BS ISO 16128-1-2016 PDF

Full title and description

BS ISO 16128-1:2016 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products — Part 1: Definitions for ingredients. Provides a sector-specific framework to categorise cosmetic raw materials (natural, organic, derived natural/organic, mineral, non‑natural), define solvent and processing roles, and give guidance for quantification of natural/organic origin of ingredients.

Abstract

This document gives definitions for ingredient categories used when developing natural and organic cosmetics and accompanying guidance on restrictions and classification (including process/solvent considerations). It does not address product claims/labelling, safety, packaging or broader socio‑economic issues. The Part 1 definitions are intended to be used with Part 2, which covers calculation methods and product‑level criteria.

General information

• Status: Published (ISO international standard; adopted as a British Standard—BS ISO 16128-1:2016).
• Publication date: ISO edition published February 2016 (ISO record lists 2016-02); BS adoption published March 2016.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO); published/adopted by national bodies (example: BSI as BS ISO 16128-1:2016).
• ICS / categories: 71.100.70 — Cosmetics. Toiletries.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2016). The ISO record shows the document was reviewed/confirmed in subsequent five‑year reviews.
• Number of pages: ISO electronic edition: 11 pages (ISO publication record); national PDF/adopted formats (e.g., BSI) may have a different page count (commonly shown as 22 pages for the BS publication).

Scope

ISO 16128‑1:2016 provides guidelines for definitions of natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and related ingredient categories needed for natural/organic product development. It clarifies what is meant by “natural”, “organic”, “derived natural/organic”, “derived mineral” and “non‑natural” ingredients, and explains how processing and solvents are considered in ingredient classification. The standard explicitly excludes guidance on product claims/label‑ling, human and environmental safety, socio‑economic matters (e.g., fair trade) and packaging/regulatory requirements.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions of ingredient categories: natural (from plant/animal/micro‑organism/mineral without intentional chemical modification), natural mineral, organic (from organic farming/wild harvesting with exclusions), derived natural, derived organic, derived mineral and non‑natural.
• Processing and solvent roles: distinction between solvents that remain in a final ingredient and process solvents intended to be removed; annex material discusses extract categories and solvent impacts on classification.
• Quantification approaches: methods to quantify natural/organic origin (molecular weight, renewable carbon or other relevant methods) with worked examples and calculation guidance referenced in associated annexes.
• Guidance only: the document is normative for definitions and informative for examples; it is guidance (not a labelling or safety regulation).
• Interdependence with Part 2: Part 1 definitions are used by Part 2 to calculate ingredient and product indexes (natural/organic origin percentages).

Typical use and users

Used by cosmetic formulators, raw material/ingredient suppliers, product development teams, quality and regulatory staff, certification bodies and laboratories who need a consistent framework to classify ingredient origin and to prepare internal documentation or supplier dossiers. It is also referenced by organisations developing internal natural/organic policies or benchmarking suppliers.

Related standards

Directly linked to ISO 16128‑2:2017 (Part 2) which provides calculation methods and product‑level criteria; Part 2 has an amendment published in 2022. National adoptions (for example BS ISO 16128‑1:2016) are also available. Other sector standards and certification schemes may refer to ISO 16128 definitions but can differ in requirements for claims and certification.

Keywords

natural ingredients, organic ingredients, derived natural, derived organic, derived mineral, cosmetics, ingredient definitions, solvent classification, renewable carbon, molecular weight calculation, ISO 16128.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 16128‑1:2016 (adopted as BS ISO 16128‑1:2016) is an ISO guideline document that defines ingredient categories and the technical definitions used when discussing natural and organic cosmetic ingredients.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers definitions for natural/organic/derived/non‑natural ingredient categories, how processing and solvents are treated for classification, and offers guidance (with examples) on approaches used to determine natural/organic origin of ingredients. It does not cover product claims, labelling rules, safety assessment or packaging.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Ingredient suppliers, cosmetic formulators, product development teams, quality/regulatory personnel and certification or standards bodies that need a consistent technical basis to classify ingredients and to prepare supporting documentation.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 16128‑1:2016 remains the published/active Part 1 document. The ISO record indicates regular five‑year reviews and shows the standard was reviewed/confirmed in subsequent reviews; Part 2 has had an amendment (2022) and work to revise parts of the series is ongoing. Users should check the issuing body for any new revisions or national adoption notices for the latest status.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 16128 is a two‑part series: Part 1 (definitions for ingredients) and Part 2 (criteria and calculation methods for ingredients and products). Part 2 (ISO 16128‑2:2017) includes approaches to calculate natural/organic indexes and has an amendment published in 2022.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Natural, organic, derived natural, derived organic, renewable carbon, molecular weight, solvent classification, cosmetic ingredients, ISO 16128.