Natural Cosmetics Masterclass is Jan. 24 in San Francisco

Organic Monitor will host its first Natural Cosmetics Masterclass on Jan. 24 at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco, CA. The class has been devised to help brand owners overcome the high level of greenwashing in the American personal care industry, said the London-based group.

In recent years, a number of brands, certification agencies and associations have been involved in high-profile lawsuits concerning natural & organic marketing claims and labeling issues. Organic Monitor finds a major reason for the high incidence of greenwashing is the low adoption rate of natural & organic personal care standards.

Although a number of standards have been introduced in the US, the take-up rates remain low. Organic Monitor research finds that less then 10% of natural and organic personal care products are certified in North America, compared to over 60% in Europe. One of the most popular standards is USDA NOP, which is an organic food standard applied to personal care products. There is also interest in the NPA and NSF ANSI 305 standards, however formulation issues are discouraging brands to take the certification route.

The Masterclass program aims to help companies overcome the technical issuesassociated with formulating natural and organic personal care products. In the morning seminar session, details will be given of leading American and international standards (USDA NOP, NPA, NSF ANSI 305, COSMOS, Ecocert, Natrue, etc.), as well as their adoption issues.

Law firm Greenberg Traurig will describe the legislative framework for marketingand labeling of natural and organic personal care products. Details will be given of the California Organic Products Act, which prevents many products to make organic claims in the state. Another seminar will highlight the fragrance options for natural and organic personal care products. Organic Monitor will also give an updateon the global market for natural and organic cosmetics, highlighting future trends andbusiness openings.

Judi Beerling, technical research manager at Organic Monitor, will host an interactive workshop in the afternoon session centered on overcoming technical hurdles. It will hone in on the major formulation issues associated with pure natural/organic personal care products. Details are given of the raw material issues, especially replacement of synthetic preservatives, emulsifiers, surfactants, silicones, etc. Guidance and advice will be given to brands looking to get certification for their products and substantiate their marketing claims.

More info:www.organicmonitor.com/masterclass10.htm