Common Certifications in the Beauty Industry and What They Mean

In this day and age where there
are so many ongoing discussions about sustainability,
consumers are not only
thinking about what products work but,
also making conscious decisions to stay away from products
that harm the environment
and buy from brands that share the same values
as themselves.
Whilst there is a vast
amount of information available,
it’s sometimes overwhelming and hard to pick products
that are ethically sourced
and environmentally friendly. This is where certifications
come in and here’s our breakdown for you.

Animal Testing Certifications

Beauty Without Bunnies
This is PETA’s certification for non-animal testing
and the ultimate resource
for compassionate shoppers with an online
database where customers
can search by brand names and product types.
Established in 1987, the list
of manufacturers has grown and are
now certified under two designations: “global animal test-free”
and “global animal test-free and vegan”.

Choose Cruelty Free 
Choose Cruelty Free (CCF) is an Australian independent,
non-profit organisation that
advocates for the rights of animals and
campaigns to end animal testing.
Since 1993, their volunteers have helped survey
and accredit cruelty-free brands
selling cosmetics, toiletries and household cleaning products.

Leaping Bunny
Since 1996, Leaping Bunny has connected
compassionate shoppers with brands that are cruelty-free
and pledge to end animal testing
at all stages of product development in addition
to recommitting to the
programme annually and being open to third party audits.

Ingredient Safety Certification

EWG Verified
This third-party certification organisation
verified products through
a comprehensive assessment of ingredients
such that conscious beauty
shoppers can rest easy when they see the
EWG Verified logo. The verification process confirms
that the ingredients are free from
EWG’s chemical of concern, non-toxic and not harmful
to the human body.

MADE SAFE
MADE SAFE vet their products to
make sure the ingredients are safe through a credible
process based on science.
The organisation conducts product testing on
many different types of products
including toys and personal care products
so you can rest assured if your product has been vetted!

Sourcing and Sustainability

Ecocert Organic Standard
This certificate label focuses on
natural organic ingredients and sustainability
and verifies that 95%
or above of the ingredients come from a natural
or organic origin,
does not contain ingredients of concern
like parabens and has biodegradable or recyclable packaging.