With the organic and natural skincare market becoming ever more competitive, consumers are quite rightly becoming more and more discerning about the products they use and the ingredients they put onto their skin. One way to stand out in a crowded market is to go through the lengthy process of receiving certification from an official body.
In a world of greenwashing, where terms such as ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ are bandied about all too freely with little or no substance behind them, a recognised ‘stamp of approval’ such as the COSMOS-standard certification gives customers confidence that a company really is sticking to the ethos it claims to espouse, and that the ingredients it uses really can be trusted.
This is the road that Siam Botanicals started down last year – and finally, in April of this year, our products were approved! [**Pops cork**]
We were, in fact, one of the first companies to be awarded the COSMOS certification under the new, more stringent guidelines introduced in February. Our products were assessed and approved by BDIH, the German non-profit association, but the COSMOS-standard label is a Europe-wide standard that was developed by not only BDIH but also Cosmebio (France), Ecocert (France), ICEA (Italy) and Soil Association (UK). The certification can be approved by any of these organisations.
What does the COSMOS-standard certification mean?
Maybe you’re imagining that we simply send our ingredients lists off for analysis, wait for a bit and then receive our certification in the post. Well, you’d be very much mistaken! Reassuringly for consumers, it’s a LOT more comprehensive than this – and we chose COSMOS precisely because it is (in our view) the strictest and most rigorous of all the certifications out there.
When you see a product that has been COSMOS-certified, it means that every aspect of that company’s production process has been put under scrutiny during an audit that can last several days. It means that:
•the manufacturing facility has been inspected
•there has been a full audit of ingredients, including their origin and how they were processed
•the company has demonstrated that its production methods are ecologically sound – this includes providing an environmental management plan that addresses the whole manufacturing process
•its product formulas, labels and packaging have been approved
•any non-organic ingredients have been used because no organic equivalents were available
•all ingredients are GM-free (non-organic ingredients can only be used if the supplier has submitted a declaration that they are non-GM)
There are two certifications available – COSMOS Organic and COSMOS Natural. To achieve either option, the full audit must be carried out successfully on each product.
To receive the COSMOS Organic label, at least 95% of the agro-ingredients must be organic.
Products that pass the audit but do not contain at least 95% agro-organic ingredients are eligible for the COSMOS Natural certification. COSMOS Natural products may of course contain some organic ingredients (as ours do), but at a lower percentage than those with the Organic certification. For these products, the percentage of natural origin ingredients must be indicated on the label – except where the products are 100% natural origin.
We are proud to say that ALL Siam Botanicals products are 100% natural origin. We do not use any synthetic chemicals, nor do we use ‘nature identical’ ingredients. We strive to find the best, most ethical providers and have chosen organic ingredients wherever possible.
The full list of Siam Botanicals products that are COSMOS-standard approved is listed below. You can buy these products safe in the knowledge that we take our responsibilities and promises incredibly seriously – and we have the stamp to prove it!
COSMOS Organic:
Rosehip and Tea Tree Face Cleanser
Apricot Face Cleanser for Dry Skin
Apricot Face Cleanser for Oily Skin
Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Day Formula
Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Night Formula
Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Repair Formula
Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Replenish Formula
Gentlemen of Siam Lemongrass & Tea Tree Shave Oil
Gentlemen of Siam After Shave Toner
100% Pure Bulgarian Rose Water
Rosewater & Glycerin Facial Tonic
Rosewater & Tea Tree Facial Tonic
Witch Hazel & Tea Tree Facial Tonic
Argan & Lemon balm Revitalizing Hair Treatment
Coconut & Curry Leaf Revitalizing Hair Treatment
COSMOS Natural:
Gentlemen of Siam After Shave Balm
Skin Therapy Massage & Body Oil
Lavender & Rosemary Skin Conditioner
Tea Tree & Neroli Skin Conditioner
Rose Geranium & Ylang Ylang Skin Conditioner
Detoxifying Bath Salts (Juniper & Grapefruit)
Refreshing Bath Salts (Lemongrass & Orange)
Reviving Bath Salts (Rosemary & Peppermint)
Relaxing Bath Salts (Lavender & Tea Tree)
Bio Guard with Lemon Eucalyptus
