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Products the mandatory standard applies to
Under the mandatory standard, cosmetic products are substances or preparations intended for placement in contact with any external part of the body, including the mouth and teeth, for:
- altering the odours of the body
- changing the appearance of the body
- cleansing the body
- maintaining the body in good condition
- perfuming the body
- protecting the body.
Products the mandatory standard does not apply to
The following goods are excluded from the mandatory standard:
- therapeutic goods within the meaning of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989
- hand sanitisers that are excluded goods under the Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods—Hand Sanitisers) Determination 2020
- cosmetics manufactured in Australia for export
- free samples of cosmetic products
- testers of a cosmetic product.
View further information on the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) website about the regulation of sunscreens and other goods excluded by the TGA.
Complying with the mandatory standard
This information is an overview of how to comply with the mandatory standard. Suppliers must not rely on this information as a complete guide to compliance.
View the full detail of the mandatory standard.
Providing information about the ingredients contained in cosmetics products:
- reduces the risk of consumers exposing themselves to ingredients causing allergic reactions and irritation
- helps consumers choose effective hand sanitisers
- reduces the risk of product harm, including swallowing by children.
Labelling for all cosmetics
Product ingredient information should be available to consumers at the point of sale.
The listing of product ingredients must be on the container. If the product isn’t in a container, the ingredients list must be on the product.
Where the container or the product is of a size, shape or nature that prevents ingredient labelling by the above methods, the information should be prominently displayed alongside cosmetic products to inform consumers.
When listing ingredients, the ingredients need to appear in descending order calculated by either mass or volume.
Or, the mandatory standard allows for the listing of ingredients in the following way:
- ingredients (except colour additives) in concentrations of 1% or more in descending order by volume or mass
- followed by ingredients (except for colour additives) in concentrations of less than 1% in any order
- followed by colour additives in any order.
The mandatory standard does not require listing of the quantity or percentage of each ingredient, except for alcohol in hand sanitiser.
Extra labelling for hand sanitiser
Hand sanitiser with alcohol as the primary active ingredient must display the following information on the product container:
- the amount of alcohol contained in the product, shown as a percentage (%) by volume per volume (v/v). Show this in the list of ingredients or elsewhere on the container
- the following warnings, with these or similar words, or pictograms:
- Keep out of reach of children.
- For external use only.
- If ingested, seek immediate medical attention.
- Flammable – keep away from fire and heat.
- Discontinue use if skin irritation occurs.
Mandatory standard details
The Consumer Goods (Cosmetics) Information Standard 2020 sets out the mandatory requirements for cosmetics ingredients labelling.
The accompanying Explanatory Statement has further information.
When a product does not comply
Fines and penalties may apply for failure to comply with a mandatory safety or information standard. For more information, see fines and penalties.
Suppliers may need to recall a product when it doesn't meet the mandatory standard or is potentially unsafe.
