Skincare Glossary — Terms Explained

A plain-English guide to the certifications, ingredients and label terms behind clean, natural skincare — so you can read any product with confidence.

COSMOS certification

COSMOS (COSmetic Organic and Natural Standard) is a European standard for certified organic and natural cosmetics, managed by the independent non-profit COSMOS-standard AISBL. It sets strict rules on ingredient sourcing, processing, packaging and the share of natural-origin content, and has two signatures: COSMOS NATURAL and the higher-threshold COSMOS ORGANIC. Velora Naturals holds ECOCERT COSMOS NATURAL certification.

ECOCERT

ECOCERT (Ecocert Greenlife SAS) is an independent French certification body and one of the founding certifiers of the COSMOS standard. It audits formulas, suppliers and manufacturing against the standard's criteria before a product may carry the certified mark. Velora's certificate, N° 255853/LV/202512041754, is issued by Ecocert Greenlife SAS and is valid through 31 March 2027.

Organic skincare

Organic skincare refers to products made with ingredients grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, typically verified against an independent standard such as COSMOS rather than simply self-declared. Because "organic" carries no single legal definition as a marketing word on its own, third-party certification is the reliable signal that a claim has actually been checked.

Natural origin

Natural origin describes the proportion of an ingredient or a whole formula that comes from natural sources — plants, minerals and water — rather than petrochemicals. Under the COSMOS standard, natural-origin content is calculated using a defined formula, which is why certified products can state a precise percentage instead of a vague "natural" label.

INCI

INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) is the standardised naming system used on cosmetic labels worldwide, so the same ingredient carries one recognised name in every country. It uses Latin botanical names for plant extracts — for example, Bidens Pilosa — and is listed in order of concentration. Reading the INCI list is the most reliable way to see exactly what is in a product.

Bakuchiol

Bakuchiol is a plant-derived compound, originally from the seeds and leaves of Psoralea corylifolia (babchi), that the skincare industry often discusses as a plant-based alternative to retinol. It is a familiar name in clean and natural formulations and is frequently chosen for daytime routines. Note: Velora's Retinol Alternative Moisturiser uses Bidens Pilosa, not bakuchiol.

Bidens Pilosa

Bidens Pilosa (INCI: Bidens Pilosa Extract) is a flowering plant, sometimes called Spanish needle, used in natural skincare as a plant-based alternative to retinol. It is the hero active in Velora's Retinol Alternative Moisturiser, chosen for people who prefer a botanical ingredient over conventional retinol. It is a naturally derived plant extract, described here without any medical or efficacy claim.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid (INCI: Hyaluronic Acid or Sodium Hyaluronate) is a humectant that also occurs naturally in the skin and is widely used in serums and moisturisers. As a humectant, it is an ingredient that draws in and helps hold water within a formula. It is one of the hydrating ingredients used across Velora's range.

Humectant

A humectant is a type of ingredient that attracts water and helps hold moisture within a formula. Common humectants in natural skincare include hyaluronic acid, glycerin and sodium PCA. They are a core building block of how a serum or moisturiser is formulated.

Cruelty-free

Cruelty-free means a finished product and its ingredients are not tested on animals at any stage of development. Velora Naturals is cruelty-free. It is a distinct claim from "vegan" — a product can be one without being the other.

Vegan skincare

Vegan skincare contains no animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, lanolin, carmine or animal-sourced collagen. Velora's formulas are both vegan and cruelty-free. Because plant and mineral ingredients can deliver the same textures, vegan formulation has become increasingly standard in clean beauty.

Clean beauty

Clean beauty is a broad, industry-coined term for products formulated to leave out ingredients a brand considers questionable, with an emphasis on transparency about what is included. Because the term is not legally defined, its meaning varies from brand to brand — which is why independent certification, such as COSMOS, offers a more verifiable standard.

Greenwashing

Greenwashing is when a product is marketed as more natural, organic or sustainable than it genuinely is, using suggestive imagery or vague wording without real evidence. The clearest defence against it is independent, third-party certification alongside a transparent, full INCI ingredient list. Velora's answer to greenwashing is its ECOCERT COSMOS NATURAL certification — certified, not just claimed.

Sodium PCA

Sodium PCA (INCI: Sodium PCA) is a naturally occurring humectant — the salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a component of the skin's own natural moisturising factor. In skincare it is valued as a lightweight, water-attracting ingredient and is used in Velora's formulas as part of the hydrating blend.