Australian Cosmetics Manufacturers: Everything You Need To Know

When opting for a new cosmetic manufacturer, it's essential to know everything about that country's manufacturing regulations and processes.

This guide will discuss the Australian cosmetic manufacturing industry, giving you everything you need to know before opting for an Australian-owned manufacturing company.

Don't miss out on this vital information - it will help you to understand the quality assurance, standards, and regulations you can expect from an Australian cosmetic manufacturing company.

Cosmetics Regulations In Australia - Everything To Know

Each country has a unique set of regulations and standards that manufacturers must meet when producing cosmetics.

To understand how cosmetic regulations work in Australia, you must know which products are considered cosmetics. Here are some of the products Australia defines as cosmetic products:

• Cosmetics in Australia are products that provide surface-level benefits in hair care, skin care, and personal care. Cosmetic products are products that improve the appearance and smell of the consumer.
• Cosmetics in Australia aren't therapeutic goods that aid the body's functions or provide treatment for specific ailments. Sunscreens are also not considered to be cosmetics in Australia.

Basic Regulations

Now that you know what constitutes a cosmetic product in Australia let's discuss which basic regulations are in place to ensure the safety of those products.

• No license required - to start manufacturing cosmetics in Australia, you do not need a manufacturing license.
• GMP - although this is not a mandatory requirement, cosmetic manufacturers are expected to comply with GMP (good manufacturing practice). GMP dictates that you should sanitise the facility regularly, air quality control and water quality monitoring, and the facility should be temperature controlled and dust-free.
• No government safety assessments - before selling your products to customers, Australia does not require you to send your product to the government for external evaluations.
• British pharmacopeia - rather than having its pharmacopeia, Australia refers to the British pharmacopeia, which informs the necessary testing processes and guidelines for safe and quality products in the beauty industry.
• No label regulations - no checklist dictates that you must always include components and ingredients on Australian cosmetics labels.
• Self-regulated style - although there is no official enforcement of Australian cosmetics, there are still regulations. Australian cosmetic manufacturers are expected to take a self-regulated approach to the manufacturing process.

Chemical Regulations

Cosmetic manufacturing chemical regulations in Australia are enforced by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNA). The NICNA must ensure that the chemicals used in cosmetics products are in line with the regulations set out in the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS).

To ensure that you comply with the regulations enforced by NICNA, you should be aware of the following things:

• If you plan to import or manufacture new chemicals, you must register with the NICNA.
• You must notify NICNA if the following things are true about your manufacturing chemicals:
• The chemical is not listed in the AICS.
• You plan to alter the chemicals listed in the AICS.
• The chemical is not listed as 'naturally occurring' with NICNA.
• You need an understanding of which chemicals the documents list as 'naturally occurring' - this will be beneficial if you're looking to manufacture natural cosmetics.

If your chemical does not comply with NICNA's definition of natural products or isn't an AICS-approved chemical, you need to register with NICNA.

Poisons Scheduling

In addition to checking the chemical regulations in Australia, you need to know if the chemicals you plan to use are in Schedule 5 or 6 of the Poison Standard in Australia. If your chemicals are in Schedules 5 or 6 or match the criteria, you may need to include warnings on your cosmetic produce labels. For instance, an aerosol hair care product may require an explosive hazard warning on the label.

Safety, Claims, And Labelling Obligations

The ACCC, or Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, has regulations to ensure your products comply with fair-trade and consumer-protection laws.

Some of the most notable considerations laid out by the ACCC include:

• Your product must hold up to the claims on the label - so if you make any claims about the product's quality or directions for use, these claims must be valid. So, if you claim your products are natural organic beauty cosmetics, you must ensure this is true when sourcing your raw materials for contract manufacturing.
• The claims you make about your product's ingredients must be valid - you cannot mislead or deceive customers about the ingredients in your product when labeling your products.
• You must accurately present what your product does on the label.
• You should refer to the mandatory product recall and reporting processes if you receive negative feedback about your products.

Why Manufacture In Australia?

So, why should you choose an Australian manufacturer for formulating, packaging, and manufacturing your products? Here are some of the best reasons for opting for an Australian cosmetics manufacturer.

• Quality products due to quality control - Australian manufacturers, implement excellent quality control for their products with sophisticated computer systems that make auditing, traceability, and quality control more straightforward and streamlined.
• Competitive and consistent pricing - when packaging your body care, colour cosmetics, and skincare products, you'll find that Australian manufacturers can compete with countries where manufacturing is considered cheaper, such as China. This is because Australian manufacturers use injection moulding.
• Intellectual property protection - many companies find that they struggle to create innovation with manufacturers in countries like China, where there is no intellectual property protection. The lack of security means that product designs travel between manufacturers, and your products won't be unique. With Australian manufacturing services, you can guarantee that your clients will get an original creation.

Summary

Formulating a product requires choosing a manufacturer and a location for your product's development. While selecting a manufacturer with extensive experience is essential, you must also ensure that the country regulates the services with standards and quality control. You can use the information in this article to determine whether Australia's cosmetic manufacturers are suitable for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions people usually ask about Australian manufacturing.

Does Australia Have Regulations For Cosmetic Manufacturers?

Australia has regulations for cosmetic manufacturers that ensure products comply with claims made in the labelling. Some rules provide only approved and safe chemicals used in the products. There is a self-regulated approach to cosmetics manufacturing in Australia.

Should You Manufacture Cosmetics In Australia?

Manufacturing your cosmetics in Australia ensures you get competitive pricing and quality-controlled products. Although countries like China are generally considered cheaper for manufacturing, Australia's manufacturing costs are competitively priced.

Does Australia Offer Intellectual Property Protection?

Unlike other countries, Australia ensures that your products are protected from an intellectual property standpoint. You gain assurance that your manufacturer will not share the designs for your products with another manufacturer.