Appropriate, accurate, and informative labels are important for a variety of industries; however, for health and beauty products, labels take on more significance as they are regulated at the federal level. In order to follow legal regulations and ensure consumer safety, all health and beauty product labels must meet certain standards (format, contain specific information, etc.). Below you will find some important information regarding health and beauty product labels.
To start, it is important to delineate between “healthcare” products and “health and beauty” products. The term healthcare refers to treatment provided through medical services – treatment at a hospital, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medications. This is a nebulous term that can mean different things to different people. The types of products related to these treatments are regulated in a different manner from health and beauty products. For example, the ingredients used in cosmetics don’t have to be approved by the FDA; however, the drugs used in medicine do have to be approved. Nevertheless, there is some commonality – in both cases, consumer safety is a primary focus – this is exactly why the product labels in this industry are so very important. Next, we will examine the FDA regulations for health and beauty product labels.
FDA Regulations For Cosmetic Labels
Beauty products generally referred to as cosmetics, provide us with an example of the aforementioned label requirements. According to the FDA,
“The cosmetics marketed in the United States, whether they are manufactured here or are imported from abroad, must comply with the labeling requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, the Fair Packaging and Labeling (FP&L) Act, and the regulations published by the Food and Drug Administration under the Authority of these two laws.
The FD&C Act was enacted by Congress to protect consumers from unsafe or deceptively labeled or packaged products by prohibiting the movement in interstate commerce of adulterated or misbranded food, drug devices and cosmetics.
The FP&L Act was passed by Congress to ensure that packages and their labels provide consumers with accurate information about the quantity of contents and facilitate value comparisons”
Visit FDA Cosmetic Regulations, HERE
Basic FDA Requirements For Cosmetic Labels.
1. Information – for cosmetic product labels, there are some standard pieces of information that are necessary, which include:
- Name of Product
- Identity (common, usual, or descriptive name of the product)
- Net Quantity of contents
- Directions for safe use
- Warnings
- Name and place of business
- Ingredient Declaration
- Any other required information
2. Format/Size – Labels must be large enough to provide enough space to display all of the required information. The font must be large enough, and in a style, that makes it easily readable for ordinary people. The required information cannot be obscured by graphic designs or other features on the label. Elsewhere, all information required by law must be printed in English.
What A Cosmetic Label Can’t Be
- Misbranded – a label is considered misbranded if the label contains false information if the required information is not displayed, and if the information required is not stated prominently and easily understood by consumers
- Misleading – a label is considered misleading if statements are deceptive and/or if a relevant “material” facts are not provided.
It is extremely important that you make sure the information you intend to provide on your product labels adhere to the legal standards provided by the FDA. Further information regarding the label requirements/regulations can be found, HERE.
Quality Control/Compliance
The first step in quality control is making sure your health and beauty product labels are compliant with the previously mentioned FDA regulations. This is a responsibility of the product manufacturer. Label information, designs, and format should be reviewed before being submitted for print.
The second step in quality control for health and beauty product labels is making sure the label information is clearly printed and can last the entire lifespan of your product. At Unique Printing & Labels, we have the experience and expertise to make sure your label information is legible and durable. We understand how important it is to maintain label integrity throughout the lifespan of health and beauty products.
Whether you are selling beard wax, mascara or all-natural skin care products, our team has the skills and experience to help you create healthy, beautiful product labels.
If you have any questions about health and beauty product labels, please feel free to call us at 855.807.4938 or fill out the form below!