When a new clean beauty brand or product emerges, we eagerly seek all the essential details. We want to understand its impact on our health, its environmental footprint, and its implications for animal welfare. In essence, our foremost priority is to choose options that are cruelty-free, sustainable, and toxin-free. This commitment not only reflects our values but also contributes to a healthier lifestyle and a thriving planet.

To effectively distinguish between high-quality products and subpar offerings, we often rely on certifications as a guidepost for making informed decisions. Labels play a significant role in the clean beauty sector, appearing as various claims, badges, and seals that signify a product’s integrity and adherence to ethical standards.

Navigating the myriad of clean beauty certifications can feel overwhelming, akin to wading through a vast ocean of information. That’s why we’ve meticulously compiled a list of the most crucial certifications you should be aware of—just thank us later for simplifying your shopping experience!

Essential Clean Beauty Certifications You Must Know

Leaping Bunny: The Gold Standard for Cruelty-Free Beauty
Leaping Bunny is arguably the most recognized certification for cruelty-free beauty products. They perform independent evaluations of brands across makeup, skin care, personal care, and household products on a global scale.

This rigorous standard mandates that there be absolutely NO animal testing at any stage of product development. This includes the individual ingredients, the formula, and the finished product itself. Additionally, if a brand permits third-party companies to conduct animal testing, they are disqualified from receiving the Leaping Bunny certification, reinforcing their commitment to animal welfare.

PRO TIP: Always cross-check any cruelty-free labels you encounter using the Leaping Bunny database! Not every brand pays for the privilege of using the Leaping Bunny logo, so this comprehensive database can help you identify each brand by name.

PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies: A Trusted Cruelty-Free Certification
Beauty Without Bunnies is PETA’s official cruelty-free certification. Similar to Leaping Bunny, the BWB database encompasses a wide range of global cosmetics, personal care, and household product companies.

Under this certification, companies must sign a declaration confirming they do not engage in animal testing for their raw ingredients, formulas, or final products—and that they will not engage in such practices in the future. This standard extends to suppliers, who are also prohibited from using animal testing on the ingredients they provide. Although securing the BWB label is less stringent than others, it remains an important certification to watch for.

(Psst… 100% PURE is certified by both Leaping Bunny and Beauty Without Bunnies!)

Choose Cruelty Free: Ensuring Ethical Practices in Australia
Choose Cruelty Free serves as the Australian equivalent to Beauty Without Bunnies. However, this certification goes a step further by investigating every facet of the supply chain to ensure that all parties involved—from suppliers to parent companies—adhere to animal testing bans.

This certification primarily focuses on cosmetics, toiletries, and household cleaning products sold in Australia. Notably, because selling products in China often necessitates animal testing, CCF does not certify any brands that operate within that market. This clearly demonstrates their ethical stance on animal welfare.

Note: 100% PURE™ successfully sells cruelty-free products in China by exclusively offering them online and utilizing third-party warehouses located in the U.S. for shipping. Discover how we navigate this challenge to provide cruelty-free options to consumers in China.

USDA Certified Organic: The Gold Standard for Organic Products
Any personal care product featuring agricultural ingredients can potentially carry this prestigious certification. This includes products incorporating essential oils, which can also achieve the Certified Organic label if they meet the necessary criteria.

A product labeled as Organic by the USDA must contain at least 95% organic ingredients. To qualify as organic, ingredients must be cultivated and processed without the use of synthetic pesticides or preservatives, GMOs, ionizing radiation, or other prohibited methods, ensuring a commitment to health and sustainability.

NSF Certified Organic: A Thorough Evaluation of Ingredients
The NSF certification applies to personal care products that utilize non-agricultural ingredients and diverse manufacturing processes. To achieve this certification, at least 70% of the product must be organic. You’ll typically see this represented as labels indicating “Contains Organic Ingredients” with specific percentages of 70% or higher.

Biodynamic® / Demeter®: A Holistic Approach to Farming
Demeter is the certifying body for Biodynamic® products, which are recognized for their commitment to eco-friendly farming practices. This certification is even more stringent than USDA Organic, as it entails a holistic approach to sustainability.

