February 13, 2026

Selling cosmetics on Amazon US offers significant commercial opportunity but it also places brands under strict FDA cosmetic regulations, Amazon compliance policies, labeling rules, ingredient safety standards, and documentation requirements.

Whether you are a cosmetic manufacturer, private label brand, importer, or distributor, regulatory compliance is essential to avoid listing removal, account suspension, product recalls, or legal action.

This guide from Maven Regulatory Solutions explains the regulatory, safety, labeling, ingredient, and documentation framework required to sell cosmetics in the U.S. marketplace through Amazon.

1. What Qualifies as a Cosmetic in the United States?

Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), cosmetics are products intended to be applied to the human body for:

  • Cleansing
  • Beautifying
  • Promoting attractiveness
  • Altering appearance

Examples include:

Category

Products

Skin Care

Creams, lotions, cleansers, face masks

Hair Care

Shampoos, conditioners, sprays, dyes

Fragrance

Perfumes, body sprays

Makeup

Lipsticks, foundations, eye cosmetics

Personal Care

Deodorants, nail polish

 If a product claims to treat disease or affect body structure/function, it becomes a drug and must meet drug regulations.

2. Core U.S. Regulatory Framework

Cosmetics sold on Amazon US must comply with:

Regulation

Requirement

FD&C Act

Safety, labelling, prohibited claims

MoCRA (Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act)

Facility registration, product listing, adverse event reporting

Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA)

Child-resistant packaging where required

VOC Emission Standards

Applies to sprays/aerosols

California Safe Cosmetics Act

Ingredient disclosure obligations

3. Ingredient Compliance Requirements

Cosmetics must:

  • Avoid FDA-prohibited ingredients
  • Not contain controlled substances
  • Not including plastic microbeads
  • Not be under FDA recall or warning
  • Be safe for intended use

Examples of restricted/prohibited substances

Ingredient Type

Risk

Mercury compounds

Toxicity

Chloroform

Carcinogenic

Halogenated salicylamides

Skin toxicity

Excess minoxidil

Drug classification

4. Amazon-Specific Packaging & Labeling Rules

Amazon enforces additional compliance checks.

Packaging Requirements

  • Original manufacturer seal
  • New and unused condition
  • Batch/lot/serial identification
  • Tamper-evident packaging

Label Must Include

  • Product identity
  • Net contents
  • Ingredient list (INCI format)
  • Manufacturer/distributor name & address
  • Warnings

Label Must NOT Include

  • FDA Approved
  • Disease treatment claims
  • FDA logo
  • Tester / Not for resale

5. Special Category Requirements

Hair Care Products

May be subject to VOC rules and aerosol regulations.

Skin Care / Topicals

Often require additional documentation and testing.

Children’s Cosmetics

May trigger CPSIA lead content limits and ASTM testing.

6. Required Documentation for Amazon Approval

Document

Purpose

FDA Facility Registration

MoCRA requirement

Product Listing

Cosmetic product notification

GMP Certificate

Manufacturing quality assurance

COA / Lab Reports

Ingredient safety verification

SDS

Hazard classification

Recent Manufacturer Invoices

Authenticity

7. Hazardous Cosmetic Products

SDS may be required for:

  • Aerosol sprays
  • Perfumes
  • Hair dyes
  • Nail polish
  • Essential oils

8. Amazon Restricted or Prohibited Cosmetics

Amazon prohibits products containing certain high-risk ingredients, drug-like substances, or unapproved actives.

9. Steps to Obtain Amazon Approval

  1. Prepare regulatory documents
  2. Verify labeling compliance
  3. Upload to Seller Central
  4. Submit “Request Approval”
  5. Respond to Amazon compliance review

10. 2026 Compliance Trends

  • Increased MoCRA enforcement
  • Ingredient transparency requirements
  • Supply chain traceability
  • Digital compliance audits
  • AI-driven marketplace monitoring

How Maven Regulatory Solutions Supports Cosmetic Brands

  • FDA cosmetic compliance strategy
  • MoCRA facility & product registration
  • Ingredient safety review
  • Label compliance assessment
  • Amazon approval documentation
  • SDS and laboratory testing coordination

FAQ

Are cosmetics FDA approved?
No except for color additives.

Do I need GMP?
Strongly recommended and often required by Amazon.

What if my product makes anti-acne claims?
It becomes an OTC drug.