Arca Botanica: artisanal organic cosmetics that respect your skin and the planet.
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"The skin is permeable and absorbs the substances it comes into contact with. When we use cosmetics for cleansing or body care, we apply them to the skin and therefore absorb some of them. This is why, for us, cosmetics, like food, must be natural, healthy, and organic."
These words aren't just an advertising slogan. They're the founding manifesto of Arca Botanica , a brand of artisanal organic cosmetics that has been handcrafting clean, effective, and deeply respectful cosmetics in Padua since 2013.
In a cosmetics market saturated with greenwashing and empty claims, Arca Botanica represents a concrete alternative: cosmetics that work, that respect, that don't compromise .
In this article we tell you about the philosophy, values and products of this brand that we have chosen with conviction for Natura Bio Italia.
THE BIRTH: WHY ARCA BOTANICA
Arca Botanica was born from a simple but revolutionary question:
"Why do we accept putting substances on our skin that we would never eat?"
The skin is not an impenetrable barrier. It is a living, permeable organ that absorbs a significant portion of what we apply to it.
Creams, cleansers, shampoos: everything comes into contact with our dermis and, through it, with our organism.
Yet, traditional cosmetics are full of:
- Parabens (preservatives suspected of being endocrine disruptors)
- Silicones (create occlusive films, do not nourish)
- Petroleum derivatives (petrolates, paraffins)
- SLES and SLS (aggressive surfactants)
- Synthetic perfumes (common allergens)
Ingredients that none of us would put in our mouths, but that we happily spread every day.
Arca Botanica was born to overturn this paradigm : to treat the skin with the same respect with which we treat the body through nutrition.
THE PHILOSOPHY: "LIKE FOOD, NATURAL"
The philosophy of Arca Botanica is based on three inseparable pillars:
1️⃣ ORGANIC PLANT INGREDIENTS
Each formulation uses exclusively plant-based ingredients from certified organic farming.
No animal derivatives (100% vegan certified VeganOK), no GMOs, no synthetic substances.
The main ingredients come from:
- Km Zero : local Italian raw materials whenever possible
- Fair Trade : for ingredients that are not grown in Italy (such as Shea Butter, Argan)
This means: ✓ Total transparency on the supply chain
✓ Support for Italian organic farming
✓ Ethics in necessary imports
✓ Zero environmental or social exploitation
2️⃣ CLEAN AND EFFECTIVE RECIPES
"Clean" doesn't mean "ineffective." On the contrary.
Arca Botanica formulations are the result of continuous research to find the perfect balance between:
- Proven dermatological efficacy
- Sensory pleasantness (texture, scent, absorption)
- Purity of ingredients
Each recipe strictly excludes: ❌ Parabens (controversial preservatives)
❌ Silicones (they do not nourish, they occlude)
❌ SLES/SLS (too aggressive surfactants)
❌ EDTA (synthetic chelators)
❌ Petroleum derivatives
❌ Synthetic perfumes (only pure essential oils)
❌ Artificial colors
❌ Palm oil
The fragrances? They come exclusively from high-quality organic essential oils , with real aromatherapy properties.
3️⃣ LOW IMPACT ARTISAN PRODUCTION
Arca Botanica produces by hand in the Padua laboratory .
Not large industrial plants, but artisanal manufacturing that allows:
- Total quality control on each batch
- Fresher production (no months-long stocks)
- Flexibility in formulations
- Full traceability
- Reduction of environmental impact (no overproduction)
The declared objective is a conscious production that respects:
- 🌍 The planet (recyclable packaging, no waste)
- 🤲 People (no animal testing, neither ingredients nor finished products)
- 🌱 Nature (biodiversity conservation)
CERTIFICATIONS: A CONCRETE GUARANTEE
In a sector where anyone can write "natural" or "organic" without constraints, certifications are the only real guarantee .
Arca Botanica boasts:
🌿 ORGANIC COSMETICS CERTIFICATION - Suolo & Salute Institute
Each individual formulation (not just the brand) is certified by the Suolo e Salute Organic Certification Institute of Fano (PU).
This means that every product meets rigorous standards:
- Minimum 95% natural ingredients
- Minimum 10% organic ingredients
- Absolute ban on harmful synthetic substances
- Periodic checks and laboratory analyses
It is the first recognition for organic cosmetics in Italy , a guarantee of seriousness.
✓ VEGANOK CERTIFICATION
The entire Arca Botanica catalogue is VeganOK certified, the European vegan standard that guarantees:
- Zero ingredients of animal origin
- Zero animal testing (neither ingredients nor finished product)
- Zero animal derivatives in the packaging
- Total compliance with the vegan philosophy