HOW TO RECOGNIZE A NATURAL COSMETIC?

Dr. Riccardo Matera, Research and Development

Generally, natural cosmetics contain ingredients of plant origin while they do not include substances such as silicones, petrolatum, mineral oils, polymers and synthetic preservatives.

But how do we get to the bottom of the list of ingredients?

The analysis of the ingredients or rather of INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) it is not exactly in the public domain, but it always remains the answer to our questions.

In this article we give you some advice for know how to read a label of a cosmetic product especially if we want to distinguish a traditional product from a natural or even more organic one.

We offer you an excerpt of one of ours interview to the cosmetologist Mara Alvaro of Cosmesidoc in which we clarify some important questions:

What are the useful indications on the label that allow you to understand whether a cosmetic contains substances of natural origin or not?

All natural ingredients (waxes, vegetable oils, botanical extracts, essential oils) are described with the scientific name in Latin and with the wording in English in brackets: for example Citrus medica limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil represents the essential oil of Lemon just as the most common vegetable oils are easily recognizable especially by the English name for example. Almond, Jojoba, Avocado, Sunflower etc.

Structural products of a naturally derived cosmetic (surfactants, emulsifiers, etc.) are generally described by elements that refer to the natural products from which they come, for example. coco-glucoside derivatives between glucose and coconut oil, glyceryl stearate citrate: glyceric derivatives between stearic and citric acid etc.

The surfactants of petrochemical derivation, instead, for example, they are the famous SLES and SLS, i.e. sulphated products such as Sodium laureth sulfate (recognizable by the suffix –eth which indicates a chemical ethoxylation reaction) or non-ethoxylated products such as Sodium lauryl sulfate.

Rheological modifiers of natural origin, the most common are xanthan gums, carrageenans, naturally derived cellulose, identifiable in INCI by the words Xanthan gum, Carrageenan, Cellulose and so on, which replace the most diverse acrylate-based polymers such as acrylates copolymer used in non-natural formulations.

Green shampoos, shower gels and detergents are absent silicones identifiable by INCI wordings with the suffixes -thicone, -xyloxane, for example cyclopentaiutoxane, dimethicone. Ingredients of petrolatum origin such as mineral oils, paraffin (paraffinum liquidum) are absent in natural cosmetics and should not be present in green formulations.

Preservatives synthetic products, formaldehyde releases (e.g. Methylisothiazolinone, Imidazolidinyl urea) and parabens (Methylparaben and similar) should generally be absent in natural cosmetic formulas, where instead preservatives such as Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol are used: synthetic products, but admitted by the certification bodies of organic and natural products.

Furthermore, many ingredients can have both synthetic and natural origins. The presence in the formula of a derivative of natural origin can be carefully highlighted in INCI since it is obtained with greener production methods . Note the wording pentylene glycol of natural origin.

Sometimes the label reads “100% natural cosmetic”. Is it possible to have a cosmetic with these characteristics?

Natural cosmetics are complex mixtures of natural raw materials that are generally reworked, but few products can truly be 100% formulated with entirely plant-based ingredients excluding some massage oils and body oils. But natural cosmetics doesn't stop at oils! The different types of natural cosmetics include: creams, lotions, gels, serums and cleansers.

Most of the structural raw materials of these products (e.g. emulsifiers, surfactants, rheological modifiers, etc.) are substances obtained by physical or chemical modification. European regulations regarding natural cosmetic production allow a series of ingredients that have different specifications in terms of "naturalness".

For the sake of brevity, we distinguish three classes of ingredients allowed in natural cosmetics:

1. The natural ingredients are substances of vegetal, inorganic origin and their mixtures obtained and processed with physical extraction procedures.
2. Naturally identical substances which are found in nature, but synthesized with simple transformation methods.
3. The substances natural-similar of natural derivation they are modified with chemical processes that do not leave toxic waste and contaminants. All cosmetic products (not just natural ones) comply with European regulations. The national association of cosmetic companies Cosmetica Italia provides useful information for protecting consumer health. Furthermore, the ABC cosmetics website – developed for greater awareness of the world of cosmetics – provides useful information about it and we often recommend it in case of doubts or questions.

Do you want to know more about organic cosmetics?

Read the following article WHY COSMETICS CANNOT BE 100% ORGANIC