Organic Cosmetics: How to Spot the Real Thing

Organic Cosmetics: How to Spot the Real Thing

Organic Cosmetics: How to Spot the Real Thing
Organic cosmetics

Organic cosmetics is not just a trendy label, but a methodology

Organic cosmetics is cosmetics whose plant ingredients are grown by the rules of organic farming, without synthetic pesticides, and processed so that the plant's active substances are preserved. Genuine organic cosmetics carries an organic mark and certificate on the packaging, and its composition is traceable from the field to the finished product.

Organic with InaEssentials
INA_1_441.webp
0
synthetic pesticides
100%
own organic fields
🌕
harvest by full moon
3
generations of expertise
In this article
  1. What organic cosmetics is
  2. Organic cosmetics vs conventional
  3. A step further: the secret we add
  4. The journey of your product
  5. The awards and family behind InaEssentials
  6. How to recognise genuine organic cosmetics
  7. Hydrolina: organic cosmetics in practice
  8. Frequently asked questions

What organic cosmetics is

Organic cosmetics with lavender grown the organic way

Organic cosmetics is cosmetics in which the plant raw materials are grown by the methods of organic farming. This means soil without synthetic pesticides, without chemical enhancers and without artificially accelerated growth. When a plant develops at its natural rhythm, it builds up the full range of essential oils, antioxidants and micro-elements that we later find in the finished product.

Organic, as a whole, is a special natural methodology with which we preserve the plant's full properties in our cosmetic products.

That is why organic cosmetics is not just a marketing word. It describes a whole chain of decisions in which every step protects the properties of the plant. This is also the difference between natural cosmetics and organic cosmetics that stands behind its word with a certificate.

Organic cosmetics vs conventional

The very same herb can give an entirely different result depending on how it was grown. Here is where the difference lies:

🌿 ORGANIC
✓No pesticides or synthetic enhancers
✓Protected with a natural nettle brew (a family tradition at InaEssentials)
✓Harvested by the full moon, when the plant is at its most potent (a family tradition at InaEssentials)
✓The plant's active substances preserved
✓Organic certification from the field to the finished product
CONVENTIONAL
✕Pesticides and chemical enhancers
✕Synthetic preservatives and fragrances
✕Mass, accelerated production
✕Often depleted active ingredients
✕„Natural" sometimes only on the label

That is why an organic product and a conventional product with the same herb name are not the same thing. The difference lies in the concentration of the valuable ingredients and in the absence of unwanted residues.

A step further: the secret we add

Genuine organic cosmetics does not stop at clean soil. In our family we take one more step that most brands skip, and it is exactly that which sets us apart.

The InaEssentials family in their organic fields - caring for organic cosmetics
Beyond treating our herbs as organic, we also do something extra. We prepare a special nettle brew to protect our plants, rather than using chemicals. It is a family secret dating back to grandmother's time, one she used to keep our yard free from all sorts of pests. We carried this secret over to our organic fields.
Mariafrom the InaEssentials family

We gather the nettle during the full moon, when it is at its most potent and with its strongest properties, and we spray our fields with the resulting brew several times a year. It is care that takes time and cannot be rushed, but it is the reason our organic cosmetics stays truly clean.

🌿
Nettle brew
Natural protection for the plants that replaces synthetic pesticides.
🌕
Harvest by full moon
The moment when the plant is at its most potent and with its strongest properties.
🌱
Family care
A method inherited from grandmother and carried over to our own organic fields.

The journey of your product

Genuine organic cosmetics is a guarantee that the product is natural at every step, from the field to your hand. Here is the journey that every InaEssentials product travels:

Planting herbs in the organic fields for organic cosmetics
1Planting
Herbs from the most bountiful fields
Our herbs grow all across Bulgaria, each field with its own microclimate. Our family cares for every plant from planting to harvest.
Hand-picking herbs for organic cosmetics
2Harvest
Caring hands pick by hand
Through our established social policy we support dozens of families with work in rural areas. It is they who care for every herb.
Steam distillation of freshly picked plants for organic cosmetics
3Distillation
First steam distillation
The hydrolats are obtained from freshly picked plants at the ideal moment, so that the concentration of essential oils and active substances is preserved.
Bottling organic cosmetics at the family production
4Bottling
Responsibly, in a recyclable bottle
Every product is bottled carefully at our family production, with care for minimal waste and a design that captures the character of the herbs.
Packaging organic cosmetics in a Nature INA Box made of recycled cardboard
5Packaging and dispatch
In a Nature INA Box to you
The products arrive in a designer box made of recycled cardboard that carries our family's story and values.

