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NATURAL CHECKING "Naturally derived ingredients": should we be aiming for 100%?

We were used to seeing percentages on products that were on sale, but we’re now seeing, more and more often, percentages of "naturally derived ingredients” on the packaging of our favourite cosmetics (and even on the others). But is more always better? How to find your way through this forest of high achievers? Do you have to be good at maths to do the sorting? We'll help you sort it all out!

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TRUE OR FALSE

A naturally derived formula contains only naturally derived ingredients

FALSE: A cosmetic product can contain less than 100% ingredients that are of natural origin. There are synthetic ingredients essential for stability and preservation that do not yet have such effective naturally derived equivalents. Nature is full of treasures, but we haven't discovered them all yet!

TRUE OR FALSE

Naturally derived formulas are less effective and less gratifying than conventional formulas

FALSE: Do you want it to lather, clean, be gentle and smell good? So do we! The challenge of reformulating is to do at least as well in terms of effectiveness and sensoriality, while moving towards greater naturalness. Replacing a synthetic ingredient with an equivalent of natural origin must respect the effectiveness and sensoriality. We test all our new formulas with consumers and only approve them if they are judged to be at least as satisfactory as the ones they will replace.

TRUE OR FALSE

"Naturally derived” is always safer

FALSE: Whether a formula has enough naturally derived ingredients to claim to be of natural origin, requirements in terms of tolerance and effectiveness remain strictly the same! Selecting and formulating is an equation balancing effectiveness, sensoriality, cost, and many other criteria, but safety is never an adjustable variable. “Naturally derived” does not mean it is safer. Our reformulations are always headed in the direction of more naturalness because that is our conviction. But no matter how natural a formula is, it will always be 100% safe!