Here is the regulatory text below but note that there is also a very interesting blog article on the subject here.
You will become unbeatable, enjoy reading ;-)
I. Objective
This specification aims to regulate the use of the “Vegan” claim that may be mentioned on certain relevant products of the Laboratoires Novexpert brand.
II. Regulatory Framework
In Europe, vegan cosmetic products are, like all cosmetic products, subject to cosmetic regulation (EC) n°1223/2009, they must therefore meet the same quality and safety requirements as an average cosmetic product. However, there is no specificity associated with the “vegan” criterion. The products of Novexpert laboratories as well as the raw materials used by Novexpert laboratories comply with appropriate legislation, in particular the European regulation relating to cosmetic products (EC No. 1223/2009) as amended and the Commission regulation on claims (No. 655/2013).
III. Range
To be certified “Vegan”, these products must meet the criteria defined for:
• Origin of ingredients
• Composition of the finished product
• Manufacturing and packaging
IV. Definitions
In the context of this specification, the definitions below apply.
• Cosmetic ingredient - (definition taken from Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009)
Any chemical substance or preparation of synthetic or natural origin used in the composition of cosmetic products. The following should not be considered ingredients:
o Impurities in the raw materials used,
o Subsidiary technical substances used during manufacturing, but not found in the composition of the finished product.
• Cosmetic product - (definition taken from Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009)
Any substance or preparation intended to be brought into contact with the superficial parts of the human body (epidermis, hair and capillary systems, nails, lips and external genitalia) or with the teeth and oral mucous membranes in sight, exclusively or mainly , to clean them, to perfume them, to modify their appearance, to protect them, to maintain them in good condition or to correct body odors.
• Natural ingredients
Natural ingredients are a category bringing together water, mineral ingredients and ingredients cultivated or derived from livestock. In a product, these ingredients can be incorporated:
o Raw, that is to say as they were harvested (water, plants, minerals, honey, wax, milk.)
o After being extracted or physically processed: for example, pressing or grinding of a seed, maceration of a plant, etc. The following ingredients are not of natural origin: petrochemical fractions, preservatives and original denaturing agents petrochemical.
• Ingredients of natural origin
Ingredients of natural origin refer to all ingredients that are not obtained from petroleum. They include physically transformed natural ingredients (presented previously), as well as natural ingredients that have been extracted or chemically treated according to the principles of green chemistry, that is to say ingredients for which a chemical reaction between several natural elements was necessary to allow their manufacture (for example: fermentation, saponification, etc.)
• Plant origin
Ingredients of plant origin are extracted from plants: roots, leaves, fruits, seeds, tree bark, etc.
• Animal origin
These are all the constituent ingredients of the animal or produced by it. It can be cartilage, collagen, milk, honey, eggs…
• Mineral origin
Ingredients of mineral origin come from rocks, sediments, sand or even earth. In this category we find ingredients such as zinc, iron, clay, silica, salt. Water is also considered mineral.
• Synthetic origin
Synthetic products are either chemically transformed or derived from synthetic molecules, that is to say, manufactured by man. It sometimes becomes necessary to incorporate chemical ingredients into certain products while waiting for a natural alternative to be discovered.
• Vegan
A so-called vegan product/raw material is free of any substance of animal origin (products from breeding, slaughter, hunting and fishing).
V. Selection criteria: Raw materials
- Origin: plant, mineral or synthetic
All raw materials used in Novexpert Laboratories products are either of plant, mineral or synthetic origin. We do not use any substances of animal origin in products bearing the Vegan claim.
We can say that a product does not contain GMOs when:
o On the one hand the raw material has not undergone genetic modification,
o On the other hand, the raw material has been genetically modified but the ingredient, in the end, no longer contains GMOs, for example following an extensive purification process. There is no specific framework that specifies or limits the use of GMOs for the cosmetics industry in Europe. The regulation of cosmetic products, Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009, does not mention the issue of GMOs and imposes neither requirements nor restrictions. Therefore rules and regulations specific to other industrial sectors, notably food, may be interesting to consider.
We systematically ask our raw material suppliers for a certificate of absence of GMOs.
In Europe, the ban on animal testing of finished cosmetic products has applied since September 11, 2004, while the ban on testing of ingredients or combinations has been in force since March 11, 2009. The marketing ban applies since March 11, 2009 for all effects on human health except repeated dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics. For these specific health effects, the experimentation ban has been in force since March 11, 2013, regardless of the availability of alternative methods to animal testing.
We systematically ask our raw material suppliers for a certificate of absence of animal testing in accordance with European regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009.
All these documents are classified in the raw materials files (Composition and Process-Origin files) and are also entered for each raw material on Coptis.
VI. Manufacturing and packaging
In accordance with European regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009, Laboratoires Novexpert brand products are manufactured and packaged following Good Manufacturing Practices.
VII. Finished products
In accordance with European regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009, Laboratoires Novexpert brand products are not subject to animal testing. For each product, we have a declaration of non-testing on animals attached to the evaluation report on the safety for human health of the cosmetic product in question.
This report is available in the DIP file for each product, more precisely in the safety assessment file.
This declaration mentions that the product has not been the subject of animal testing in accordance with Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009.
