Cosmetic labels carry a lot of mandatory detail in very little space. A 30ml serum bottle, lip balm tube or small jar still needs enough room for ingredients, supplier details, batch coding and warnings. If that copy is left until the end, the design usually has to be rebuilt.
This guide is written for NZ skincare, beauty, body care and cosmetics brands preparing label artwork. It is general guidance, not legal advice.
What counts as a cosmetic
EPA guidance treats cosmetics broadly. The category can include soap, shampoo, toothpaste, shaving products, deodorant, perfume, hair dye, sunscreen, self-tanning products, lipstick, foundation and other make-up. Some products sit close to medicines, therapeutic claims or sunscreen rules, so check the product category before making claims.
The EPA rules changed in 2026, so check current guidance if you’re launching or importing a product now. New ingredient rules started on 1 January 2026. Old-formula stock can be sold until 31 December 2026 and must be disposed of by 30 June 2027. PFAS is being phased out, with the last sale date 31 December 2027 and disposal by 30 June 2028. A few sunscreens with high homosalate run to March 2029.
Core label information
For most cosmetic product labels, allow space for:
- Product identity. What the product is and how it is used.
- Ingredient list. Ingredients at 1% or more go in descending order. Under 1% and colours can go in any order after that. Fragrance can just say ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’.
- Supplier contact information. Details that help the reader contact the NZ importer or manufacturer.
- Batch code. A label must provide the manufacturer’s original source or batch code information.
- Hazard and safe-use information. Where required by the product or ingredients.
- Required warnings. Extra statements for restricted ingredients or product types.
- Nano material identification. Nanomaterials: add (nano) after the name.
- Disposal. Disposal recommendations for the product and packaging.
- Net contents. Commonly needed for retail clarity and shelf comparison.
Some products will need more. Hair dye, exfoliating acids, retinol products, SPF products, aerosols, essential-oil-heavy products and products making sensitive claims can all create extra label requirements. Check preservative limits against Schedules 4–8 of the EPA Cosmetic Products Group Standard 2020.
Ingredient list layout
Ingredient lists are often the hardest part of cosmetic label design. The copy is long, the container is small, and the type still needs to be readable. Do not finalise the front label until the ingredient panel has been tested at real size. Our INCI ingredient formatter puts a list into the standard format so you can test it. Verify individual INCI names against CosIng.
If the pack is too small, the ingredient list can go on the outer carton or a leaflet. Tiny items (under 80 cm²) sold from a display can list it on the display. Free samples and testers are exempt.
Good artwork practice:
- keep the ingredient panel on a high-contrast background
- avoid placing mandatory copy over foil, images or busy texture
- reserve space for a batch code before production
- adjust the label size or layout early where the bottle is too small
- proof clear-label copy against the actual bottle and fill colour
Clear film creates a particular trap. Text that looks readable on a white artboard can disappear once it sits on amber glass, coloured serum or a shadowed bathroom shelf.
Claims and product category risk
Cosmetic claims need to stay within the cosmetic category. Claims that imply therapeutic treatment, disease prevention or physiological change can pull the product toward medicine or therapeutic goods territory. Sunscreen, insect repellent, acne, eczema, anti-inflammatory, healing and SPF claims need careful checking.
Printing does not solve claim risk. If the wording is borderline, settle it before artwork is approved.
What we check before proofing
Our prepress role is practical:
- ingredient panel supplied and placed at readable size
- batch code area reserved
- supplier or importer details present
- mandatory copy clear of cut lines, seams and heavy finishes
- copy contrast checked on clear, metallic or dark stocks
- label size, layout or type treatment adjusted where copy will not fit
- artwork and dieline allow for bottle curve and applicator tolerance
We do not approve formulas, ingredient restrictions or claims. We can help make a compliant copy set printable and legible once your brand has confirmed the content.
Useful official sources
- EPA cosmetics guidance
- Cosmetic Products Group Standard 2020 (consolidated and current)
- CosIng ingredient database (European Commission)
Before you send cosmetic label artwork
Send the final ingredient list, product volume, bottle or jar dimensions, packaging material, required warnings, batch code method, stock preference and any claims you want on-pack. If the product is going on clear film, send a photo of the actual container and fill colour.
That lets us recommend the right substrate, test the type at size and avoid a late rebuild when the label is already approved internally.
Rules last checked against EPA Cosmetic Products Group Standard 2020, EPA cosmetics guidance and CosIng (European Commission) on 13 October 2026.