| Before digging into how Europe manages the | | | | COSMOS-standard has not yet achieved legal status, |
| ingredients used to manufacture cosmetic products, it | | | | but that will be delved into later in this article. At this |
| becomes necessary to understand why this is so | | | | juncture, let's look at how the EU manages this |
| important. Personal care products, otherwise known as | | | | process. |
| beauty products or cosmetic products, are known to | | | | What is the European Union? What are its aims and |
| contain over 10,500 chemical ingredients. Many of | | | | results? How does it work? In summary, the answers |
| these ingredients are toxic in nature. Toxins are | | | | to these questions are: |
| poisons and when used over long periods of time, can | | | | -27 democratic countries participate in the EU |
| cause serious damage to one's health. Women use an | | | | economically and politically; |
| average of over 5 pounds of lotions and creams | | | | -498 million citizens in these 27 countries look to the EU |
| annually. The skin is the largest organ of the body and | | | | for safe, consumable products, including beauty |
| is very porous, allowing over 70% of what is applied to | | | | products; |
| the skin to seep into our bodies and into our | | | | -It's results in the beauty category provide for not just |
| bloodstream. Through clinical studies, it has been | | | | safer products, but a greener environment as well; |
| proven that the very same toxins found in a mother's | | | | -It works because each country sets up bodies to |
| blood have been found in the umbilical cord of the | | | | adopt and manage the EU's legislation. |
| fetus. Many of these toxic (poison) ingredients are | | | | The COSMOS-standard represents the European |
| carcinogenic and can be linked to cancer as well as | | | | cosmetic organic standards working group. It is made |
| respiratory problems in infants, birth defects, liver and | | | | up of the previously mentioned organizations. It is |
| kidney disease, etc. | | | | expected to be legalized by April, 2010 by the |
| Perhaps now it is clear as to why it is so important to | | | | pronouncement of the Belgian Royal Decree. Excerpts |
| know what is being done around the world to monitor | | | | of the main objectives of the COSMOS- standards |
| what goes into the manufacture of cosmetic products | | | | and taken directly from their final document dated |
| and why it should be so very important for consumers | | | | January, 2010, can be summed up as follows: |
| to use only certified organic and/or natural beauty | | | | "Establishing a 'sustainable development' that would |
| products. | | | | reconcile economic progress, socialresponsibility and |
| Europe, Asia, and Oceania have taken major steps in | | | | maintain the natural balance of the planet is a project in |
| controlling the ingredients used in beauty products. In | | | | which the cosmeticssector is willing to be fully involved... |
| this article the focus will be on Europe, while future | | | | the organic and natural cosmetics sector clearly |
| articles will tackle how other parts of the world | | | | shows its ambition to go further in setting a new |
| address this issue. Having said that, one might ask | | | | standard for organic and natural cosmetics." |
| what about the US? Unfortunately, with the cosmetic | | | | The following represents a summary of a set of |
| business being such a large (50 billion) and extremely | | | | simple rules that will be used to manage the organic |
| profitable business, the US cosmetic companies | | | | and natural beauty industry. The main focus is on |
| employ lobbyists in Washington to prevent changes in | | | | prevention and safety in all segments of the |
| the laws regulating the industry. Shocking as it might | | | | manufacturing process, that is, from raw materials to |
| seem, the Cosmetic Industry is self-regulated. It can | | | | market ready final products. |
| determine what it wants to bring to market without | | | | The rules will focus on human health through: |
| any pre-testing by any government or private | | | | -Organic agriculture and natural resources always with |
| agencies. | | | | respect for the environment; |
| Currently Europe has one Government authority that | | | | -A manufacturing process that is environmentally clean |
| controls the ingredients of beauty products, the | | | | while, at the same time, utilizing and expanding a more |
| European Union (EU). However, there are private | | | | green philosophy that ultimately will create a higher |
| institutions operating in five countries that provide | | | | standard for organic and natural beauty products. |
| independent laboratory testing to the many cosmetic | | | | The six organizations making up the |
| companies operating throughout Europe. These | | | | COSMOS-standard, namely BDIH, ECOCERT & |
| independent organizations use the authority of the EU | | | | COSMEBIO, SOIL ASSOCIATION, ICEA, and |
| to manage the process, but in some cases, go beyond | | | | BIOFORUM, each have their own set of standards for |
| the regulations required by the EU to determine and | | | | certifying organic and/or natural beauty products. It |
| qualify products as certified organic and/or natural | | | | would take a book to delineate each agencies |
| beauty products. These organizations are: | | | | processes. Suffice it to say that Europe has taken a |
| -BDIH operating out of Germany; | | | | lead position on this subject through the EU and |
| -ECOCERT & COSMEBIO from France; | | | | continues to improve its status by moving forward |
| -SOIL ASSOCIATION from the UK; | | | | with the COSMOS-standard. One of the results of the |
| -ICEA from Italy; | | | | EU's legislation is that they have already banned over |
| -BIOFORUM from Belgium | | | | 1100 chemical ingredients used in the manufacture of |
| These six organizations combined also make up what | | | | beauty products, while the US has banned a mere 10. |
| is known as the COSMOS-standard. The | | | | |