Resolving Suspended and Restricted Listings on Amazon’s Beauty Category

2. Resolving Suspended and Restricted Listings on Amazon Beauty Category

3. Cosmetics, Skin and Hair Care are currently restricted products on Amazon Cosmetics are products that are usually rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed onto the body for cleansing, beautifying, or changing the appearance of the body. The cosmetics category includes products like skin creams, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, temporary tattoos, eye and facial makeup, shampoos, hair colors, toothpastes, and deodorants. You must comply with all federal, state, and local laws and Amazon policies applicable to those products and product listings.

4. Reasons Behind Amazon Listing Suspension Common reasons for suppressed listings include: Lack of a main image. Absence of a detailed product description. Title length exceeding the allowed character limit. Undefined product category. ● ● ● ● Common reasons for suspended listings include: Trademark and copyright violations. Selling in restricted product categories. Poor seller performance (Negative reviews and feedback, on-time delivery rate, order defect rate, etc). Use of prohibited claims. ● ● ● ●

5. Compliance Checklist Packaging Cosmetics must be sealed in the original manufacturer’s packaging. Cosmetics must be new and unused. Cosmetics must clearly display identifying codes placed on the packaging by the manufacturer or distributor, such as matrix codes, lot numbers, or serial numbers. ● ● ● Labeling and product detail pages Cosmetics labels and detail pages must be labeled in English with the following information: ○ The name of the product and the ingredient list. ○ The purpose or use of the product (such as cleansing the body, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, moisturizing the skin). ○ The amount of content of the cosmetic, in terms of weight, measure, count or a combination (such as 30 oz, 5 mL, 10 pills, 5 lb). ○ The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor (this is not required on detail pages). ○ Any necessary label warnings. ●

6. Compliance Checklist Labeling and product detail pages Cosmetic labels and detail pages must not: ○ State that the products cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease in humans, unless that statement is approved by the FDA and the product is properly labeled as both a cosmetic and a drug. ○ State that the cosmetics are “FDA approved” if they are not FDA approved ○ Use the FDA logo. ○ State “tester,” “not for retail sale,” or “not intended for resale” as such items may not be sold on Amazon. Products and ingredients ○ Cosmetics must not contain prohibited ingredients (for more information, go to: Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients). ○ Cosmetics must be safe for use and must not be a product that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined presents an unreasonable risk of injury or illness. ○ Cosmetics must not require a prescription or a medical professional's supervision or direction for their use. ○ Cannot contain banned substances or substances the FDA classifies as posing a risk of harm or illness. ● ●

7. Complying with Amazon's Regulations In addition to meeting Amazon's standards, you'll need to ensure that your product and its label comply with regulatory requirements. For beauty products, these include FDA, VCRP registration, and certain state-specific regulations like the California Safe Cosmetics Act. FDA and VCRP Registration For cosmetics, all products need to be registered with the FDA. If you're planning to sell on Amazon's U.S. marketplace, your company and products must be registered with the FDA. If your product is sold in California, you also need to provide a California Safe Cosmetics Reporting certificate. This law requires cosmetics companies to disclose whether their products contain ingredients that are carcinogenic or pose a reproductive hazard.

8. Complying with Amazon's Regulations In addition to meeting Amazon's standards, you'll need to ensure that your product and its label comply with regulatory requirements. For beauty products, these include FDA, VCRP registration, and certain state-specific regulations like the California Safe Cosmetics Act. Over-the-counter (OTC) Drugs The classification of a product as an OTC drug depends on its intended usage. For instance, a facial wash cream with only cleansing properties is considered a cosmetic. However, if it also claims to treat acne, it's classified as an OTC drug and must meet relevant requirements. FDA uses the product's description and ingredients to determine its classification. Cosmetics Label Your product label must comply with the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FLPA) and other applicable regulations. It should include the product description, net content, safe usage instructions, warning, ingredients, manufacturer's name and address, and place of origin.

9. Prevention: The Best Strategy The key to avoiding Amazon listing suspension lies in prevention. Sellers should strive to follow Amazon's policies and regulations from the very beginning. If a listing gets suspended, Amazon will request documentation and a Plan of Action to prevent the issue from recurring in the future. Providing all necessary documents promptly and adhering to Amazon's guidelines can help prevent listing suspension and ensure a smooth selling experience on the platform. For detailed information visit: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/G200164470