With all the cosmetic brands we see on the shelves and online, it's becoming increasingly difficult to make a choice. Which cosmetic product is good for my health? Which one is the least polluting? Which cosmetic is truly more eco-friendly? To answer all these questions, LAO shares its tips for choosing the right cosmetic product, both for your health and for the environment.

The best tools for understanding and differentiating between different cosmetic products are the INCI list and cosmetic labels. But for them to be truly useful, you first need to know a little more about them and learn how to decipher them. After reading this article, you'll be able to choose the cosmetic products best suited to your needs and preferences much more easily!

What are the most reliable cosmetic labels?

There are several cosmetic labels, but some are more demanding and therefore more reliable than others. LAO therefore details the specifics of the main cosmetic labels so that you can more easily understand what each of them implies for the cosmetic product, its manufacturing, and its ingredients.

1) ECOCERT

The ECOCERT label is one of the most demanding labels, which guarantees:

✅ products manufactured with respect for the environment

✅ green chemistry, therefore much less polluting,

✅ the use of natural ingredients while respecting biodiversity and the environment

✅ recyclable packaging

❌ no presence of GMOs

❌ the absence of petrochemical ingredients, apart from certain authorized preservatives

This label takes into account each stage of the manufacturing of cosmetic products from the composition and choice of ingredients to the product packaging.

The label certifies cosmetic products whose ingredients are almost entirely of natural origin. LAO cleansing products are certified by the ECOCERT label and contain 100% ingredients of natural origin.

2) COSMEBIO: COSMOS ORGANIC and COSMOS NATURAL

The COSMEBIO label certifies organic cosmetic products and natural or naturally derived products. The label is available in three different forms:

• COSMOS

✅ 95% minimum of ingredients of natural origin

✅ 95% minimum organic ingredients among the ingredients from nature

✅ minimum 10% of the total product ingredients that are organic (not including water and minerals)

• COSMOS NATURAL

✅ minimum 95% of ingredients of natural origin

❌ limitation of petrochemical ingredients

• COSMOS ORGANIC

✅ 95% minimum of ingredients of natural origin

✅ 95% minimum of organic ingredients among the ingredients that can be organic

✅ Minimum 20% organic ingredients out of the total product ingredients

For the 3 certifications, the COSMEBIO Label certifies:

✅ the preservation of diversity and sustainability of cosmetics

✅ healthy cosmetics, not dangerous for health

❌ no animal testing for cosmetic product ingredients

❌ no genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or nanomaterials

❌ ban on gamma and X-ray irradiation

To learn more about the COSMEBIO label, check out The Beauty Nerds podcast with Nicolas Bertrand of COSMEBIO.

3) NATURE & PROGRESS

The Nature & Progrès label certifies products that respect living beings and the environment, natural cycles, and also ethical and sustainable products. Nature & Progrès is a label for both food and cosmetics. Whether it concerns a sector or the author, this label is particularly demanding:

✅ Only mineral materials are authorized (only those which do not degrade the environment and whose extraction is not polluting)

✅ Natural or organic ingredients

✅ Simple chemical processes for raw material extraction

✅ Only natural dyes and perfumes are allowed

✅ Natural and non-toxic preservatives

✅ Cosmetic products guaranteed without polluting processing procedures

❌ Products guaranteed GMO-free

❌ Palm oil and its derivatives prohibited

❌ Ingredients of animal origin prohibited (with the exception of beehive products, fresh or freeze-dried dairy products, eggs and their derivatives, and lanolin not containing nickel)

❌ Synthetic solvents prohibited

❌ Parabens, phosphates, synthetic essential oils and synthetic fats prohibited

❌ No silicone

❌ Animal experimentation prohibited

In short, this label guarantees cosmetic products that are environmentally friendly, animal-friendly, and pose no risk to our health!

4) NATURE

The NATRUE label applies to both cosmetic ingredients, i.e., raw materials, and cosmetic products. It is an international label created for natural and organic cosmetics.

✅ At least 95% natural ingredients or of natural origin

✅ Protection of biodiversity

✅ Natural or naturally derived preservatives

✅ Labeling and claims must be clear and not misleading about the product

❌ No animal testing, in the EU as well as in other countries

❌ No perfume or synthetic dyes

❌ No petrochemicals

❌ No GMOs

3 types of certification are possible through the NATRUE label:

• Organic cosmetics
• Natural cosmetics
• Natural cosmetics with some organic ingredients

What is the INCI list?

The INCI list, which stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, was created in 1973 and has been mandatory on the packaging of every cosmetic product in Europe since 1998.

The list is written in two different languages: Latin for the plant names, and English for the names of molecules or other ingredients. Yes, it's actually useful to learn Latin in middle school!

This list allows you to know the exact composition of cosmetic products and thus to be able to identify ingredients that can cause allergies, or polluting ingredients such as solicone.

However, the INCI list unfortunately does not allow you to know the quantity of each ingredient contained in the cosmetic product. However, we will give you a tip to roughly estimate the quantity of ingredients.

How to decipher the INCI list?

The ingredients on the INCI list are always listed in descending order based on the quantity of each ingredient present in the cleansing product. The exact quantities of ingredients are not specified in order to preserve the brands' formulas.

If you're not familiar with Latin or English, it's often difficult to decipher all the ingredients on the INCI list. So, there are some tools available to help you!

You can use a scanning app such as INCI Beauty , Yuka , Mireille App , QuelCosmetic and Clean Beauty .

You can also search for a cosmetic ingredient on the The Truth About Cosmetics website, which will give you the rating of the ingredient you are looking for, the origin and an explanation of what that ingredient is.

In any case, all these tools make it much easier for you to understand the different cosmetics and make a choice of cosmetics that are healthy for you and for the environment.

If you have any questions, contact us on social media: @lao.care!