Cosmetic Products
Cosmetic Product safety Regulations 1996
A Cosmetic product can be defined as any substance that is applied to the external surfaces of the body ( this includes the mouth and teeth), for the purposes of perfuming, protecting ,combating odour, or changing the appearance of, and cleaning
It is the responsibility of the manufacturer or the importer to ensure that the product is safe to be in the shops it is also their duty to ensure that the products are labelled correctly.
It is also the responsibility to make sure that the goods they supply do not cause harm or damage to human health when used in normal conditions
There are ingredients which are prohibited from use
There are ingredients which are permitted in limited amounts
Labelling is required on all cosmetic products.
The following information must be supplied with the product::-
- The name of the manufacturer in UK or EU
- The of the supplier in the UK or EU if the product was made elsewhere
- A best before date containing a month and a year i.e. January 05
- Identifying numbers such as batch coding
- Any restricted ingredient and there amount
- A list of ingredients
- Information regarding the product in relation to animal testing either the product or it’s ingredients
- Any restricted preservatives along with any additional information require by the regs
- The function if not clear from packaging
- Additional precautions and use info such as patch tests
All the above should be displayed in a way that is easily seen. Which can be easily read and is unlikely to be worn away.
Importers and suppliers in the U K should have the products tested by an UKAS accredited test house and keep the records for in easily identifiable files.
Page updated: 28 Feb 2007