The awards and family behind InaEssentials

Behind every bottle of organic cosmetics stands a real family and years of work. It all began in 2001 in the small town of Panagyurishte, where our family quite adventurously planted its first 5 decares of lavender and rose crops.

The Ralchev family in their lavender fields - the people behind InaEssentials organic cosmetics
Every herb in our products is grown, harvested and processed personally by us. This is not just a business, but our calling.
Veselina Ralchevafounder of InaEssentials
✓25+ years of experience
✓Own organic fields
✓Certified production
✓200,000+ happy customers

With thousands of happy customers, the family also earned national awards

Vasil Ralchev - Farmer of the Year 2024 at the Forbes awards
🏆 FORBES 2024
Vasil Ralchev
Farmer of the Year 2024
Veselina Ralcheva - Organic Producer of the Year 2023
🥇 2023
Veselina Ralcheva
Organic Producer of the Year

These honours are recognition of something simple: organic cosmetics made honestly, from our own fields and with care at every step.

How to recognise genuine organic cosmetics

Don't be misled when a product is marketed simply as natural or untreated. Here are 5 practical signs to check:

1
Look for the organic mark and certificate in a visible place on the packaging
2
Read the full ingredient list (INCI), not just the pretty front of the pack
3
Check the origin of the raw materials and whether the organic fields are owned or controlled
4
Look at the extraction method — distillation or cold pressing
5
Choose transparent brands that show their process, not just the result
🌿
Always look for the organic mark
A product may be marketed as natural, but only the organic mark and certificate show that genuine organic cosmetics stands behind it.

Hydrolina: organic cosmetics in practice

A great example of organic cosmetics from our range is the Organic Lavender Water Hydrolina. It is produced from organic lavender from our own fields and brings together everything described so far: clean growing, gentle distillation and a traceable composition.

Organic Lavender Water Hydrolina

Organic Lavender Water Hydrolina - organic cosmetics from InaEssentials

A natural lavender water that refreshes and cleanses the skin, with a gentle scent of real lavender. An example of what organic cosmetics looks like when it is made with care.

★★★★★
4.84 / 5
Review of organic lavender water Hydrolina from InaEssentials
★★★★★
Megan
„I'm dead happy with these herbal oil soaps, they smell lovely and are so nourishing for the skin.“
Review of natural and organic cosmetics InaEssentials
★★★★★
Hollie
„I'm loving this soap. It makes my skin so soft and lovely to touch 🤍🤍🤍“
Review of organic products Hydrolina from InaEssentials
★★★★★
Charlotte
„The wee soap is brilliant! My skin absolutely loves it🩷🌹 I'm dead chuffed with it. Thanks a million!“

Explore the whole range of organic and natural cosmetics by InaEssentials, grown the organic way.

Explore the organic products
About the InaEssentials family
The InaEssentials family - the people behind the organic cosmetics

Behind our organic cosmetics stands a family story and our own organic fields. At InaEssentials we carry methods inherited over generations into modern production, in which every ingredient is traceable and grown with care.

Frequently asked questions about organic cosmetics

What is the difference between natural and organic cosmetics?
Natural cosmetics relies on ingredients of natural origin, but this does not guarantee how they were grown. Organic cosmetics requires the raw materials to be produced by the rules of organic farming, without synthetic pesticides, and this is confirmed by an organic certificate and organic mark on the packaging.
How can I tell a genuine organic product?
Look for the organic mark and certificate on the packaging, read the full ingredient list (INCI), and check the origin of the raw materials and the extraction method. Transparent brands show their whole process, not just the end result.
Why is organic cosmetics sometimes more expensive?
Organic farming is slower and more labour-intensive. Natural plant protection, hands-on care and gentle extraction methods make production more costly, but in return they preserve the plant's active substances.
Sources and information
  • Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and the labelling of organic products.
  • COSMOS-standard for natural and organic cosmetics.

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    At InaEssentials, we believe in giving back to the communities that have supported us. That's why we are proud to offer employment opportunities to members of minority groups, helping to support their livelihoods and provide them with a brighter future. By choosing our organic products, you are not only improving your own health and beauty, but you are also making a positive impact on the lives of others. Join us in making a difference today.