News Release | May 4, 2020

BASF is the largest provider of ingredients for natural cosmetics

  • For the first time, five active ingredients by BASF have been certified as organic according to the COSMOS-standard
  • 145 cosmetic ingredients by BASF worldwide are COSMOS-registered
  • 150 ingredients by BASF are suitable for formulations according to the EU-Ecolabel for cosmetic products, about 200 meet the requirements of the Nordic Ecolabel

Five active ingredients by BASF for cosmetics and body care products have for the first time been approved as organic according to COSMOS-standard. This includes the active ingredients Dulcemin® from sweet almond seed flour, Lipofructyl® on the basis of Argan oil as well as the skin care ingredient Elestan® extracted from the leaves of the West African Manilkara tree.

BASF is the largest provider of raw materials for natural and organic products according to COSMOS: In Europe, 120 cosmetic ingredients by BASF have been approved according to COSMOS-standard, globally a total of 145 products received approval.

“Cosmetics manufacturers who want to receive certification of their products according to COSMOS will find that BASF offers the largest range of ingredients on the market – from basic raw materials such as surfactants and emollients to skin care additives and actives”, says Ute Griesbach, Marketing Manager Personal Care Europe.

The COSMOS-standard (COSMetic Organic Standard) distinguishes between natural cosmetics (Cosmos-natural) and organic cosmetics (Cosmos-organic) and sets the respective requirements for certification. Ingredients used in cosmetic products are divided into five categories for each of which the necessary requirements are specified.

With a total of 92 products, BASF offers a large amount as well as variety of approved products for different applications in the category of “chemically processed agro-ingredients”, e.g. raw materials from renewable feedstock. In addition, 24 registered ingredients for cosmetic products contain chemically as well as physically processed components, eight products merely consist of physically processed ingredients.

Furthermore, 150 ingredients from the product portfolio of BASF Personal Care are suitable for the production of cosmetics eligible to carry the EU Ecolabel for cosmetic products. About 200 meet the requirements of the Nordic Ecolabel.

About the Care Chemicals division at BASF
The BASF division Care Chemicals offers a broad range of ingredients for personal care, home care, industrial & institutional cleaning, and technical applications. We are a leading global supplier for the cosmetics industry as well as the detergents and cleaners industry, and support our customers with innovative and sustainable products, solutions and concepts. The division’s high-performance product portfolio includes surfactants, emulsifiers, polymers, emollients, chelating agents, cosmetic active ingredients and UV filters. We have production and development sites in all regions and are expanding our presence in emerging markets. Further information is available online at www.care-chemicals.basf.com

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.