Beauty brands can use ISO 22716 and emerging cosmetics standards not just to “tick the box” on regulation, but to build trust, differentiate their ranges and win new market share, and BSI’s experts are ready to help them do exactly that.
Why clean claims are no longer enough
“Clean”, “natural” and “non toxic” have become table stakes, but without evidence they increasingly sound like empty marketing. Consumer expectations have moved on.
- The global clean beauty market is projected to almost triple from about US$10.5 billion in 2025 to over US$29 billion by 2033, with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) above 13%, driven by demand for safe ingredients, transparency and ethical sourcing.
- 63% of consumers say clean beauty is extremely important or essential when buying cosmetics, yet 85% trust independent verifiers more than any other source and 73% are more likely to buy a certified product.
- Scrutiny from consumer watchdogs and NGOs is exposing vague “clean” claims, while social media amplifies reputational risk — 7 in 10 consumers say they would stop buying from a brand accused of misleading sustainability messaging. Ingredient-aware shoppers now expect transparency on sourcing and manufacturing, as legal actions over “free from” and environmental claims rise and non compliance costs increase.
Against this backdrop, unsubstantiated claims expose brands to accusations of greenwashing, regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage. Robust, standards based assurance offers a route from “clean by claim” to clean by design, backed by verifiable evidence.
ISO 22716: the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) backbone for credible claims
Certification schemes and social audits strengthen the integrity of every stage, from farm to factory to retailer, by verifying that each participant, from ingredient supplier to logistics partner, meets required standards for traceability and responsible practice.
ISO 22716 is the internationally recognised guideline for GMP in cosmetics, covering production, control, storage and shipment from raw material intake through to finished product. It translates quality assurance principles into practical controls across personnel, premises, equipment, materials, production and quality control.
In the EU, Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires cosmetic products to be manufactured in line with GMP; compliance with ISO 22716 creates a presumption of meeting this regulatory requirement. That makes ISO 22716 both a passport to market access and a powerful internal framework for managing safety, consistency and traceability.
For beauty and personal care brands, certified GMP delivers:
- Greater alignment between R&D, manufacturing and quality teams, reducing silos and improving speed to market.
- Improved supplier qualification and oversight, strengthening control over increasingly complex global supply chains.
- Enhanced audit readiness, reducing disruption from regulatory inspections and retailer audits.
- Stronger internal governance, supporting board-level visibility on product risk and compliance.
- Comprehensive documentation across the sourcing network, including farms, processing facilities, and logistics providers, ensures every link of the production chain can demonstrate compliance, supporting full traceability and audit readiness.
- Stronger product safety and reduced risk of contamination or mix ups across batches.
- Better documentation and traceability, supporting faster investigations, recalls and regulatory responses when needed.
- A credible platform to substantiate performance, safety and sustainability linked claims with real process evidence.
Emerging standards shaping beauty’s next chapter
As the market evolves, brands are looking beyond manufacturing towards standards that quantify natural or organic content, address sustainability and enhance overall quality systems.
- ISO 16128 provides guidance on defining and calculating the natural and organic content of cosmetic ingredients and products, helping to substantiate “natural” and “organic” claims.
- ISO 9001 quality management can be layered with ISO 22716 to drive continual improvement, customer focus and harmonised processes across global beauty operations.
- Frameworks, such as ISO 14001, linked to sustainability and responsible sourcing are becoming integral as consumers scrutinise ingredient origins, environmental impact and social responsibility.
- In parallel, compliance with stringent chemical regulations such as REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) and emerging restrictions on intentionally added microplastics in Europe remains critical, requiring brands to proactively manage substance risks, ensure transparent ingredient disclosure and align product formulations with evolving environmental and human health expectations in global market.
Taken together, these standards help brands move from isolated initiatives to an integrated system that connects product quality, safety, sustainability and brand promise.
Turning compliance into competitive edge
Standards on their own do not create differentiation; how you implement and communicate them does. Leading beauty brands are using ISO 22716 and related standards in three strategic ways.
1. Building trust through visible assurance
- Using recognised standards and independent certification to back up claims gives consumers and retailers confidence that products are safe, high quality and responsibly manufactured.
- Certification marks and clear onpack statements help cut through crowded shelves and digital marketplaces, supporting premium pricing and longterm loyalty.
2. Streamlining global market access
- Demonstrating compliance with ISO 22716 simplifies evidence for regulators, notified bodies and retail partners, particularly where EU Cosmetics Regulation presumes compliance via harmonised standards.
- A harmonised GMP and quality framework can reduce duplication across sites and markets, lowering the cost of rework, audits and product withdraw als.
3. Enabling innovation with confidence
- Robust GMP and quality systems allow R&D teams to experiment faster with new formats and sustainable packaging while maintaining consistent safety and performance.
- Standards related to natural content, traceability and sustainability help innovation pipelines align with the fast growing clean and ethical beauty segment. Easier entry into new markets where documentation and evidence are prerequisites, without regulatory or reputational setbacks.
A practical example: a brand combining ISO 22716 certified manufacturing with documented natural content (aligned to ISO 16128) and independently verified sustainability claims can credibly position a new range as safe, effective and responsibly produced in every market it enters.
How BSI helps beauty brands go from claim to proof
Working across food, retail, consumer goods and luxury sectors, BSI brings cross industry insight into how traceability, certification and supply chain verification strengthen trust and compliance in every category.
BSI has a long history in developing and implementing standards that underpin trust in consumer products, including BS EN ISO 22716 for cosmetics GMP. Working with beauty, skincare, haircare and personal care organisations across the value chain, BSI’s experts help brands translate complex requirements into workable, future ready systems.
BSI can support your organisation to:
- Benchmark: Against industry peers and best practices to prioritise high-impact improvements.
- Map: Current operations against ISO 22716, EU Cosmetics Regulation and other relevant standards, identifying gaps and quick wins through structured assessments.
- Design: As the original developer of the ISO 9001 standard, BSI is uniquely placed to help organizations design and implement quality management systems that truly drive improvement, consistency, and customer confidence.
- Integration: Of GMP with sustainability and ESG frameworks for a future-ready operating model.
- Independent: Verification, certification and training so teams understand their roles in maintaining compliance and embedding a culture of quality and responsibility.
- Ongoing: Audit programmes that support continuous improvement rather than one-off certification.
- Data: Certification and verified data as a communication asset, strengthening on-pack claims, ESG reporting and retailer or investor messaging.
- Claims: Translation of technical certification outcomes into clear, market-facing claims and communications.
With consumer expectations rising and regulatory scrutiny intensifying, now is the moment for beauty brands to align clean claims with proven compliance, and to use trusted standards as a foundation for growth, not a ceiling.
The brands gaining share are those that can prove, not just promise, product safety, integrity and responsibility. Standards are becoming a common language across regulators, retailers and consumers, enabling faster and more confident decision-making.
Early adopters of integrated compliance systems are already seeing benefits in resilience, agility and brand equity. BSI’s cosmetics specialists can help you design that journey, from first gap analysis to global certification and beyond.
Talk to BSI’s cosmetics and beauty specialists
Ready to move from claim to proof, and turn that into growth? Speak to BSI about ISO 22716 certification, claims verification, and an integrated roadmap for your next launch. We’ll start with a rapid gap risk assessment and a market ready claims plan tailored to your portfolio.
