Selling Cosmetic Products in the United States on Amazon

To sell cosmetics online, it's essential to ensure compliance with the FDA: at ExportUSA, we offer this service

When discussing cosmetic products, we must consider both the commercial aspect (how to market and distribute them in the USA) and compliance with FDA regulations for importing and selling in the American market.

Amazon does not allow the sale of cosmetic products that are not FDA-compliant for sale in America. The import and sale of cosmetic products in the United States are regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the government agency that sets specific rules regarding labeling, ingredient admissibility, and production process safety. While food products, wine, and dietary supplements require FDA registration and obtaining an FDA number, cosmetic products do not, as registration with the FDA is discretionary.

Note: From December 29, 2023, FDA regulations for importing and selling cosmetic products in the American market will change following the entry into force of the MOCRA - Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act.

At ExportUSA, we offer services to ensure that cosmetic product labels comply with U.S. laws for importing and distributing cosmetics in the United States, specifically:

• Title 21--Food and Drugs
• Chapter I--Food and Drug Administration
• Department of Health and Human Services
• Subchapter G--Cosmetics
• Part 701--Cosmetic Labeling

Proposition 65 for Selling in California

A law in effect in the State of California requires companies to indicate on labels the potential for significant exposure to chemicals contained in products that may cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. In this regard, we verify if any of the ingredients in your products are listed under Proposition 65.

Complete Label Review (External and Internal Containers)

Cosmetics sold in the United States, regardless of whether they are manufactured in the USA or imported from abroad, must comply with the labeling requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C), the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FP&L), and the regulations published by the FDA under the authority of these two laws. At ExportUSA, we ensure that your product labels comply with current regulations, that claims are appropriate for the cosmetic category, that there are no errors on the labels, and that claims are not misleading.

Ingredient Admissibility Check

Regarding ingredients, we can perform an admissibility analysis on all the ingredients listed in your products, so that at the end of the verification, you can be confident that all ingredients are allowed in the United States.

Review of English Translations - If Necessary

Graphic Design Services - If Necessary

Selling Cosmetics on Amazon

Opening a Store on Amazon.com is a Strategic Choice to Gain Recognition in the American Market

Once the necessary product compliance checks are completed, you can open a store on Amazon.com. Selling on Amazon in the United States is one of the best strategic decisions to start gaining recognition among American consumers. It's a simple way to interact with customers, request opinions and feedback on your products, offer promotions, and connect them with your brand. By opening an Amazon store and listing your products, you demonstrate to American customers that your brand is well-structured and worthy of their initial purchase.

The Amazon Store setup service includes all the following activities:

• Assessment of which account to open: Individual Seller or Professional Seller;
• Evaluation of how to set up logistics, both FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) and FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon);
• Simulation of revenues and costs for each logistical approach;
• Selection of product category/categories and information on related referral fees;
• Definition of prices and margins, impact of Amazon fees on profitability;
• Account opening and compliance with all Amazon requirements (e.g., sales tax and submission of required documentation);
• Uploading all necessary resources and information for each product in the store;
• Product segmentation into different categories to maximize relevance on the platform;
• Training on store management and guidance on the first shipment.

To get started, we need:

• Information and documents for store activation;
• Several images for each product;
• A detailed description of each product.

After the setup and training phase, we transfer the management of the Amazon store for the USA to you.