Guide to U.S. Import Requirements for Cosmetics and Other Personal Care Products

Details

Overview

Cosmetics and other personal care products that are destined for importation into the United States and for marketing to U.S. consumers are governed by a complex body of federal laws and regulations. These laws and regulations establish requirements that pertain to product manufacturing practices, product and ingredient safety, product labeling, marketing claims, and product importation procedures, among other matters. Several federal agencies work together to coordinate regulatory and enforcement activities: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This guide includes:

• An overview of the federal agencies, laws, and procedures that are involved in regulating the importation of cosmetics and other personal care products into the United States;
• A summary of the FDA requirements that pertain to product manufacturing practices, product and ingredient safety, product labeling, and marketing claims for imported cosmetics and other personal care products;
• An overview of key FTC requirements that govern marketing claims for imported cosmetics and other personal care products;
• An overview of USDA requirements concerning organic cosmetics;
• A summary of CBP regulations and import procedures and how they apply to imported cosmetics and other personal care products; and
• An overview of enforcement remedies that are available to CBP and FDA with respect to imported cosmetics and other personal care products.