proven to have the best origin and quality. They’re made only from the cleanest ingredients in an eco-friendly way.
“Organic” has several meanings. Primarily it is the US American equivalent of the European “bio” standard. US organic products are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Other “organic” certificates are awarded by independent organisations.
Ecocert is an independent organisation that has its own “natural” and “organic” standards.
These standards are relatively less rigorous. For example, Ecocert allows some plant ingredients to be from non-bio agriculture, which means that pesticides and artificial fertilisers may be used to grow them.
Ecocert’s certifications may not be as strict as bio and USDA organic, but they are similarly reliable and based on thorough testing.
Natural. Unlike “organic” and “bio”, the use of this word is not regulated by any government or law.
If a product is “certified natural”, for example by Ecocert, then it has been checked and approved by someone. Otherwise, what “natural” means depends on the producer. And it is up to you how much you trust them.
It is good to know that many companies decide not to apply for bio, Ecocert, or other certification because the process is expensive and drives up the products' prices, making them less accessible.
Of course, there are also unscrupulous companies that call their products “natural” for no good reason.
At Pick N Dazzle, we thoroughly check all companies we source from, and Viktoriia makes sure they fit our values.
Vegan cosmetics are made without any animal ingredients, such as animal fat, collagen, milk, etc. Fitting with the global vegan trend, these products come with higher ethical standards.
It’s not easy to make fully vegan formulas: brands that go through the trouble clearly don’t like compromise. Therefore, “vegan” can be taken as an extra sign of quality.
Cruelty free: this means that the product has not been tested on animals. However, here is an important fact: testing cosmetics on animals is forbidden in the European Union. All cosmetics sold here need to be “cruelty-free”. If they are not, they would be in violation of the law.
“Cruelty-free” labelling makes sense in the US, where animal testing, sadly, isn’t outlawed. But in the EU, this issue is obsolete.
With so many bad news in the world, we can forget about the good ones. Yes, all cosmetics you’re using right now are most likely “cruelty-free”!
This is why vegan beauty is gaining in popularity: it is a new, higher ethical standard we can now aspire to.
So, how do you choose?
If you maintain the highest standards and only use the purest ecologically grown ingredients, Abellie is for you. Most of their products are certified bio in the EU.
A close second is Naobay: they have an Ecocert certification, proving that their products are made of natural ingredients.
Alternatively, Kueshi offers an ideal balance of quality and price. The brand is committed to using more natural ingredients and to effective formulas that offer visible results.
If you like animals and that is your primary concern, you can choose more vegan options. By the way, using less animal products is also proven to be good for the environment.
You can try Phase Zero’s vegan lipsticks and eyeshadows. All of Naobay’s products are vegan, too!!
We at Pick N Dazzle are committed to finding the best products for you based on your needs and preferences. You can subscribe to get our beauty boxes, choose your favourite brands in your beauty profile, and let our experts do the rest!
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