The cosmetics industry is highly regulated. From ingredients to packaging requirements for shipping, cosmetics manufacturers must stay in compliance to legally provide makeup, skincare, and fragrance to customers.
Are you ready to ship your beauty products? Before you get them ready for the public, make sure your labels and packaging follow FDA regulations.
How do you know if your powder passes packaging requirements? Here’s what you need to know about cosmetic regulations when it comes to packaging your products.
What Is a Cosmetic Product?
If you sell beauty agents that don’t qualify as a “cosmetic,” you don’t have to follow labeling regulations for cosmetics.
But how do you know if the FDA considers your product a cosmetic?
Before you assume your cream or powder is something other than a cosmetic, review the FDA’s guidelines for products that qualify as cosmetics.
If consumers use your products for any of these reasons, you manufacture a cosmetic product:
- Cleansing
- Improving attractiveness
- Changing appearances
Sometimes it’s all about the wording when it comes to classifying a product. If your product makes any of the following claims, the FDA might consider it a “drug” instead of a cosmetic:
- Claims to “treat” an illness or condition
- Can prevent a disease
- Affects how the body works
If the FDA decides you sell a drug, you’ll need to follow different label requirements.
All About the Labels
Do your product packages follow the guidelines for FDA cosmetic labeling? If not, you need to make some adjustments to make your products legal for sale in the U.S.
What, Who, and How Much?
When you’re ready to label your cosmetics, start with the regulations to comply with the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. Each unit of your product must contain the following minimum information:
- A statement that clearly identifies the product (powder, blush, foundation, etc.).
- Your business name and the location of where your manufacturing and packaging takes place. If these are separate locations, list the addresses for both entities.
- A notation of content quantity in terms of weight, measure, or numerical count.
This information helps prevent deception by giving your consumers a clear description of what’s in the container.
How Do You Display?
The most critical information about your product goes on the Principal Display Panel (PDP). This the main panel of your packaging where consumers look for information.
- If your packaging is square or rectangular, the PDP must fill one panel.
- If your package is circular, use 40% of your total package surface area as the PDP.
In addition to the critical information above, the PDP is the best place to list ingredients and any warnings that relate to your product.
Be sure to follow FDA regulations about how to note these required pieces of information. There are guidelines for the minimum letter height compared to the total space available on the PDP.
Packaging Materials Must Protect Your Product
Cosmetics need protection when they travel. Depending on the ingredients you use, heat and other conditions can affect the quality of your product.
Your product packaging must follow FDA cosmetic regulations to keep your cosmetics safe and legal to sell in the U.S. To help you protect your products, use packaging that keeps your cosmetics safe from outside factors, including:
- Mechanical problems that can cause damage to your sealed product
- Biological or chemical agents that can leak into your product and affect your consumer
- Extreme heat or cold that can damage the composition of your cosmetics
- Changes caused by radiation from U.V. light or other sources
- Compression from poor packaging that causes the product to leak from the container
- Human tampering, whether malicious or by accident
You produce your cosmetic products under ideal conditions. When shipping products, design your packaging to help maintain those conditions when cosmetics leave your protected facilities. When damage occurs, you risk harm to your consumers when they use a faulty product.
Layer Your Packaging
For best protection during transport, your cosmetics should have multiple layers of protection when packaged.
- The inner packaging is the container that physically holds your product. Whether it’s a tube, vial, or tub, this container is the permanent piece of package that your consumer keeps until they use all of your product. It should be sturdy and last as long as your product lasts.
- Many cosmetics also ship in a box. This provides additional protection for the permanent container and the product itself. You’ll also see the required labeling on the exterior packaging.
- Overwrap completes your product package. The right overwrap provides a tamper-evident sealed layer of additional protection.
An overwrap is efficient, looks nice, and helps your cosmetics make a professional impression of your product.
Do Your Research
If you’re starting your own makeup line, make sure you research the best packaging for your products. Many times, your cosmetics packaging works together with the product to provide the best results for your consumers.
Make sure your packaging doesn’t hinder the performance of your cosmetic. From the stability of the ingredients to ensuring the product arrives as you created it, don’t settle for the wrong packaging.
Your packaging is a critical part of your cosmetic business! Make the best choices for success.
Cosmetic Regulations Protect Your Products
Don’t think of cosmetic regulations as a barrier to selling your products. Following FDA guidelines to ship your products helps your cosmetic line compete with other products.
The packaging is part of your costs when developing and distributing your products to consumers. However, you don’t have to spend a lot to find the best packaging for your cosmetics.
Sollas provides affordable, quality packaging! We also follow all FDA regulations for cosmetic packaging. We won’t break your budget to make sure your product arrives safely to your consumers. Contact us to find out how we can package your cosmetic products for success!