What do “natural”, “organic” and “dermatologically tested” really mean?

The difference between a claim and a certification

A claim is a statement the manufacturer makes about its product. In the EU, and under the aligned Turkish legislation, cosmetic claims must be truthful, supported by evidence, honest and fair; they must not mislead consumers or present a legally required feature as a special advantage of the product. However, words such as “natural” have no single, detailed legal definition in cosmetics.

A certification, on the other hand, shows that an independent body has inspected the product or its production against a particular standard. Certified products usually carry the inspecting body's logo and certification details on the pack. This is why it is more reliable to look for a recognised certification logo and the ingredient list on the back than at a word on the front.

“Organic” means different things in food and cosmetics

In food, the terms “organic” and “ecological” are legally protected. In Türkiye the organic farming legislation, and in the EU the EU organic regulation, require production to be inspected and certified by authorised bodies before these terms can be used. In Türkiye, certified products carry the organic product logo. Organic food describes a production method in which the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers is limited, but it says nothing about the product's sugar, fat or salt content. An organic biscuit is still a biscuit.

In cosmetics, by contrast, there is usually no binding, detailed legal definition of “organic”. Private certification standards fill this gap; these standards define the share of organic ingredients, the permitted processing methods and the preservatives that may be used. An “organic” cosmetic product without a certification logo may contain a few organic plant extracts while the rest is an ordinary formula.

“Natural” does not always mean “safe”

A substance obtained from nature is not automatically safer than one made in a laboratory. From a toxicological point of view, what matters is not the source of a substance but its structure, its amount and how it is used. Poisonous mushrooms, poison ivy and some plant extracts are entirely natural.

In cosmetics, the most striking example is essential oils. Lavender, tea tree, citrus, cinnamon and ylang-ylang oils naturally contain well-known fragrance allergens such as linalool, limonene, geraniol, eugenol and citral. So a product that says “no synthetic fragrance, scented only with natural essential oils” can be just as problematic for someone with a fragrance allergy as a product containing fragrance. Some citrus oils can also cause skin reactions in combination with sunlight (phototoxicity).

Conversely, many substances that look synthetic or “chemical” are of very low concern. For example, dimethicone and paraffin oil are well tolerated by the skin when purified to cosmetic grade. We cover this in more detail in our fragrance allergens guide.

“Dermatologically tested” and “hypoallergenic”

• Dermatologically tested: This means the product has been tested on a group of volunteers under the supervision of a dermatologist. However, how many people took part, which skin types were included and what the results were are usually not stated. The phrase does not mean “approved by dermatologists” or “suitable for everyone”.
• Clinically proven: This implies that the claim is based on a study, but the scale and content of the study are not given on the pack.
• Hypoallergenic: This claims that the product has been formulated to minimise the likelihood of causing allergies. According to the European Commission's technical document on cosmetic claims, this term should only be used if the product has been designed to minimise its allergenic potential and this very low potential has been confirmed by scientifically robust data; the term must also not give the impression that the risk of allergy has been completely eliminated. Even so, no product can guarantee zero allergy risk for everyone.
• Non-comedogenic: This states that the product has been tested for not clogging pores; it is a useful clue for acne-prone skin but not a definite guarantee.

“Free from...” claims

Phrases such as “paraben-free”, “silicone-free” and “sulphate-free” are among the most common marketing claims. The European Commission's technical document on cosmetic claims (not a binding law but a guide used by enforcement authorities) points out that “free from...” claims used in a way that denigrates a legally permitted ingredient can mislead consumers, and gives the “paraben-free” claim as a direct example. According to the same document, saying “free from...” about an ingredient that is not normally used in that type of product, or that is banned, is also inappropriate. For example, methylparaben is a permitted and well-studied preservative; the preservative used in its place may sometimes be less well known or more allergenic.

A “free from...” claim can be useful information if you have a specific allergy or sensitivity. But in general it does not make the product “safer”. For more detail, see our parabens: facts and myths guide.

The term “chemical-free”, meanwhile, is scientifically meaningless: every substance, including water, is a chemical.

“Natural” and “eco-friendly” in cleaning products

Terms such as “natural”, “plant-based” and “eco-friendly” are also common on cleaning products. Plant-derived surfactants such as coco-glucoside can genuinely be mild and readily biodegradable; but a “plant-based” product can still irritate the eyes and skin, contain fragrance allergens or be strongly acidic or alkaline.

A recognised eco-label shows that the product has been independently assessed against specific environmental criteria. A “green” pack or a leaf image without a logo is not, on its own, any assurance.

What to do at the shelf

• Look at the ingredient list, not the word on the front.
• For an “organic” claim, look for the official organic logo on food, and a recognised certification logo on cosmetics.
• If you have a fragrance allergy, check for essential oils and declared allergens in “natural” products too.
• Don't take “dermatologically tested” to mean “definitely suitable for my skin”; try a new product on a small area first.
• With “free from...” claims, check what has been used in place of that ingredient.