Plain-English guide
Do I need a CPSR?
If your product goes on the skin, hair, nails, lips or teeth to clean, scent, protect or care for them, and you sell it or give it away as part of a business in Great Britain, almost certainly yes. It sounds daunting, but it is a normal step for every maker. Check your product in under a minute below.
The quick check
Is my product a cosmetic?
Answer three questions. Most soaps, balms, creams and bath products end up in the green box at the bottom.
The law decides what is a cosmetic by where it goes and what it is for. If it goes on the outside of the body, the teeth or inside the mouth, mainly to clean, perfume, protect, care for, change the look of, or correct body odour, it is a cosmetic.
- Size does not matter. A maker selling ten bars a month needs the same paperwork as a large brand.
- Where you sell does not matter. Online, markets, craft fairs, shops and free samples all count.
- Natural is not exempt. Plant-based and handmade products follow the same rules as everyone else.
A word on claims. Saying a product treats or prevents a condition, such as eczema or acne, can bring it under medicines rules instead. The MHRA (the medicines regulator) looks at the claims, the ingredients and how the product works. A CPSR does not cover medicinal claims.
A CPSR is one part of your product paperwork (the Product Information File), not the whole file. See all five things you need.
Examples
Is it a cosmetic?
Common products from small makers. "It depends" usually means the claims you make, or how it is used, change which rules apply.
If it is a cosmetic
Five things you need before you sell or give away samples
Required by the UK Cosmetics Regulation as it applies in Great Britain. We help with the middle three.
- 1
A UK Responsible Person
The person or company accountable for the product. If you make it and sell it under your brand in the UK, usually you.
Usually you - 2
A signed CPSR
The Cosmetic Product Safety Report: Part A safety information and Part B, signed by a qualified safety assessor.
We do this - 3
SCPN notification
A free online notification to the government on GOV.UK, made before the product goes on sale.
Filed: we do this - 4
A compliant label
Responsible Person name and address, ingredient list, nominal quantity where required, batch number, warnings, function if not obvious, and durability information. Imported products also need country of origin. Some exceptions apply.
You, we review it - 5
A Product Information File
Your CPSR plus product description, manufacturing method, claim evidence and animal testing information. Kept for 10 years after the last batch is placed on the market.
You, our checklist helps
Why it matters
Why you need a CPSR
It is the law
Every cosmetic sold or given away as part of a business in Great Britain needs a safety assessment first. There is no exemption for small or handmade makers.
Shops and insurers ask for it
Shops, online marketplaces and insurers often ask to see your CPSR before they stock or insure your products.
Trading Standards can check
Your local Trading Standards team can ask to see your product paperwork, and can require products that do not meet the rules to be withdrawn or recalled.
Where you sell
Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the EU
Great Britain
England, Scotland and Wales
- UK Cosmetics Regulation
- UK Responsible Person
- Notify on SCPN (GOV.UK, free)
Covered by CPSR Express
Northern Ireland and the EU
Including online orders shipped there
- EU Cosmetics Regulation
- Responsible Person in Northern Ireland or the EU
- Notify on the EU portal (CPNP)
- Extra origin labelling for GB-made goods sold in Northern Ireland
A GB CPSR is not automatically accepted there. Shipping online orders to these places can bring these rules in.
Not covered at launch
Questions
Do I need a CPSR? Common questions
Do I need a CPSR if I only sell at craft fairs or markets?
Yes. The rules apply whenever you supply a cosmetic as part of a business in Great Britain, whether you sell online, at markets or to shops, or give away free samples. There is no exemption for small makers.
Do I need a CPSR for every product?
Every cosmetic product needs a safety assessment, and each different recipe needs its own. Where products share a base and only the fragrance or colour changes, part of the assessment can often be shared, which keeps the cost down.
Can I write my own CPSR?
Part B, the safety assessment and conclusion, must be signed by a qualified safety assessor: usually someone with a qualification in pharmacy, toxicology, medicine or a similar subject. A template on its own is not enough.
Who is the Responsible Person?
The UK-based person or company legally responsible for the product. If you make it in the UK and sell it under your own brand, that is normally you. You can appoint someone else in writing. CPSR Express does not act as a Responsible Person.
What is SCPN?
Submit Cosmetic Product Notifications (SCPN) is the free GOV.UK service used to notify cosmetic products before they are placed on the market in Great Britain. Our Filed package submits it for you, on behalf of your Responsible Person.
What about selling to Northern Ireland or the EU?
Northern Ireland and the EU follow the EU Cosmetics Regulation, with notification on the EU portal (CPNP) and a Responsible Person based in Northern Ireland or the EU. CPSR Express covers Great Britain at launch.
Is a candle or wax melt a cosmetic?
No. Candles, wax melts, reed diffusers and room sprays meant for rooms are not cosmetics. Depending on the product, general product safety rules and chemical hazard (CLP) classification and labelling may apply instead.
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