August 2011, 62 pages, 
EUR 999, 

What Natural and Organic Brands are Making the Grade?
High consumer demand for natural and organic cosmetics is leading to a large number of brands making ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ claims. However, how true are these claims? What products are really natural cosmetics, and how true are many of the organic marketing claims? This Technical Insights report provides some clarity to such questions by examining cosmetic products and rating them in terms of their ‘naturalness’.

Over 50 cosmetic brands were selected and given naturalness ratings according to their ingredient composition. Brands were selected according to their natural / organic components, especially those highlighting such features in marketing campaigns. The brands were rated from certified organic (9-10), pure natural cosmetics (5-7), semi-natural (3), naturally inspired (2) to conventional cosmetic (1).

A major finding is that few brands are living up to their marketing claims, with some even having conventional cosmetic formulations. Synthetic preservatives, emollients and surfactants are commonly found in products claiming to be ‘100% natural’, whilst some organic cosmetics are not even meeting natural standards.

The most authentic products were those certified by a recognised agency; brands with certified products received high scores in every region. Natural & organic cosmetic standards encourage formulators to use green ingredients, whilst placing restrictions on synthetic raw materials. Standards are also successful in building consumer trust in natural / organic cosmetics as they distinguish certified products from falsely labelled ones.

Prepared by a chartered chemist with over 20 years of experience in cosmetic formulations, this Technical Insights report aims to clear up much of the confusion about natural & organic cosmetics. By ranking brands according to their formulations, some clarity is provided in terms of what is a natural / organic cosmetic product. The report enables brand owners to classify their cosmetic products as well as benchmark against similar products.

Over 50 international brands are assessed in the report that include Intelligent Nutrients, The Body Shop, L’Occitane, Lush, Korres, Garnier Bio Active, Nude, Aubrey Organics, NuSkin, Johnson’s Natural, Yes To Carrots, Jurlique, Himalaya Herbals, Skin Food, Natura and many more.

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