Walk through the hair care aisle and count how many times you see the words clean, natural, organic, and certified. Now consider: which of these terms is legally defined for cosmetics in the EU and UK? One of them. Only one.
Understanding the distinction between these four terms is one of the most useful things a conscious beauty buyer can know.
"Clean", a Marketing Term
"Clean beauty" has no legal definition in the EU, UK, or any other major cosmetics market as of 2026. There is no regulatory body that defines what ingredients a "clean" product must or must not contain. There is no minimum standard, no audit, and no certification required.
Individual brands, retailers, and publications have created their own "clean" criteria. Sephora, for example, has a Clean at Sephora programme with its own ingredient exclusion list. These are internal standards, not regulated definitions. A product that meets one retailer's clean criteria may not meet another's, and neither carries regulatory authority.
"Clean" can mean anything or nothing. It is marketing language.
"Natural", also a Marketing Term
EU Cosmetic Regulation 1223/2009 governs cosmetic products across the EU (and was retained in UK law following Brexit). It requires full ingredient disclosure via the INCI list, prohibits specific substances, and sets safety standards. It does not define "natural."
Any product can be labelled "natural" regardless of whether it contains synthetic fragrances, petrochemical-derived surfactants, or synthetic preservatives. The word has no regulated meaning for cosmetics.
"Organic", also Undefined for Cosmetics
Unlike food, where "organic" is a legally protected term in the EU (requiring certified organic production methods), "organic" for cosmetics is not regulated. A hair care brand can write "organic" or "with organic ingredients" on its packaging without meeting any defined standard.
This is widely misunderstood. Consumers often assume that organic on a cosmetics label carries the same weight as organic on food, but it does not. Without a recognisable third-party certification logo, the word "organic" on a hair care product is a claim with no independent verification.
"Certified", the One That Means Something
Certification is the term that carries weight, but only when it refers to a recognised third-party standard with defined requirements, independent auditing, and a verifiable public registry of certified products.
Recognised certifications for cosmetics in the EU and UK include:
- COSMOS Natural: certifies that all ingredients are of natural origin, prohibits synthetic fragrances, silicones, petrochemicals, GMOs, and parabens. Annual third-party audit required.
- COSMOS Organic: all requirements of COSMOS Natural plus verified organic agricultural sourcing. Minimum organic ingredient thresholds by formula type.
- Soil Association Organic: a UK-based organic certification body with its own cosmetics standard, recognised and widely respected in the UK market.
- NATRUE: a European natural and organic cosmetics standard with three tiers (Natural, Natural with Organic Portion, Organic).
Each of these requires independent auditing. Each has a public database where consumers can verify that a specific product holds the claimed certification. Each prohibits a defined list of ingredients. When you see one of these logos and verify it in the certifying body's database, the claim is substantiated.
The Practical Rule
When evaluating a hair care product: ignore the front-of-pack marketing words (clean, natural, organic, green, eco). Read the INCI ingredient list. Look for a specific certification logo from a recognised third-party body. Verify that certification in the body's public database.
Everything else is marketing.
Most NUDA formulas carry ECOCERT COSMOS certification, documented product by product on our certifications page. Browse our full certified range: Volume and Body, Shine and Colour, Scalp and Strength.
Both tiers exist in our own range: most NUDA formulas are certified COSMOS Natural, and the rosemary hair and scalp oil carries the stricter COSMOS Organic certification. The tier is stated per product on our certifications page.
Related reading
- What Does ECOCERT COSMOS Certified Actually Mean?
- Natural Hair Care Brands: Which Are Actually Certified? (2026 Comparison)
- How to Spot Greenwashing in Hair Care
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any regulation coming that will define "natural" for cosmetics?
The EU Green Claims Directive, currently in legislative process, will require brands to substantiate environmental and green marketing claims before making them. If enacted, this would affect how brands use terms like "natural" and "eco-friendly" in marketing. As of 2026, the directive is not yet in force and "natural" remains undefined in EU cosmetics regulation.
Can a product be both certified natural and certified organic?
Yes. COSMOS Organic is the higher tier of the COSMOS standard, so a product certified to COSMOS Organic meets all COSMOS Natural requirements and additionally meets organic sourcing requirements. Some products hold certifications from multiple bodies. The key is to verify each certification claimed in the relevant certifying body's database.
What is the difference between COSMOS and the Soil Association?
COSMOS is a European multi-body standard used in 70+ countries, created by five founding certification organisations including ECOCERT, Cosmébio, BDIH, ICEA, and the Soil Association. The Soil Association is a UK-based organisation that was one of the COSMOS founders and can certify products to both the COSMOS standard and its own Soil Association Organic standard. Both are legitimate and recognised certifications.
Does a certified natural product have to perform worse than a conventional one?
No. Performance depends on formulation quality and ingredient selection, not on whether a product is certified. The constraint in certified natural formulation is that the ingredient toolkit is narrower: certain highly effective conventional ingredients like silicones and synthetic bond repair compounds are excluded. Within the certified natural toolkit, well-formulated products achieve effective results. The performance difference depends on what outcome you are measuring and which products you are comparing.
How do I know if a certification logo on a product is real?
Check the certifying body's public product database. ECOCERT maintains a searchable database of ECOCERT-certified products. The COSMOS-standard website maintains a registry. Soil Association has a certified products directory. If a specific product is not listed in the database, the logo may be misleading. Real certifications are verifiable by anyone, not just by the brand.