Updated February 24, 2023

Amazon previously revealed it has over 100 million Amazon Prime members on its site, representing one of the largest potential markets available. Amazon has made a concerted effort to make cosmetics a larger part of its sales, seeing tremendous growth in the category each of the past three years. However, selling cosmetics on Amazon can often be a confusing experience for new sellers.

Because of the nature of these products and the fact that they come into contact with skin, Amazon takes measures to make sure the health and beauty products on their site adhere to a safe standard for their customers. Some subcategories of the health and beauty section are thus ‘gated’ by verification steps to make sure products adhere to Amazon’s standards, which can include proof of a valid U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registration.

One of the most frequently asked questions Registrar Corp receives is how to become eligible to sell cosmetics on Amazon. Here is a brief overview of the potential requirements and how FDA cosmetics registration impacts your ability to sell.

What Amazon Requires

Amazon ‘gates’ certain subcategories of cosmetics, such as ‘topicals’, which includes anything put on the skin (lotion, nail polish, etc). In order to remove these ‘gates’ Amazon requires additional levels of verification of the products to be sold. According to a seller forum, Amazon requires that if you are re-selling or distributing topical products, you must supply an invoice directly from the manufacturer that is dated within the last 180 days.

In addition to the invoice, Amazon requests one of three things:

• Proof of FDA Cosmetics Registration- must include the manufacturer’s name, contact information, and valid registration number
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Certificate- proof that the manufacturer is making their products in a safe and consistent manner
• Certificate of Analysis (COA)- Proof that the product has been tested for safety and ingredients

According to seller forums, the most likely method of success is providing proof of a valid FDA registration for the manufacturer or packager of the product.

FDA Cosmetics Registration 

FDA does not currently require cosmetic manufacturers to register their facilities, but offers registration through their Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP). However, with the recent passage of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), FDA registration will be mandatory for owners and operators of facilities that manufacture or process cosmetic products for U.S. Facilities will also need to renew their FDA registration every two years.

Existing cosmetic facilities will have one year from the date of MoCRA’s enactment to register with FDA. New facilities that manufacture or process cosmetic products for distribution in the U.S. after the enactment date must register within 60 days of marketing a product or 60 days after the deadline for registration, whichever is later.  

The Future of Cosmetic Regulations

With MoCRA’s requirements still in the works, Amazon is simply ahead of the curve by requiring stringent verifications now. As more and more cosmetic products are imported and the industry grows larger, consumers and regulators alike feel there needs to be more consistency and reliability in what they are buying.