Frequently Asked Questions

Created in 2002, Cosmebio set the framework and structured the French natural and organic cosmetics market. For more than 20 years now, the Cosmébio label has helped consumers easily recognize real organic cosmetics in the blink of an eye. Today Cosmébio is made up of more than 560 companies, representing 750 brands that propose more than 16,000 labelled cosmetics.

The fundamental missions of the Cosmébio association are:

• Helping enhance the skills of professionals in the field
• Boosting market development
• Standing up for consumer interests

Find out more about Cosmébio here: Our Association

Cosmébio recognizes 3 different certifying bodies for its label: Bureau Véritas, Cosmécert and Ecocert

Want to know more about the difference between cosmetic product certification and labeling? Find our more by reading our article : “Cosmébio, Ecocert, COSMOS…what’s the difference between these organic cosmetic organizations"

The Cosmébio association offers more than 30 different training programs per year for professionals in the cosmetic industry. This service is meant to help professionals of the sector build their skills and knowledge in the varying services of a company: R&D, CSR, Sourcing, Manufacturing, Regulations, Marketing, Communications…

However, Cosmébio only offers training courses in French for the moment.
To find out more information about training courses planned this year, please refer to the French version of our website: Nos formations 

The membership fees vary depending on the company's global cosmetics turnover. To propose fair pricing, the fees are scaled to what a company declares as their last year's earnings.

To start the certification process, a brand needs to contact a certifying body and ask about its feasibility. During the certification process the auditors verify that the cosmetic product respects the regulatory standards as well as the organic standard required by our organic label. In order to start the audit, the cosmetic company must provide the detailed product sheet of each cosmetic undergoing the certification process. With this information the auditor can verify the formula, the packaging label and the materials used during manufacturing and packaging. Following this first “paper” audit, the certifiers will then do an on-site audit to verify all the information previously communicated.

The auditor then sends their report to the certifying body who confirms (or not) the delivery of certification. 

Certifications are valid for one year for finished products. To renew a certification, the on-site audit must be redone and new documentation needs to be provided if changes occurred since the last audit.

Learn more about the certification process by reading our article "Natural and Organic Cosmetic Certification: a sneak peek behind the scenes"

You can become a member of Cosmebio once you have signed a contract with a certification body. For more information on the terms and conditions of membership, you can contact us by email : Contact

It’s perfectly acceptable to become a Cosmébio member while being certified. It could even facilitate the process. Seeing as the certifier must eventually verify your packaging labels, it is best to provide the definitive labels knowing that these would include the Cosmébio label.

Learn more about the membership process by writing to us : Contact

No.

Cosmébio is not a certifying body, so there is no audit.

The Cosmébio label helps the consumer recognize in the blink of an eye which cosmetic products are truly natural and organic.

When a cosmetic product has the Cosmébio label on its packaging, this product meets two mandatory requirements:

1. It was certified by an independent certifying body recognized by Cosmébio. The certification proves that the product is conform to the organic standard used by Cosmébio.
2. The product is from a committed brand that has signed our Manifest which sets forth the ethical and environmental commitments required by our standard.

To find out more and understand the organic and natural percentages in organic cosmetics, you can visit this page : “The Label”

In order to use the Cosmébio label on your cosmetic products, you must:

1. Certify your product according to the COSMOS standard by a certifying body recognized by Cosmébio
2. Be a member of our association

Ready to start your membership? You can do that here  Join Cosmébio

Yes !

Cosmetics that use our label are not always vegan given the fact that ingredients like honey and milk are allowed. However, all ingredients that were derived through animal suffering or death are forbidden in our organic formulas.

As for animal testing? Animal testing for cosmetic products is forbidden in Europe since 2013. This goes for conventional cosmetics and organic cosmetics. 

Read our article "Animals and Organic Cosmetics" to learn more.

We do not have samples.

Cosmébio is the Professional Association of Ecological and Organic Cosmetics. We provide an organic label to members of the association who have certified natural and organic products.

We do not manufacture or sell products.