Being aware of how our products are made is something that many people have started to do their research on when purchasing products and finding new skincare lines.
When choosing aloe vera products for your skincare brand that will go on hair, face, or other parts of the body, you may wonder where to start when it comes to the grade of aloe vera you want to include in your products. If you and your customers care about what ingredients go into your products, you want to know the differences between the two when formulating. Not all products are created equal, so what do the different grades mean?
Let’s look at the differences between the two to decide what would work best for your products.
What Is The Difference Between Food Grade and Cosmetic Grade?
Food grade ingredients may be used in cosmetics, but cosmetic grade ingredients cannot be used for food or ingestion. Not all food grade ingredients are considered natural, and some synthetic cosmetic chemicals are also still edible.
According to the FDA, companies, and individuals that manufacture and market cosmetics are responsible for ensuring their products' safety. The FDA and law do not require any specific tests that demonstrate the safety of products or their ingredients and also do not require cosmetic companies to share their safety information with the FDA. This makes things better for beauty companies but can make the average consumer uneasy about deciding what products are the safest, cleanest, or most effective.
This is where food grade products come in. The FDA tests and approves food grade ingredients by checking if they are safe, and the tests rule out any harmful chemicals or potential irritants that could be harmful to the body and skin.
Food Grade
Food grade products meet the specifications and max impurity limit indicated by the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), which is recognized internationally for purity and quality standards. These are suitable for both food and cosmetics. Food grade products are harder to come by and oftentimes cost more, considering their nature and concentration of pure, active ingredients found in the products. Some may argue that although more expensive than drugstore cosmetic-grade counterparts, the results achieved using food grade ingredients in their products are worth the extra costs for these regulated components in their formulas.
Food grade ingredients have a shorter shelf life as they are not made up of fillers or synthetic materials, and have a life expectancy of around a year. There are food grade preservatives that can be added to products to lengthen their life span and are safe when used within a regulated limit. Food grade ingredients in products can offer more targeted results based on what will work best with your skin type.
Cosmetic Grade
Cosmetic grade products are a good quality chemical grade, with at least 70% purity used for most cosmetic products that are not over the counter. They can be used as raw materials for cosmetic products and for other non-medical industrial applications. Cosmetic grade products are not suitable for food or pharmaceutical applications. Cosmetic grade skincare products are not subject to safety testing, regulations, or required ingredient reviews and are comparatively different from food grade.
Cosmetic grade skincare products are made to cater to the broader public and usually work for a majority of the population. They have lower active ingredients to avoid negative effects when purchased directly off shelves and used at home. This allows most customers to self-diagnose their skin and decide what products to choose.
Purchasing High-Quality Aloe Vera For Your Skincare Line
Using food grade cosmetic products has become more popular over the years. There are many benefits to using food grade ingredients: it attempts to cause less harm to the environment and helps cultivate more sustainable ingredients.
Finding top-quality ingredients for your line is a massive part of creating your products. Seeking out a manufacturer can be easy to find online; however, you should look for great reviews, find references, and ask for samples of products Using high-quality aloe vera products for your skincare line, you want to choose a company that takes pride in producing quality organic aloe vera, from plant to finished product.
We maintain our aloe vera farm and production site at Aloe Laboratories, allowing us to craft the best products possible while keeping low bulk and wholesale prices. We proudly produce aloe vera gel, juice, and powder for every client’s needs.
If you’re interested in our products or how aloe vera can improve your line of products, contact us for more information on bringing aloe vera into your home or business.