“Organic” in cosmetics refers to products made from plant‑based ingredients grown without synthetic pesticides or GMOs—and while it is regulated, bodies like the Food and Drug Administration note there’s no single US definition for “organic cosmetic”.

Common natural ingredients include plant oils and butters (e.g., shea, jojoba), botanical extracts (e.g., green tea, chamomile), natural emulsifiers and waxes.

If a product contains water or hydrous ingredients, then yes—a proper preservation system is required even for natural formulas to avoid microbial contamination.

“Natural” generally means derived from natural sources, while “organic” means those natural sources are themselves grown without synthetic chemicals and meet certification standards—but the terms are different and often misunderstood.

With skills in formulation, quality control, safety assessment, and marketing, you could go into roles like cosmetic formulator, product development manager, consultant or quality controller.