How Can Cosmetics Be Sold on Amazon US

As a leading global e-commerce platform, Amazon offers vast sales opportunities and profit potential for sellers due to its extensive user base. However, certain categories of cosmetics may require relevant product testing reports or registration certificates to be listed on the Amazon platform.

In this article, we outline how cosmetics can qualify for sale on the Amazon platform, including compliance information and documentation requirements. This article primarily targets the U.S. market. If you have requirements for other countries / regions, please contact us. ‍

Introduction of Amazon Cosmetics

Cosmetics are daily chemical products intended to be applied to the body through rubbing, pouring, sprinkling, or spraying to achieve the purposes of cleansing, beautifying, or altering the appearance of the body.

The cosmetics category on the Amazon platform includes a wide variety of products, mainly including skincare creams, perfumes, lipsticks, nail polishes, temporary tattoos, eye and face makeup, shampoos, hair dyes, toothpastes, and deodorants.

Overview of Regulatory Requirements

General requirements

Cosmetics sold on Amazon in the United States must comply with all mandatory FDA regulations, including but not limited to:

• Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA)
• Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA)
• National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards

In addition to federal cosmetic regulations, you may also need to ensure compliance with state regulations, such as the California Safe Cosmetics Act.

Special requirements

Hair care products

Hair care products listed on Amazon are subject to the requirements of the FDCA enforced by the FDA, including ingredient, labeling, and packaging information. Spray products may also need to comply with the National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards, which are part of the Federal Clean Air Act. Hair care products like shampoos, conditioners, or sprays may need to adhere to state regulations such as the California Clean Air Act.

Examples of products in this category: hair sprays, hair dyes, hair waxes, conditioners.

Skin care products

Amazon sets requirements for packaging, labeling, product detail pages, and ingredient disclosure for skin care products listed on Amazon according to the FDCA and other applicable skincare regulations. Additionally, Amazon explicitly prohibits or restricts the sale of certain skincare products containing substances harmful to users' skin, such as mercury-containing products and nail polish products designed for use on the skin.

Examples of products in this category: face masks, eye collagen, facial cleansers.

Children's beauty care products

Children's beauty care products are also subject to the FDCA and any other applicable cosmetic regulations. In general, cosmetics are not covered under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which applies to all products sold in the United States intended for children 12 years or younger. However, CPSIA regulates toys used by children under 12, including cosmetics or similar products.

CPSIA limits the lead content in products to 100 parts per million (ppm) and the lead content in paint and other surface coatings to 90 ppm. These requirements also apply to the packaging and containers of children's cosmetics and other beauty care products, whether or not these products are sold as toys.

Amazon generally requires sellers of children's products to provide the following information:

• ASTM laboratory test reports
• Children's Product Certificate (CPC)
• Copies of tracking labels

Compliance Requirements

Packaging requirements

• Cosmetics must be sealed in the original manufacturer's packaging
• Cosmetics must be brand new and unused
• Cosmetics must clearly display the identification code placed by the manufacturer or distributor on the packaging, such as a matrix code, batch number, or serial number

Label and detail page requirements

Cosmetic labels and detail pages must be in English and include the following information:

• Product name
• Purpose or use of the product (e.g., to cleanse the body, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, moisturize the skin)
• Contents of the cosmetic, indicated by weight, measure, count, or a combination
• List of ingredients, with an image of the ingredient list from the product label included on the detail page
• Name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor (not required on the detail page)
• Any necessary label warnings

Cosmetic labels and detail pages must not contain:

• Claims that the product can cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent human diseases unless such claims have been approved by the FDA and the product is properly labeled as both a cosmetic and a drug
• Indication that the cosmetic is FDA approved if it has not been approved by the FDA
• Use of the FDA logo
• Labels stating "tester," "not for retail sale," or "not intended for resale"

For more information, visit the following FDA resources:

(1) Labeling Requirements

(2) Labeling Claims

(3) FDA Approval

(4) Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both?

Ingredient requirements

• Cosmetics must not have been subject to FDA safety warnings or recalls
• Cosmetics must not be deemed by the FDA to pose unreasonable risks such as causing diseases
• The use of cosmetics must not require a prescription or the supervision or guidance of medical professionals
• Cosmetics must not contain controlled substances
• Cosmetics must not contain prohibited ingredients. List of FDA prohibited and restricted ingredients
• Cosmetics must not contain plastic microbeads
• Cosmetics must comply with Amazon's policies

Prohibited products

Amazon explicitly prohibits the sale of non-compliant cosmetics, including but not limited to the following products:

• Corrective contact lenses and colored contact lenses
• Eyelash growth serums
• Obagi Nu-Derm Sunscreen
• Obagi Nu-Derm Skin Bleaching Cream
• Obagi Nu-Derm Corrective Cream
• Obagi Elastiderm Whitening Complex
• Obagi C-Therapy Night Cream
• Obagi RX System Clarifying Serum
• Minoxidil content above 5%
• Thiacloprid
• Brazilian Blowout Acai Smoothing Conditioner
• Chloroform
• Halogenated salicylanilides
• Dichloromethane
• Vinyl chloride in aerosol products
• Zirconium-containing complexes in aerosol products
• Synthol, Synthrol, or Swethol modeling oils
• Trichloroacetic acid

To determine if a cosmetic contains prohibited ingredients, you can search the LegitScript database.

Document Preparation

Topicals

Amazon has listing restrictions for certain categories of cosmetics, such as "topicals" (products applied to a specific area of the skin), like moisturizers, toners, or nail polish. These products require approval before being sold to ensure they meet safety and quality standards.

Both drugs and cosmetics

If a product meets the definition of a drug (intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease), it is considered both a drug and a cosmetic. Sellers must complete drug registration first.

Document requirements

Amazon requires sellers of topical products on its platform to submit the following documents:

• Invoices issued by the manufacturer within 180 days
• FDA registration certificate (including the manufacturer's name, contact information, and valid registration number)
• Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificate
• Certificate of Analysis (COA)

Laboratory test reports or COAs are necessary to prove the product meets requirements (e.g., restricted substances within permissible limits). Sellers may need to submit products to third-party testing companies (such as Intertek) to obtain laboratory test reports and should not rely on existing reports from suppliers.

• Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Amazon requires a copy of the SDS for products classified as hazardous (containing flammable, combustible, corrosive, or other potentially dangerous substances or materials). The SDS should include the product name, usage instructions, ingredients, potential hazards, toxicological characteristics, disposal instructions, and more.

The following cosmetics and beauty products may be considered hazardous and may require an SDS:

Spray deodorants

• Hair sprays
• Hair dyes
• Perfumes
• Essential oils
• Tanning lotions and sprays
• Depilatory creams and agents
• Shaving creams or foams
• Nail polish

Apply for Approval to Amazon

After preparing the product information, you can submit your product application to the Amazon platform.

• Go to your Seller Central account and click "Add a Product"
• Search for the product you want to sell
• If the search results show that the product is restricted, click "Listing Limitations Apply"
• Continue by clicking "Request Approval" and submitting the FDA registration documents or other required documents

Amazon's specific approval process may vary depending on the product you are trying to sell. If you answer all the questions and provide the materials required by Amazon, you can get approval to sell cosmetics on Amazon.

If you are not approved, you can supplement the documents and try again. In most cases, Amazon Seller Central will respond positively, and you can get approval as long as you can prove that your product is safe.

Proregulations provides Amazon platform cosmetic product consulting and compliance services to cosmetic manufacturers and distributors in the U.S., Europe, and other parts of the world. If you are interested in our services or need more details, please contact us.

Related Service:

US FDA Cosmetics Registration