Cosmetic Botanicals UK

Dried botanicals, powders, herbs, flowers, fruits, and natural additives for cosmetic and soap making.

Botanicals can add colour, texture, decoration, exfoliation, and natural appeal to cosmetic formulations. From dried botanicals for soap making, bath bombs, bath teas, and bath salts, to botanical extracts and plant extracts used in natural skincare, moisturisers, body washes, and haircare, the right choice can help shape how your product looks, feels, and performs.

We supply cosmetic botanicals across the United Kingdom with quality, documentation, and CPSR requirements in mind, so you can formulate with confidence from the start.

Speak to an assessor about your formulation

Browse Our Botanical Ingredients

Botanical ingredients can be used for decoration, exfoliation, colour, texture, and natural product positioning. The right choice depends on your formulation, product type, and how the ingredient behaves in use.

Explore our range of cosmetic botanicals below, including exfoliants, flowers and fruits, herbs and spices, and other plant-derived ingredients for soap making, bath products, skincare, and cosmetic formulations.

  • glass bowls one with dry black powder, activated charcoal, and the other with charcoal paste. A hand can be seen with a finger that has a blob of charcoal paste on it that catches the light and appears shiny

    Exfoliants

    Used to add texture and physical exfoliation to products such as soaps, scrubs, masks, bars, and rinse-off formulations.

    Natural exfoliant does not always mean mild. The product type, area of use, and level of exfoliation all need to be considered.

    • Common in body scrubs, foot products, soaps, and rinse-off products.
      Particle size and abrasiveness matter.
      Can affect skin feel, customer experience, and product suitability.
  • a glass bowl containing lots of small bright blue cornflower petals

    Flowers and Fruits

    Used to add colour, decoration, and botanical appeal to soaps, bath products, salts, scrubs, and anhydrous formulations.

    Dried flowers and fruits can look beautiful, but they still need to be suitable for the product you are making.

    • Popular options such as lavender flowers, cornflower petals, rose petals, and fruit-based botanicals can support visual appeal and natural positioning.
    • Can be used whole, dried, powdered, or as part of a botanical blend.
    • May behave differently in water-based products or products exposed to moisture.

  • Herbs and Spices

    Used to add natural colour, texture, scent association, and character to cosmetic and soap formulations.

    Ingredients that feel familiar in food or herbal use still need to be treated as cosmetic ingredients when used in products for sale.

    • Common examples include green tea, cinnamon, ginger, and other herbs and spices used in soaps, masks, scrubs, bath products, and dry formulations.
    • Can be strongly coloured, aromatic, or visually distinctive.
    • Should be supported by suitable supplier documentation. (Please note, food grade does not automatically mean suitable for cosmetics).

Who Are These Botanical Ingredients Suitable For?

Our botanical ingredients are suitable for makers and formulators who want to add natural texture, colour, decoration, exfoliation, or plant-derived appeal to their products while maintaining compliance.

  • First-time cosmetic and soap makers
  • Small brands selling online or at markets
  • Soap makers using dried botanicals for decoration or exfoliation
  • Growing businesses expanding a natural product range
  • Formulators looking for documented botanical ingredients

Let customers speak for us

from 184 reviews
Olive Pomace oil
Oily goodness

Always go to oil for all products. Consistent good quality and excellent price.

Rachiebabz
Olive Pomace oil
CPSR Liquid Antimicrobial Soap Vegan | Single Essential Oil Variants
Amazing recipe!

I am so happy I with this recipe and assessment! If you're not new to liquid soap making I highly recommend it. It creates a beautiful lathering soap and very easy to make with videos available. Don't be afraid of liquid soap making! Thank you to all CSS team, all your hard work is appreciated :)

Hajni
CPSR Liquid Antimicrobial Soap Vegan | Single Essential Oil Variants
CPSR Beard Balm Vegan | Essential Oil Blends | 7 Variants
Excellent, transparent service and a great product

The product makes up beautifully and the combination of a ready made CPSR is an absolute dream; making an otherwise very complex process very user friendly and transparent meaning that the focus as a small business can be on other areas of compliance.
Thank you

Amanda Lankford
CPSR Beard Balm Vegan | Essential Oil Blends | 7 Variants
CPSR + Ingredients Kit Whipped Soap | EO Blend Variants | Mica
Absolutely awesome!

I love this assessment, the recipe is easy to follow and Tanias video is super helpful to check consistency and how it should be looking! My husband (aka guinea pig) absolutely loves it, he’s threatened divorce if he finds his personal stash empty when he wants to use it 😂

Hayley Cheshire
CPSR + Ingredients Kit Whipped Soap | EO Blend Variants | Mica
CPSR Tallow Balm | Full Body/Hands/Face/Feet | Essential Oil Blends
CPSR Tallow Kit Review

I ordered a CPSR Beef Tallow kit from Cosmetic Safety Solutions. The service i received was outstanding. The order was delivered next day together with the Recipe and easy to follow Method to allow me to manufacture my first batch with complete success. The follow up communication via e mail was brilliant and answered all of my subsequent questions speedily. Within one week i was able to refine my manufacture process and produce Tallow Balm and Whipped Tallow ready for market. I would not hesitate to recommend Cosmetic Safety Solutions to anyone looking for a professional partner in the supply of Skin Care products. Outstanding.

