Do Cosmetics Need Approval in Australia?

July 24, 2023 · News

If you’re considering starting a cosmetics brand, it’s only natural that you would want to know that you have all the required approvals to sell your products in Australia.

When launching a new cosmetic brand, the easiest way to ensure you meet your regulatory compliance obligations is to partner with a reputable manufacturer like Wild Child. We take all the guesswork out of the product development and manufacturing process to ensure your products are safe, compliant and market-ready in the shortest possible time frame.

However, if you still want some more insight into the approval requirements to sell cosmetic products in Australia, here’s some background into what happens behind the scenes.

What Approvals Do You Need to Sell Cosmetics in Australia?

Where there are several regulatory bodies that have some oversight over various areas of the cosmetics industry, the industry as a whole is still largely unregulated. Provided your products don’t contain any prohibited ingredients which pose a health or environmental hazard, there’s no need to seek formal approval to sell your cosmetics.

Having said that, it is still important to ensure your products:

are appropriately labelled, and
live up to any claims you have made through your advertising.

Ensuring Compliance With Labelling Requirements

Your product labelling is possibly the most strictly regulated realm of the cosmetics industry, where you’ll need to ensure your products are fully compliant.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is the regulatory body that’s responsible for establishing the labelling requirements for cosmetic products, which are specified in the Consumer Goods (Cosmetics) Information Standard 2020.

The standard is designed to ensure that all cosmetics sold in Australia appropriately list the ingredients contained in a product to minimise risk to consumers, such as causing allergic reactions or causing harm if the product is ingested.

Some of the key requirements established by the standard include ensuring information about product ingredients is available at the point of sale and listing all ingredients on the product packaging in descending order of their mass or volume.

Where To Begin if You’re Starting a Cosmetics Brand

If you’re starting a cosmetics business in Australia, your first step should be to find a suitable manufacturer.

At Wild Child, we have more than 30 years of experience manufacturing cosmetics for the Australian market and can help you through the product development process. From perfecting your cosmetic product formulations to providing guidance on product packaging and labelling, we make it easy to get your products market-ready in the shortest possible time.

Find out more about our cosmetics manufacturing service or contact us to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, our minimum order quantities (MOQs) are a function of the calibrated weights of our mixing vessel and the capacity of our filling lines. Depending on the unit size of the final product the MOQ will typically be around 10,000 units.

We do not have a product catalogue. Products will be suggested by our Product Development team based on the information you provide through the new product enquiry form.

Yes, with a better understanding of your product requirements we will develop a lab sample(s) for your review and ultimate approval. Depending on level of customisation or development required, this service may incur a fee.

Typically, 12 – 14 weeks from the placement of purchase order and payment of the deposit. Please note, the manufacturing lead time is dependent on the availability of the raw materials and packaging components, which can be confirmed prior to the placement of your order.

No, all our pricing is EX WORKS. Whilst we do not provide freight and distribution services, we can assist with the freight quotation and booking from our Facility.

Upon placement of purchase order, a 50% deposit is required, and balance is due prior to the release of the finished goods.

Yes, we can provide packaging options based on formulation compatibility and compliance standards. Alternatively, clients can provide their own packaging with the understanding that it must be compatible with our equipment and meet compliance standards.