Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care

Important: If you supply products for sale on Amazon, you must comply with all federal, state, and local laws and Amazon policies applicable to those products and product listings.

Cosmetics are products that are usually rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed onto the body for cleansing, beautifying, or changing the appearance of the body. Cosmetics are products like skin creams, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial makeup, shampoos, hair colors, toothpastes, and deodorants.

Cosmetics and skin or hair care products must be correctly described and labeled, and they must not be otherwise prohibited by Amazon policies. Please use the checklist below to be sure your product can be sold on Amazon.

Compliance Checklist

Packaging

Cosmetics must be sealed in the original manufacturer’s packaging
Cosmetics must be new and unused
Cosmetics must clearly display identifying codes placed on the packaging by the manufacturer or distributor, such as matrix codes, lot numbers, or serial numbers

Labeling

Cosmetics must be labeled in English with the following information:
1. The name of the product
2. The purpose or use of the product (e.g. cleansing the body, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, moisturizing the skin)
3. The amount of content of the cosmetic, in terms of weight, measure, count or a combination (e.g. 30 oz, 5 mL, 10 pills, 5 lbs)
4. The ingredient list
5. The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor
6. Any necessary label warnings
Cosmetic labels must not state that the products cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease in humans, unless that statement is approved by the FDA
Cosmetic labels must not state that the cosmetics are “FDA approved” if they are not FDA approved
Cosmetic labels must not use the FDA logo
Cosmetic labels should not state “tester,” “not for retail sale,” or “not intended for resale” as such items may not be sold on Amazon

For more information, see the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's resources Summary of Labeling Requirements and Is It Really 'FDA Approved?'.

Detail page

Detail pages must include the following information:
1. The name of the product
2. The purpose or use of the product (e.g. cleansing the body, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, moisturizing the skin)
3. The ingredient list, including an image of the ingredient list from the product label
4. Any necessary label warnings
Detail pages must not state that the products cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease in humans, unless that statement is approved by the FDA
Detail pages must not state that the cosmetics are “FDA approved” if they are not FDA approved
Images associated with detail pages must not include the FDA logo

For more information, see the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's resources Summary of Labeling Requirements and Is It Really 'FDA Approved?'.

Products and ingredients

Cosmetics must not be named in an FDA recall or safety alert (for more information, see: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts)
Cosmetics must not contain prohibited ingredients (for more information, see: Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients)
Cosmetics must be safe for use and must not be a product that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined presents an unreasonable risk of injury or illness, such as:
1. Products that contain methylene glycol, which, when heated, release formaldehyde into the air (for more information, see: Hair-Smoothing Products That Release Formaldehyde When Heated)
2. Eyelash and eyebrow permanent dye (for more information, see: Use Eye Cosmetics Safely)
3. Eye makeup containing Kohl, Kajal, Al-Kahal, or Surma (for more information, see Use Eye Cosmetics Safely)
4. Skin creams containing mercury (for more information, see: Mercury Poisoning Linked to Skin Products)
5. Henna products designed or marketed for body-decorating or any other variation of direct skin application (for more information, see: Cosmetics Safety Q&A: Tattoos and Permanent Makeup)
Cosmetics must not require a prescription or a medical professional's supervision or direction for their use
Cosmetics must not contain controlled substances, such as:
1. Anything listed in Schedules I, II, III, IV or V of the Controlled Substances Act (for more information, see: Schedules of Controlled Substances)
2. "List I" chemicals or their derivatives as designated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) (for more information, see: List I and List II Chemicals)
Cosmetics must not contain plastic microbeads (for more information, see: The Microbead-Free Waters Act: FAQs)
In order to be sold into California and New York, antiperspirants, deodorants, and hairsprays must not contain toxic air contaminants (for more information, see California Air Resources Board Consumer Products Enforcement and New York Department of Environmental Conservation)
Cosmetics must comply with Amazon policies, including:
1. Cosmetics that contain ingredients derived from sharks, whales, dolphins, or porpoises are prohibited from sale
2. Cosmetics that contain more than 12% hydrogen peroxide are prohibited from sale
3. Cosmetics that contain acetone, such as nail polish remover, cannot be sold in volumes more than 16 oz in total
4. InStyler rotating irons are prohibited from sale
5. Claire’s brand cosmetics are prohibited from sale

Known prohibited products

Amazon specifically prohibits the following cosmetic products. These products are prohibited because they do not meet the checklist requirements. This list does not include all cosmetic products prohibited by Amazon.