Michael Scott
CPSR Tallow Balm | Full Body/Hands/Face/Feet | Essential Oil Blends
CPSR + Ingredients Kit Whipped Soap | Perfume Oil + Essential Oil Variants
Whipped soap mousse with exclusive fragrances

Wow, I cant say enough great things about this recipe and assessment, the fragrances are gorgeous, the micas are beautiful to work with and the recipe is simple but pure indulgence. Outstanding CSS once again 👏

Sammi Anton
CPSR + Ingredients Kit Whipped Soap | Perfume Oil + Essential Oil Variants
CPSR Allotment Soaps Vegan | Fresh Veg, Essential oils + 8 Variants
Allotment Soap

Started making these soaps and they are wonderful. Lather is great and the smell is amazing.

J Wayman
CPSR Allotment Soaps Vegan | Fresh Veg, Essential oils + 8 Variants
Luxury Serum, Calendula & Chamomile, Infant suitable and Vegan friendly
It's a winner

I use this personally and it is just brilliant. It transforms skin and a little really does go a long way. I have lots of repeat customers of all ages for this and they all love it too.

Joanne M
Luxury Serum, Calendula & Chamomile, Infant suitable and Vegan friendly
CPSR Beard Oil Range Vegan | Single Essential Oils | 7 Variants
Fantastic

Brilliant value for money. The Recipe is lovely with a good choice. The ingredients are excellent quality

Michelle Shaw
CPSR Beard Oil Range Vegan | Single Essential Oils | 7 Variants
Rosehip Seed Oil
A really high quality oil

This has to be one of the only RH oils that doesn't smell a bit rancid after time. The quality is really really good and I am a repeat purchaser.

Dalia Hawley
Rosehip Seed Oil
Tallow Refined White Premium Grade
Tallow

Omg it’s absolutely gorgeous but then again all your ingredients are the best. I won’t shop anywhere else now

Nicola Greene
Tallow Refined White Premium Grade
CPSR Whipped Shea Body Butter Vegan | Essential Oil Blends
Great texture and scents!

I'm thrilled with the body butter recipe, and the scent blends. The texture is great, feels lovely and luxurious on the skin. My customers are going to love it! Super quick turnaround as well. I got the CPSR in a few days!

Antonia Fiander
CPSR Whipped Shea Body Butter Vegan | Essential Oil Blends

Why Choose Cosmetic Safety Solutions for Botanical Ingredients?

Botanicals can be some of the most visually appealing ingredients in a formulation, but they are not always as simple as they look. A dried flower, herbal powder, fruit piece, or natural exfoliant may affect the way a product feels, looks, preserves, or is assessed.

That is why we look at botanical ingredients with both formulation and CPSR requirements in mind. We know the difference between a decorative addition, a functional exfoliant, and an ingredient that may need closer review before it is used in a product for sale.

When you source botanical ingredients from Cosmetic Safety Solutions, you benefit from:

  • Ingredients selected to reduce common CPSR approval issues

  • Documentation prepared to meet assessor requirements

  • Transparent sourcing so you know exactly what you are using

  • Direct access to qualified safety assessors when you need guidance

Blog posts

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Using Botanicals? Here’s What Comes Next

If you are planning to sell a product made with botanical ingredients, your final formulation must meet UK cosmetic regulations and pass a CPSR.

A common mistake is assuming that ‘natural’ ingredients require less scrutiny. In reality, dried flowers, herbs, fruit powders, spices, and exfoliants need as much scrutiny as any other ingredient, must be appropriately sourced and documented, and can all affect how a product is assessed, especially when used in products containing water, essential oils, preservatives, or exfoliating particles.

What happens next:

  1. We review your chosen botanicals and full formulation to identify potential issues
  2. We check your ingredient documentation against CPSR requirements
  3. We flag anything that could affect safety, stability, preservation, labelling, or compliance
  4. We provide a clear, no-obligation CPSR quote

There are no consultancy fees and no obligation to proceed. You get clear, practical guidance so you can decide your next step with confidence.

Speak directly to a safety assessor

Botanicals FAQs

Can I use dried botanicals in soap making?

Yes, dried botanicals are often used in soap making for decoration, colour, texture, or exfoliation. The right choice depends on the type of soap, how the botanical behaves in the finished product, and whether it is suitable for cosmetic use.

Can dried flowers, herbs, or fruit pieces affect preservation?

Yes, especially in water-based products or products exposed to moisture. Botanical material can affect preservation and stability, so it should be reviewed as part of the full formulation rather than treated as a harmless decorative addition.

Are natural exfoliants suitable for facial products?

Not always. Natural exfoliants vary in particle size, texture, and abrasiveness, so an ingredient that works well in a body scrub or foot product may not be suitable for the face.

Are botanical ingredients automatically safe because they are natural?

No. Natural ingredients still need to be used appropriately, documented correctly, and assessed in the context of the finished cosmetic product. Source is important, as is ensuring the product is appropriately dried and correctly identified.

What documents do I need for botanical ingredients?

You should keep supplier documentation that confirms what the ingredient is and supports its suitability for cosmetic use. This may include a specification, safety data sheet, certificate of analysis, or other relevant supplier information.

Can I make antioxidant claims about botanical ingredients?

Some botanical ingredients, such as green tea, may be associated with antioxidant properties, but any claim must relate to the ingredient itself and be supported by legitimate documentary evidence. You should not transfer ingredient-level benefits onto the finished cosmetic product unless the claim is accurate, verifiable, and cosmetic in nature. Treatment-style claims are not permitted for cosmetic products.