Summary & Commitments

1. Objectives

The purpose of this document is to provide information on the prohibitions and restrictions of ingredients that the Research & Development of the company ABBI SAS integrates into the development specifications of its products.

It complements:

• European cosmetic regulations according to Regulation No. 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of November 30, 2009, and its annexes, consolidated on March 1, 2022.
• The regulations specific to each country because we want our products to comply with “WorldWide*” regulations.

Please note that our formulation is intended to be open, that is to say flexible and alert, both on active innovations and on media speculations related to the harmful powers of ingredients. Also, this Black List is not fixed and is constantly changing, adapting to guarantee and satisfy the safety of our consumers.

This document also aims to highlight the naturalness of the products since our internal charter requires at least 95% NATURALNESS.

2. List of Ingredients Prohibited in ABBI Products

3. List of Restricted Ingredients in ABBI Products

4. What Do We Mean By Minimum 95% Naturalness?

In cosmetic products, it is possible to claim your product along several lines:

• Organic or "bio" cosmetic product: the origin of which is mainly natural, which can claim to be "organic" only if it strictly complies with the legislation in force in the country and with the recognized labels and certification bodies (in France Cosmebio, Cosmos, Ecocert).
• Natural cosmetic product: which can be stamped "natural" if it meets published specifications and/or if it complies with the rules in use in the country or with verification and control bodies. It is nevertheless possible to develop a natural product or a product of natural origin without having it certified (in France and internationally Cosmos, ISO 16128).

Thus, naturalness can be expressed in two ways:

• With the use and communication of certified Labels, as is the case with a product organic cosmetics.
• With the application of the ISO 16128 Standard, as is the case for a natural or naturally-derived cosmetic product that decides not to be certified.

To formulate its products, at ABBI we have chosen not to rely on a certification body but rather on the ISO 16128 Standard. Thus, this standard is a text aimed at harmonizing and supervising the practices of players in the cosmetics market, our practices. It is an international standard serving as a common basis.

With this standard, we cosmetic companies agree on the one hand on the definition of the Natural, Natural Origin, Organic and Organic Origin content of products based on the characterization of the ingredients and on the other hand, on the definition of the very precise calculation methods to be used to determine the percentage of naturalness of ingredients and natural and/or organic cosmetic products.

Each ingredient has a naturalness index defined between 0 and 1. It is provided by the manufacturer of the raw material, and this is how, based on the percentage used in the formulation, we determine the percentage of naturalness of the ingredient, then cumulatively, that of the final formula and therefore of the finished product.

In France, the recommendations of the ARPP (Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority) specify that "a cosmetic product can only be described as 'natural' if the finished product contains a minimum of 95% of ingredients defined as 'natural', within the meaning of the ISO 16128 standard or any other standard that is at least as demanding". The same applies to cosmetic products of natural origin, which must contain a minimum of 95% of ingredients of natural origin.

5. Authorized Preservatives at ABBI

What is a preservative? What is it used for?

Behind the word conservative we can associate two facts:

• That of protecting the formula from microbial and bacteriological attacks with the appearance of bacteria and mold.
• That of protecting the oily and lipid raw materials of the formula which tend to oxidize and become rancid over time.

So, to be able to keep your cosmetic product in the best storage conditions and of use, preservatives are necessary and ABBI does not deviate from the health safety rule.

The absence of preservatives in certain products is most often due to a marketing gimmick when the ingredients used naturally have these antioxidant properties, such as Vitamin E, or when the formula does not need to be protected, because it is an anhydrous formulation without water where bacterial development does not occur.

At ABBI, we use preservatives free of any controversial substances as mentioned above. We work with a cocktail of preservatives adapted to each of our galenics / formulas and their need for conservation.

6. What About Animal Testing?

In accordance with European Regulations (Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009), ABBI completely prohibits animal testing for all its products, as well as for the cosmetic ingredients used in its formulas.

We employ alternative testing methods systematically (like in vitro testing) and request strict attestations from our raw material suppliers ensuring that they also stand by these humane principles. No product formulation is ever tested on animals during its entire product life cycle.

7. What About the Use of Perfume with Allergens?

A cosmetic perfume is a complex mixture of aromatic raw materials, either natural or synthetic. Among these materials, some are classified as allergens. Under the current regulation, certain fragrance allergens must be mentioned on the packaging if their concentration exceeds strict limits.

At ABBI, our strategy regarding fragrances aims to minimize interactions and risks:

• We favor hypoallergenic perfumes when the formulation allows it.
• When natural essential oils are used, they are precisely dosed to remain under the maximum tolerated limits for sensitive skin.
• The full list of potential allergens is always mentioned in clear INCI lists on our product packaging to ensure full transparency for the consumer.

8. Mobile Product Rating Applications

We encourage total transparency regarding our formulations. Thanks to our strict ingredient policies and our minimum 95% naturalness guarantee, ABBI products can be verified on popular cosmetic rating applications used by consumers:

• Yuka
• INCI Beauty
• Clean Beauty
• QuelCosmetic