COSMOS Natural vs COSMOS Organic: The Difference Explained
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If you've seen "COSMOS Natural" or "COSMOS Organic" on a skincare label, you're looking at one of the most respected certification systems in the beauty industry. But these two certifications are not the same thing — and the differences matter more than you might expect.
Both fall under the same COSMOS standard, both are rigorous, and both mean something real. But they have different requirements, different thresholds, and different implications for what's inside the bottle. Here's what you need to know.
What Is the COSMOS Standard?
COSMOS stands for COSMetic Organic and Natural Standard. It was created in 2010 by five European certification bodies — BDIH (Germany), Cosmébio and ECOCERT (France), ICEA (Italy), and the Soil Association (UK) — who came together to harmonize what had been a patchwork of different national standards for natural and organic cosmetics.
Before COSMOS, a product certified as "natural" in France might meet very different criteria than one certified in Germany. Consumers had no easy way to compare. COSMOS created a single, internationally recognized framework with clear, publicly available requirements.
The standard is administered by individual certification bodies (ECOCERT is the largest), but the rules are the same regardless of which body conducts the audit. When you see the COSMOS signature on a product, it means the formulation, the manufacturing process, the packaging, and the labeling have all been evaluated against the same set of criteria.
There are two levels of certification: COSMOS Natural and COSMOS Organic. Both are meaningful. Neither is a rubber stamp.
COSMOS Natural: What It Requires
A COSMOS Natural certified product must meet the following standards:
Ingredient origin: A defined minimum of the total formula must be of natural origin. "Natural origin" includes ingredients that are naturally occurring (water, minerals, plant extracts) as well as ingredients derived from natural sources through approved processing methods.
Prohibited substances: The formulation cannot contain parabens, silicones, synthetic fragrances, synthetic colorants, PEGs, GMO-derived ingredients, or ingredients derived from petrochemicals (with very limited, specified exceptions for preservatives).
Processing: Only approved "green chemistry" processes can be used to transform natural raw materials. This limits the types of chemical reactions permitted in manufacturing.
Packaging: The standard includes requirements around environmentally responsible packaging, including recyclability.
No animal testing: Animal testing is prohibited for both the finished product and its ingredients.
What COSMOS Natural does not require is a specific minimum percentage of organic ingredients. A COSMOS Natural product may contain organic ingredients — many do — but there's no mandatory threshold. The focus is on natural origin and the absence of harmful synthetic substances.
For a deeper look at what the certification involves in practice, our earlier article on what COSMOS Natural certification means covers the specifics in detail.
COSMOS Organic: The Higher Threshold
COSMOS Organic includes everything that COSMOS Natural requires — and adds stricter rules around organic content:
Minimum 20% organic: At least 20% of the total product formula (by weight) must be from organic farming. This is calculated on the total product, including water (which cannot be certified organic, so this threshold is more demanding than it first appears).
95% organic plant ingredients: Of all the plant-based ingredients in the formula (physically processed ingredients of agricultural origin), at least 95% must be organic.
Same prohibited substances: The same banned ingredient list applies — no parabens, silicones, synthetic fragrances, PEGs, or petrochemicals.
Same processing standards: The same green chemistry requirements and manufacturing audits apply.
The 20% total / 95% plant threshold is where COSMOS Organic becomes challenging for certain product categories. Products with high water content — like toners, cleansers, and light serums — naturally have a lower percentage of non-water ingredients by weight. Reaching 20% organic content in the total formula means the non-water portion needs to be overwhelmingly organic.
This is one reason why some product categories are more commonly COSMOS Natural than COSMOS Organic. It's not about cutting corners — it's about the practical realities of formulation chemistry and what can realistically be sourced as certified organic at the required purity levels.
What Both Certifications Prohibit
Regardless of whether a product is COSMOS Natural or COSMOS Organic, the following are banned entirely:
- Parabens (all types)
- Silicones
- Synthetic fragrances and dyes
- PEGs and PPGs
- Petrochemical-derived ingredients (with very narrow exceptions)
- GMO-derived ingredients
- Animal testing
- Irradiation of ingredients or finished products
Both also require full traceability of raw materials, audited manufacturing processes, and transparent labeling. The certification isn't just about what's in the formula — it covers the entire lifecycle from sourcing through production to packaging.
This shared foundation is why both certifications carry real weight. A COSMOS Natural product isn't a "lesser" version of COSMOS Organic. It meets the same standards for ingredient safety, processing, and environmental responsibility. The difference is specifically about the percentage of organic-certified agricultural ingredients.
Why Glaciara Is COSMOS Natural Certified
Glaciara's five products are all COSMOS Natural certified. We want to be straightforward about this: we hold the Natural certification, not the Organic certification.
This is a deliberate choice, not a limitation. Our formulations prioritize efficacy and gentleness using high-quality natural-origin ingredients — chamomile extract, rose water, plant-derived peptides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid, among others. Some of these ingredients are available in organic-certified grades; others are not, or are not available at the purity and consistency our formulator requires.
We chose COSMOS Natural because it reflects what we actually are: a brand committed to natural-origin ingredients, free from parabens, silicones, and synthetic fragrances, manufactured under strict European standards in Latvia, and verified by independent certification. We didn't want to chase a label that would require reformulating in ways that might compromise the experience or performance of the products.
Transparency about this distinction matters. Too many brands blur the line between natural and organic, letting customers assume a higher standard than what's actually certified. We'd rather be clear about what we are — and let you decide whether that aligns with what you're looking for.
To learn more about the thinking behind Glaciara, our brand story explains how and why the range was developed.
How to Check Any Brand's Certification
If you want to verify a brand's COSMOS claims, here are some practical steps:
Look for the COSMOS signature on packaging. Certified products display either "COSMOS NATURAL" or "COSMOS ORGANIC" along with the name of the certifying body (e.g., ECOCERT, Soil Association).
Check the certifying body's database. ECOCERT and other COSMOS-affiliated certifiers maintain public databases where you can search for certified brands and products.
Read the label carefully. "Made with natural ingredients" or "inspired by nature" are not the same as COSMOS certification. The specific COSMOS label — Natural or Organic — is what to look for.
Ask the brand. Any brand that holds genuine COSMOS certification will be happy to share their certificate number and the details of what's certified. If a brand is vague or evasive about specifics, that's worth noting.
The COSMOS system exists precisely because consumers deserve clarity. Whether a product is COSMOS Natural or COSMOS Organic, the certification means it has been independently verified against a transparent, publicly available standard. That's worth something — and it's worth understanding exactly what you're getting.