While this certification meets the requirements for USDA Organic, it also emphasizes broader sustainability principles. A farm or ranch must promote soil fertility, biological diversity, crop protection, and humane treatment of animals. This means no artificial chemical fertilizers or pesticides! Additionally, products from these farms or ranches must adhere to Demeter’s Processing Standards to attain Biodynamic status.

Rainforest Alliance: Protecting Ecosystems and Communities
The Rainforest Alliance highlights the importance of fragile ecosystems that are threatened by issues such as deforestation, while concurrently advocating for the rights of farmers and suppliers within these areas.

Products featuring this seal are sourced and manufactured using sustainable practices designed to foster a healthy balance between human life and wildlife. Ingredients and products that meet this standard must undergo a rigorous auditing process, proving their ability to protect local landscapes and ecosystems while safeguarding wildlife.

COSMOS / Ecocert: Global Standards for Natural and Organic Cosmetics
COSMOS represents the COSMetic Organic and Natural Standard, established by the sustainable certification group Ecocert. This certification is specifically aimed at natural and organic cosmetics worldwide.

COSMOS offers two distinct labels: COSMOS APPROVED and COSMOS CERTIFIED. Products containing organic ingredients are marked as COSMOS CERTIFIED, while raw materials receive the COSMOS APPROVED designation. To meet these standards, products must utilize eco-conscious production methods, prioritize health-conscious ingredients, avoid petroleum-derived chemicals, forgo GMOs, and use recyclable packaging.

Fair for Life: Ensuring Fair Treatment of Workers
Fair for Life is another certification from Ecocert, focusing on the treatment and remuneration of human workers. This label encompasses raw agricultural products, cosmetics, and handicrafts, among other categories.

Sadly, it is common for many beauty brands to exploit workers, particularly in impoverished or developing nations. This certification mandates that workers receive fair compensation for their goods, work in safe and decent conditions, and adhere to environmentally friendly farming practices, promoting ethical labor standards across the industry.

The Importance of Third-Party Certifiers in Clean Beauty

Third-party certifiers play a crucial role in providing independent evaluations of a product’s supply chain and production methods. Unlike companies that self-assign their labels, we can place greater trust in third-party certifiers since they are independent organizations with stringent standards that can be verified.

In addition to their unbiased assessments, these clean beauty certifiers:

#1: Educating the Consumer
Their standards address the pressing issues surrounding sustainability and ethics in the beauty industry. They empower consumers by informing them about how clean beauty practices differ from conventional methods, thus highlighting why clean beauty is a superior choice for conscientious shoppers.

#2: Illuminating Harmful Beauty Practices
These certifications serve as indicators against traditional beauty companies. They actively work to inform consumers about inhumane or unsafe beauty practices that have historically been obscured, encouraging a more transparent beauty industry.

#3: Distinguishing Authentic Brands from Imitators
Given the popularity of the clean beauty movement, many brands are eager to adopt clean beauty labels and capitalize on the hype. However, achieving official verification requires time and effort, and not all brands meet the rigorous standards necessary for certification.

Note: Obtaining certification can also be financially burdensome, making it challenging for smaller clean beauty brands to secure these endorsements. Don’t hesitate to ask your favorite brands directly about their adherence to specific criteria that matter to you.

Mastering the Landscape of Beauty Certifications

The process of reading about every beauty certification available can be dizzying and overwhelming. There are numerous certifications addressing various aspects of clean beauty, including environmental sustainability, organic standards, fair treatment of workers, and humane animal treatment, each represented by its own unique label.

Additionally, many generic logos are designed to resemble official certifications. Keeping track of the official logos can be confusing, especially when some brands choose to omit the logos entirely, necessitating further investigation through a database.

Not every cosmetic or skincare product will feature all certifications. Many smaller clean beauty brands may find it financially unfeasible to obtain certifications or pay for logo usage.

Our advice? Start small. You don’t need to replace all of your current beauty products at once. When one of your products runs out, take the opportunity to research and choose a more ethical, sustainable alternative.

While we have gathered all the most significant certifications in one place, we understand that navigating through all those labels can be a time-consuming task. However, taking the extra time to verify that your product is eco-conscious and people-friendly is essential. By supporting brands committed to positive change, we can inspire a ripple effect that encourages the rest of the industry to follow suit!