🚨 IS YOUR COSMETIC LABEL LEGAL IN THE UK? 🇬🇧
Before you sell, gift, supply or use a cosmetic product professionally, check the label! 👀
A professional-looking label doesn’t necessarily mean a legally compliant label.
Here are the key things you should be looking for 👇
✅ 1. RESPONSIBLE PERSON
The product should clearly state the name and address of the UK Responsible Person.
A PO Box or mail-forwarding address is not sufficient.
🇬🇧 The Responsible Person has important legal responsibilities for the cosmetic product.
✅ 2. PRODUCT FUNCTION
The label needs to make it clear what the product actually is and what it is intended to do — unless this is already obvious from the presentation.
For example:
❌ “Glow”
✅ “Facial Serum”
✅ 3. NOMINAL CONTENT
The amount of product should be stated, such as:
• 30 ml
• 100 ml
• 200 g
There are limited exceptions for very small products and certain single-use/free samples.
✅ 4. BATCH / LOT NUMBER
Your product needs an identification number, such as a batch number.
This is important for traceability and allows a particular batch to be identified if there is ever a safety issue.
✅ 5. DATE / PAO
Check for either:
📅 Best Before / Minimum Durability Date
OR, where the product has a durability of more than 30 months:
🫙 PAO – Period After Opening
For example: 12M
The correct durability information should be based on the product’s safety and stability assessment — don’t simply choose 6M, 12M or 24M because it “looks right”.
✅ 6. INGREDIENT LIST
Look for the word:
INGREDIENTS
followed by the ingredients using the appropriate cosmetic ingredient names.
Ingredients generally need to be listed in the required order, and certain colourants, fragrances, allergens and nanomaterials have additional requirements.
🚨 An ingredient list copied from another product does NOT make your product compliant.
✅ 7. WARNINGS & PRECAUTIONS
Any precautions required for the product must be included.
Examples could include:
• Avoid contact with eyes
• For external use only
• Keep out of reach of children
• Specific professional-use precautions
The correct warnings depend on the formulation and intended use.
✅ 8. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
If the cosmetic product is imported into the UK, the country of origin must be stated.
🇬🇧 A UK-made product does not generally need “Made in UK” simply because it is a cosmetic, but don’t use origin claims that could mislead consumers.
⚠️ AND HERE’S THE IMPORTANT PART…
A label can contain ALL of the above and the product can still be illegal.
Before a cosmetic is placed on the GB market, there are wider requirements including:
📁 Product Information File (PIF)
🧪 Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR)
👩🔬 Appropriate safety assessment
🏭 Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
📲 OPSS cosmetic product notification
🧾 Evidence to support cosmetic claims
⚖️ Compliance with ingredient restrictions
🏷️ Correct labelling and presentation
The Responsible Person is responsible for ensuring these requirements are met. (GOV.UK)
🚨 RED FLAGS WHEN BUYING COSMETICS
Be cautious if you see:
❌ No Responsible Person
❌ No proper address
❌ No batch number
❌ No ingredients
❌ Missing warnings
❌ No quantity
❌ No durability/PAO information where required
❌ Claims that sound medicinal or impossible
Don’t just look at the label — look at the whole compliance picture.
📚 Mia’s Corner Skincare Lab
Helping beauty professionals and cosmetic businesses understand formulation, compliance, labelling, PIFs, CPSRs & cosmetic regulations.
🇬🇧 UK Cosmetic Compliance Matters
Educational information only — always obtain appropriate professional regulatory advice for your individual products.