You may have seen Oeko-Test awards scattered about on our Website and wondered what all the fuss was about. This article is to share with you what is behind these prestigious ratings, and why we are so extremely proud to be the recipients of them! No matter where you purchase your skincare products, if you see a “Very Good” rating from Oeko-Test, you can be assured that you’ve found the safest products for both you and the environment - the best of the best!

The Oeko-Test Magazine was started in Germany by a few journalists in 1985. Today it is similar to Consumer Reports in the US, but with a much stronger emphasis on consumer safety and health. All products are tested by independent labs and reviewed solely based on their effects on health and the environment. Both natural and mainstream products are tested, so they’re all on a level playing field during testing. Lavera products have been tested by Oeko-Test since 1992 and awarded more than 700 times. Benecos, the fastest growing natural beauty brand in Germany, has already received numerous “Sehr Gut” (very good) awards, which is their highest rating! The next rating on Oeko-Test's scale is gut (good), followed by befriedigend (satisfying), ausreichend (sufficient), mangelhaft (inadequate), and ungenügend (unsatisfactory).

Considering their stringent rating standards, you can imagine how thrilled we were in 2008 when over 1,800 products from 70 different groups were tested, and Lavera was rated #1 as the Greenest Beauty Brand ahead ahead of 32 other companies (including Dr. Hauschka, Weleda, Estee Lauder and Loreal). In 2009, Lavera did it again, beating out 36 companies that manufacture cosmetics such as Dove, Aveda, Avon and Kiehls to receive the #1 ranking from Oeko-Test.  Since then, Lavera has continued to receive top ratings each year. 

In August 2009, Oeko-Test released a study of 21 different brands of lipsticks sold in department and drug stores (including Dr. Hauschka, L’Oreal, Chanel and Maybelline) to analyze their ingredients and to identify problematic or possibly hazardous ingredients. Many manufacturers received the “red card” (not good) for containing ingredients that could have long-term health effects. All 13 of the Lavera Lipstick shades tested were awarded the highest ratings possible. Lavera’s lipsticks as well as Benecos lipsticks continue to get the highest ratings from Oeko-Test today.

To date, no nail polish is capable of getting the “Very Good” rating, but in 2014, Benecos was rated “Good,” making it the top-ranking nail polish of the year. We consider this quite an honor coming from Oeko-Test!

So now when you see the Oeko-Test rating that appears with everything from Benecos Blush to their Maximum Volume Mascara and Lavera's Self-Tanner and Gingko Purifying Scrub, you’ll know you've found the greenest of green high-quality products available! 

Oeko-Test's German website can be found here: http://www.oekotest.de/ or viewEnglish Translation.