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Cosmetics

COSMOS Organic: what the cosmetics label covers

COSMOS ORGANIC is a private international standard for cosmetics, not a government seal. Under Version 4.2 of the COSMOS-standard, at least 95% of a product's physically processed plant ingredients must be organic and at least 20% of the total product must be organic, or 10% for rinse-off products. The label must print the organic percentage.

Run by COSMOS-standard AISBL

Silver and black ring beside white tube bottle
Photo: Unsplash

What it certifies

  • At least 95% of physically processed agro-ingredients organic
  • At least 20% of the total product organic, or 10% for rinse-off, non-emulsified aqueous and mostly mineral products
  • A printed percentage of organic and natural origin ingredients on the label
  • Limits on petrochemical content, GMOs and most nanomaterials
  • A rule against animal testing by the manufacturer, except where another law requires it
  • Documentary review, on-site inspection and at least annual audits by an authorised certification body

What it does not

  • A 95% organic product: the 95% applies to one class of ingredients, not to the whole formula
  • USDA Organic status: COSMOS is a private standard and is not part of the National Organic Program
  • COSMOS NATURAL products, which have no minimum organic content at all
  • Whether a product suits your skin, is fragrance-free or is free of allergens

How to check a claim

Check that the package shows the COSMOS ORGANIC signature together with a certification body's seal, plus the organic percentage. Then search the brand in the COSMOS certified products directory on the COSMOS-standard website, which lists products by brand name.

What COSMOS ORGANIC requires

The COSMOS-standard was developed by five European organizations: BDIH in Germany, Cosmebio and Ecocert in France, ICEA in Italy and the Soil Association in the United Kingdom. They founded COSMOS-standard AISBL, a nonprofit association based in Brussels, which owns the standard. The current edition is Version 4.2, dated September 1, 2025.

The standard sorts ingredients into groups: water, minerals, physically processed agro-ingredients (cold-pressed oils, for example), chemically processed agro-ingredients (such as soap made from plant oil) and a short list of other permitted ingredients.

  • At least 95% of the physically processed agro-ingredients must be organic.
  • At least 20% of the total product must be organic. For rinse-off products, non-emulsified aqueous products and products that are at least 80% minerals, the minimum is 10%.
  • Water cannot be counted as organic, which is why a water-based lotion can meet the standard at a fairly low total percentage.
  • GMOs and their derivatives are forbidden as ingredients. Petrochemical moieties may not exceed 2% of the finished product.
  • Nanomaterials are not allowed, apart from silica and from titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as UV filters in sunscreen products.
  • The manufacturer must not test the product or its ingredients on animals, except where a law other than cosmetics law requires it.

COSMOS ORGANIC, COSMOS NATURAL and the other signatures

COSMOS calls its label variants signatures. Two apply to finished products and two apply to raw materials that brands buy, so only the first two tell you something about the bottle in your hand.

SignatureApplies toWhat it means
COSMOS ORGANICFinished productsComplies with the standard and meets the minimum organic percentages
COSMOS NATURALFinished productsComplies with the standard but has no minimum organic content
COSMOS CERTIFIEDRaw materialsAgro-ingredients with organic content
COSMOS APPROVEDRaw materialsNon-organic raw materials accepted for use in certified products

How to read the percentages on the label

A COSMOS ORGANIC product has to state its organic content by weight of the total product, in wording such as "x% organic of total". It may also give the figure with water and minerals left out. It must state the percentage of natural origin ingredients too. The numbers can be rounded down, never up.

One rule is worth knowing: the standard says a product must not be called organic, as in "organic shampoo", unless it is at least 95% organic measured against the total product. So the signature on the back does not by itself allow the word organic in the product name.

This matters most for face care, body lotion, shampoo and baby lotion and oil, where water is often the first ingredient.

Who certifies, and how often

COSMOS-standard AISBL does not certify products itself. Authorised certification bodies do, and their seal appears next to the signature. Certification rests on a review of documents and an on-site inspection, from ingredients through to the final product. The COSMOS Control Manual (Version 4.2) says certified clients, brand owners included, are to be audited at least annually, and it allows unannounced audits.

How COSMOS compares with USDA Organic and NSF/ANSI 305

In the United States, the FDA does not define the word organic for cosmetics. A cosmetic made of agricultural ingredients can be certified under the USDA Organic program, where the organic tier requires at least 95% organic ingredients, leaving out water and salt. That is a stricter content rule than the 20% of total product that COSMOS ORGANIC requires.

NSF/ANSI 305 sits in between: an American standard that requires at least 70% organic content for a "contains organic ingredients" claim. COSMOS began with European certifiers, so it is common on brands that sell there. All three are worth more than an organic claim with no certifier named.

Questions people ask

Does COSMOS ORGANIC mean a product is 95% organic?

No. The 95% applies only to the physically processed agro-ingredients, such as plant oils and extracts. The whole product has to be at least 20% organic, or 10% for rinse-off products like shampoo. Water and minerals cannot count as organic, so a certified product can show a total organic percentage well under half. The exact figure is printed on the label.

What is the difference between COSMOS ORGANIC and COSMOS NATURAL?

Both follow the same rules on permitted ingredients, processing and packaging. The difference is organic content. COSMOS ORGANIC products must meet the minimum organic percentages. COSMOS NATURAL products comply with the standard in other respects but have no required minimum of organic ingredients, and their label states the percentage of natural origin ingredients.

Is COSMOS the same as Ecocert or the Soil Association?

Not quite. Ecocert and the Soil Association are among the five founders of the standard, and their seals can appear beside the COSMOS signature. COSMOS-standard AISBL owns the standard, and authorised certification bodies inspect and certify products against it. The signature tells you the standard, and the seal tells you who checked.

Is COSMOS ORGANIC recognized by the USDA?

COSMOS is a private standard, separate from the USDA National Organic Program. USDA says personal care products may be certified to private standards and marketed to those standards in the United States, and that its organic program does not regulate those labels. A COSMOS product may not present itself as USDA certified organic unless it also holds that certification.

Sources

Each page was opened and read on October 11, 2026.

Where this label matters most