UK Cosmetic Product Safety: Labels and Symbols Explained

What counts as a cosmetic product

UK law treats a wide range of everyday items as cosmetic products: bath and shower products, deodorants and anti-perspirants, hairdressing products (other than hair extensions), lipsticks and nail varnishes, make-up, perfumes, shampoos and conditioners, shaving products (other than razors), skin-creams and skin-whiteners, soaps, suncreams and tanning products, and toothpastes. All of them must be safe, whether they are sold, given away, or used by a professional or the public, and what they contain is tightly regulated. Some substances are banned outright and others are restricted to specific concentrations or uses. Before a new product can be made available, a qualified safety assessor must confirm it is safe, and if it is sold to consumers in Great Britain it must also be notified to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).

The Responsible Person requirement

Every cosmetic product sold to consumers in Great Britain must have a named "Responsible Person" with a UK or EU address. This is usually the manufacturer, importer or distributor, though it can be an individual. The Responsible Person carries the legal duty to ensure the product meets safety and labelling obligations, and is the point of contact if a regulator or a consumer raises a concern. A product with no named Responsible Person, or only a mail-forwarding or PO Box address, is a signal to be cautious rather than a technicality to overlook.

What must appear on the label

Packaging must show, or say, what a cosmetic product does, along with a set of mandatory details: any precautions for use, the weight or volume (unless it is under 5g or 5ml), the name and address of the Responsible Person, an identification or batch number, a use-by date (with limited exceptions such as single-application packs), the country of origin where the product is imported into the UK, and a list of ingredients, which may appear on the packaging itself or, where space is limited, on an accompanying leaflet. All of this information must be in English and easy to read, since the ingredients list is what allows people with known allergies to check what they are applying.

Reading the three cosmetic symbols

Source: Office for Product Safety and Standards, GOV.UK. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cosmetic packaging in the UK may carry up to three standard symbols. The first shows that further customer information is enclosed with, or attached to, the product. The second marks a "best before" date, after which the product may no longer be safe to use. The third is a "period after opening" symbol, showing in months or years how long the product remains safe to use once it has been opened. None of the three is decorative: each corresponds to a specific safety obligation the Responsible Person must meet.

Checklist: signs a product might not be safe

• The purpose of the product is not clear from the packaging.
• Product information is missing or minimal.
• Product information is not in English, or is poorly written.
• There is no named Responsible Person.
• There is no UK or EU address, or only a mail-forwarding or PO Box address is given.
• The product is marked "professional use only" but is being sold to consumers.

OPSS singles out skin-whiteners and black-spot treatments for particular caution, since these categories recur most often in the UK list of product safety reports, recalls and alerts for containing banned substances. It is also worth storing cosmetic products out of reach of children, and checking that packaging cannot be mistaken for food.

New OPSS data and the parliamentary inquiry

OPSS published new data on 17 July 2026 from the Submit a Cosmetic Products Notification system (SCPN), the mechanism businesses use to notify the Secretary of State before placing a cosmetic product on the Great Britain market. As of 28 May 2026, the system had recorded 861,686 notifications from 24,112 registered Responsible Persons since it launched in December 2020, when it replaced the EU's Cosmetics Products Notification Portal (CPNP) for the GB market. Businesses placing cosmetics on the market in Northern Ireland continue to notify the CPNP instead, via a Responsible Person based in Northern Ireland or the EEA.

The data release follows a Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee inquiry into the safety and regulation of beauty and cosmetic products, including hair relaxers and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. OPSS deputy chief executive Sarah Smith gave evidence to the Committee on 3 June, alongside the Department for Business and Trade's Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Safety, Kate Dearden MP. OPSS notes it has previously taken enforcement action where SCPN notifications revealed banned chemicals, requiring businesses to correct their information or withdraw the product.

What to do if you're concerned about a product

The UK list of product safety reports, recalls and alerts is the primary place to check whether a specific product has already been flagged, and where to report a new concern. Anyone buying skin-whiteners, black-spot treatments, or any cosmetic product missing the basic label information set out above should treat that as a reason to pause before buying, not after.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cosmetic product under UK law?

It is any product applied to the skin, hair, lips, teeth or nails to clean, perfume, protect or care for the body, including everyday items such as soap, shampoo, make-up, suncream and toothpaste. All must be assessed as safe and, if sold to consumers in Great Britain, notified to the Office for Product Safety and Standards.

Who is the Responsible Person for a cosmetic product?

A named business or individual with a UK or EU address who is legally accountable for the product meeting safety and labelling obligations. Every cosmetic sold to consumers in Great Britain must have one, and its absence is a warning sign.

What do the symbols on cosmetic packaging mean?

Up to three symbols may appear: enclosed customer information, a best-before date after which the product may not be safe, and a period-after-opening date showing how long it stays safe once opened.

How many cosmetic products have been notified in the UK?

As of 28 May 2026, 861,686 notifications had been made to the Submit a Cosmetic Products Notification system by 24,112 registered Responsible Persons since it launched in December 2020.

What should I do if I think a cosmetic product is unsafe?

Check the UK list of product safety reports, recalls and alerts, which is also where new concerns can be reported. Products missing a named Responsible Person, a UK or EU address, or basic label information warrant particular caution.