BDIH Guideline "Certified Natural Cosmetics" as at February, 2006 Preamble Using natural cosmetics is one of the many ways in which you can apply a complete understanding of nature to the everyday objects you use – and at the same time behave responsibly in relation to the environment. This guideline is intended to support you in this process and attempts to define the term “natural cosmetics” in a correct and comprehensible manner in the interests of justified consumers’ expectations. It should also play a role in ensuring fair competition between the manufacturers and suppliers of natural cosmetics. The aim of this guideline is to create a clear, detailed definition of the term “natural cosmetics”, taking into account justified consumers’ expectations with regard to safe and ecological products. The guideline describes standards for natural cosmetic products; these standards define how raw cosmetic products should be extracted and/or created and how they should be processed. When the raw products for the cosmetics are extracted, measures are taken to ensure that damage to nature is minimized and that no living things are killed. Particular attention is paid to the protection of animals and species. Interference in the genetic make-up of animals or plants through genetic engineering is rejected. Raw materials should be produced in such a way as to protect the environment and minimize the use of chemical processes. Packaging should be both economical and environment-friendly. The main reason why natural raw materials are generally preferred is their ecological superiority, particularly when they are obtained from controlled biological cultivation or certified wild harvest. Moreover, natural substances have evolved alongside mankind, which means that the potential toxicological risk is low. The demand for comprehensible production and social interrelationships is also best met by natural products. The majority of such products come from plants, with some additions from mineral and animal origin. In addition to this, there is a very limited selection of technical products which we cannot completely do without, due to current consumers’ expectations which cannot be fulfilled with pure natural products. The willingness of manufacturers to provide information of raw materials on their products is in itself an important criterion for assessment. Products containing raw materials which are insufficiently transparent are not given the BDIH seal of approval for “Certified Natural Cosmetics”. The BDIH seal of approval for “Certified Natural Cosmetics” is available to companies affiliated to the BDIH which fulfil the requirements contained in this guideline. An independent control body ensures that the criteria of the guideline are complied with. The guideline should be viewed as an active guideline which can be continually updated and improved upon. All points should be viewed as binding. The appendix contains several targets which are denoted by letters. Criteria 1. Raw materials obtained from plants As far as possible, raw materials obtained from plants should be used from: - controlled biological cultivation, taking quality and availability into account - certified wild harvest 2. Animal protection - No animal testing may be performed or commissioned when end products are manufactured, developed or tested. - Raw materials that were not available on the market before 01.01.1998 may only be used if they have not been tested on animals. This does not include animal testing performed by third parties who neither were ordered/prompted by the ordering party to do so nor are associated to the ordering party by company law or by contract. - It is prohibited to use raw materials obtained from dead vertebrates (e.g. spermaceti, terrapin oil, mink oil, marmot fat, animal fats, animal collagen or living cells). 3. Raw materials obtained from minerals The use of inorganic salts and raw materials obtained from minerals is generally permitted, except for those listed in point 5. 4. Raw materials with restricted use For the production of natural cosmetics, it is permissible to use components, which are extracted through hydrolysis, hydrogenation, esterification, transesterification or other crackings and condensations from the following natural materials: - fats, oils and waxes - Lecithins - Lanolin - monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides - proteins and lipoproteins The actual raw material use is regulated by the positive list for development and production of certified natural cosmetics. 5. Deliberate rejection of: - organic-synthetic dyes - synthetic fragrances - ethoxylised raw materials - silicones - paraffin and other petroleum products The criterion which determines which aromatic substances are permitted is ISO 9235. 6. Conservation To ensure that products are micro-biologically safe, certain nature-identical preservatives are allowed in addition to natural preservatives. These are: - benzoic acid, its salts and ethylester - salicylic acid and its salts - sorbic acid and its salts - benzyl alcohol When these preservatives are used, products must be labelled: “preserved with ... [name of preservative]” 1. No radioactive radiation It is forbidden to disinfect organic raw materials and completed cosmetic products using radioactive radiation. 2. Certified Natural Cosmetics A neutral control body checks, that the above criteria are complied with. The association's seal of approval is used to indicate that the criteria have been complied with. Further goals: Transparency - traceable production using clear processes - education of consumers Disapproval of genetic engineering As genetic engineering is a controversial issue in agriculture and is not justified ecologically, biological cultivation is supported. Ecological compatibility - only natural sources of raw materials - environment-friendly manufacturing processes - optimal degradability of raw materials and finished products - economical, environment-friendly and recyclable packaging - maintenance of natural life principles Social compatibility - raw materials from fair trading and Third World projects - use and disposal - cooperation Federation of German Industries and Trading Firms for pharmaceuticals, health care goods, food supplements and personal hygiene products; registered association BDIH L11, 20-22 D-68161 Mannheim www.kontrollierte-naturkosmetik.de