Cosmetics Resources from Other Government Agencies

Cosmetics manufacturers and distributors may need to work with government agencies other than FDA. Here is a list of agencies you may need to know about, and why:

• Consumer Product Safety Commission, for consumer products not regulated by FDA, such as toys, household chemicals, and air fresheners, or, for example, if your product requires child-resistant packaging. Examples of products requiring child-resistant packaging include certain nail products and products containing hydrocarbons that can poison children, such as baby oils, body and hair oils, and makeup removers.
• Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Safety Inspection Service, for information on countries currently affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and the National Organic Program, regarding agricultural products labeled as "organic."
• Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration, Export Solutions and Bureau of Industry Security for additional information on exports, as well as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which handles patent and trademark registration.
• Department of Homeland Security, in particular U.S. Customs and Border Protection, regarding importing products into this country and labeling to indicate an imported product's country of origin. (For "Made in U.S.A.," contact the Federal Trade Commission).
• Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, regarding the safety of your employees and the workplace environment.
• Department of State, for information on doing business internationally.
• Department of Transportation, about shipping your products safely.
• Department of the Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, for specially denatured (SD) alcohol permits, as well as Office of Foreign Assets Control, regarding economic and trade sanctions.
• Environmental Protection Agency, for information on topics such as pesticides, waste, and recycling.
• Export.gov, a government resource for companies that are new to exporting.
• Federal Trade Commission, regarding advertising, metric units for quantity of contents labeling, and "Made in U.S.A." labeling. (For labeling the country of origin of imported products, contact U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Department of Homeland Security.)
• National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, regarding the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, for information on workplace safety 
• Securities and Exchange Commission, for laws relating to your corporate structure.
• Small Business Administration, for information on starting a new business.
• State and local authorities. Besides the Federal agencies listed above, states as well as counties, cities, and towns have their own health- and consumer-protection laws and agencies to enforce those laws. California, Florida, New Jersey, and Texas are particularly active in many of the same areas regulated by FDA. You may wish to check with your state and local authorities to learn whether any of these laws affect your business.

FDA has entered into Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with a number of other entities in government, academia, and elsewhere to define lines of authority or responsibility or to clarify cooperative procedures. The intent of an MOU is to improve consumer protection through more effective use of collective resources and to eliminate duplication of activities.

More Resources

• Cosmetic Labeling and Label Claims
• Exporting Cosmetics
• Importing Cosmetics
• View More Industry Resources: Links to FDA resources for cosmetics businesses, large and small