Beauty and wellbeing certification process

How to certify your beauty and wellbeing products

Looking to certify as a Soil Association beauty and wellbeing licensee? You’re in the right place!

First off, we are so happy you are considering this step. Certifying your beauty or wellbeing products as COSMOS organic or Soil Association health and beauty organic is one of the most effective steps you can take as a brand to protect the environment and deliver solutions to climate change.

What’s more, 42% of consumers say they look for third-party certification logos to prove how sustainable a brand is. Carrying the Soil Association logo will give your sustainability credentials greater recognition amongst consumers, especially as it is the UK’s most recognised organic symbol, appearing on over 70% of organic products.

Before we issue your licence, we are here to guide you through every step of the application process with the easy to watch video guides you find below.

The role of your Certification Officer and beauty and wellbeing department

This video runs through the main day-to-day duties of certification officers, who are the team of employees that look after your Soil Association licence. It also gives a brief overview of the process for obtaining your licence.

 COSMOS and SA health and beauty

This video runs through the main differences between COSMOS Organic and Natural certification, which is for products classed as "cosmetics", and the Soil Association private Health & Beauty standard, which is for wellbeing products not classed as cosmetics.

 The product approvals process

This video gives a brief overview of the product approval process for COSMOS Organic and Natural products, Certified Ingredient licences, and ACS licences.

Organic ingredient approvals

This video runs through the process for getting ingredients approved under COSMOS Organic standard, and also runs through the different classifications of ingredients under the standard.

Product packaging and labelling

This video outlines the packaging and labelling requirements for products to be approved under the COSMOS standard.

Non-organic ingredient approvals

This video runs through how non-organic ingredients may be approved under the COSMOS Organic standard, as well as running through when these ingredients would not be approved.

Inspections: What to expect

This video runs through what you can expect from inspections, which you will undergo before receiving your COSMOS Organic, Natural or CC licence. Please note that the derogation to be able to do remote instructions ended on 28th February 2022.

Environmental waste management plan

This video runs through the environmental waste management plan you are required to fill in before your COSMOS inspection.

Want to make soap or soap noodles?

This video is relevant if you wish to know how to make soap or soap noodles, or if you want to know how the MIPs form needs to be filled out when you make soap.