Industry

Frequently requested resources for cosmetics manufacturers, packers, and distributors, large and small, are listed on this page.

• What the Law Says About Cosmetics: Overviews
• Laws and Regulations: The Authoritative Sources
• Labeling
• Quick Reference for Frequently Requested Topics
• Guidance Documents
• Additional Online Resources from Outside of FDA

What the Law Says About Cosmetics: Overviews

• FDA Authority Over Cosmetics
• Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?)
• Key Legal Concepts: "Interstate Commerce," "Adulterated," and "Misbranded" 
• Current Issues in the Safety &  Labeling of Cosmetics: Video

Laws and Regulations: The Authoritative Sources

• Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act)
• Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA)
• Regulations Related to Cosmetics 

Labeling

• Labeling: An overview of cosmetic labeling requirements
• Labeling Guide: The "How To" guide for cosmetic labeling: Answers to your labeling questions, with examples
• Labeling Regulations: Links to the labeling regulations themselves

Quick Reference for Frequently Requested Topics

• Color Additives and Cosmetics (Overview)
• Color Additives Permitted for Use in Cosmetics (Table)
• "Cosmeceutical"
• Diethanolamine and Cosmetic Products
• 1,4-Dioxane
• GMP Guidelines/Inspection Checklist
• Imports & Exports
• Ingredients Prohibited or Restricted by FDA Regulations
• Inspection of Cosmetics (Overview)
• Microbiological Methods for Cosmetics (from the Bacteriological Analytical Manual)
• Product Testing (Safety Substantiation)
• Recall Policy for Cosmetics
• Registration: The Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program
• Shelf Life-Expiration Dating
• Soap: Information for Soap Makers

Guidance Documents 

• Guidance for Industry: Cosmetics Processors and Transporters Cosmetics Security Preventive Measures Guidance, November 2003
• Guidance for Industry: Labeling for Topically Applied Cosmetic Products Containing Alpha Hydroxy Acids as Ingredients, January 10, 2005 
• Draft Guidance for Industry: Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products, April 2012
• Draft Guidance for Industry: Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practices, June 2013

Additional Online Resources from Outside of FDA

• Other Government Agencies You May Need to Know About
• Trade and Professional Associations
• Trade Publication Listings