Should I sell my cosmetics products to Europe or USA first?
Whether you are a start-up company or an established company in your Home Country it comes the moment where you would like to export your products in new markets and increase your brand awareness or simply you want to sell directly in foreign markets. Saying that there is no right time when it comes to Export Cosmetic products, but you should ask yourself: do I have the right financial capabilities to Export and Market my cosmetics abroad? Do I have the budget to face Cosmetic Regulation in each country? Do I have the right Human resources with foreign market knowledge and language skills?
After replying to these simple questions you can better plan if it is worth to start this process of selling abroad and prepare an Export Plan with full details and budget to invest in the project.
Startups VS Established Cosmetic Brands?
Startups advantages:
• they can decide the market they want to sell adapting since the beginning their products formulation and label to the local market regulation
• They can develop custom made product formulation based on the country and type of skin
Downsides:
• no brand recognition means more marketing expenses to promote the brand
• a small budget to export
Established brands advantages:
• They have a brand that sells in their home country and slightly easier to market abroad as there is a history
• They usually have the financial capacity and flexibility to handle an export project development and create new cosmetic lines adaptable to export markets
Downsides:
• Their current cosmetic line maybe is not suitable for export markets, due to clients skin texture, race, and climate conditions
• Adapt the product’s formulation and label to the new market means more costs to produce a brand new line of packaging design and label
Should I start with selling my cosmetics to Europe or USA?
There is no better or worse country or continent to start selling your cosmetics products but in terms of regulation, it is better to pay extra attention to regulation. We put our attention on USA and Europe as they are the most important cosmetics markets together with China.
If you decide to go to Europe first you have to pay attention to the following European cosmetic regulations:
• you have to appoint a Responsible Person in order to sell in Europe
• Your products have to follow mandatory testing required by the European Authorities
• Your products need a Product information file and a Cosmetic Product Safety Report
• Calculate from 6 to 12 month the registration to the CPNP as most of the time the testing phase can take time and maybe you don’t have all the right documents to proceed with the PIF and CPSR
• Label translation in the languages you will sell the products
• Product Registration in Cosmetic Product Notification Portal required
All these tasks on a regulatory point of view can be time-consuming and costly but at least you can sell in all 28 EU countries and selling in the most important and known cosmetic market in the world.
Differently, from Europe, the US FDA does not require to approve cosmetic products
If you decide to go for the USA first you have to pay attention to the following USA cosmetic regulations:
• To Check any prohibited ingredients
• To Check color additives
• To strictly follow label guidelines especially on anti-aging claims where a cosmetic can easily fall into a drug category
• Check if your products don’t fall in the to the OTC category like Sunscreen, Anti-acne etc products, in that case, it is required to follow a Monograph
• For more regarding labeling follow this link https://cosmereg.com/fda-cosmetic-labeling-requirements/
Still Undecided?
If you are unsure about the classification of your product, the regulatory status of ingredients, or the labeling of the product, Cosmereg can assist you to comply with the U.S. FDA laws and European laws.
Cosmereg’s Ingredients & Labeling Review service will help you bring cosmetic products to market in the U.S. safely and quickly.
For more information about FDA regulations, FDA registration, cosmetic labeling & Ingredient Review, Please contact our FDA regulatory consultant or call us +1 646 513 2815 for the U.S. and  +44 20 3318 2439 for Europe.
