9 Laws on Selling Homemade Beauty Products In The UK That You Absolutely Must Know (Updated for 2026)

Let me guess. You’ve perfected your homemade face cream, but some thoughts keep nagging in the back of your mind:

For many home-based beauty entrepreneurs, figuring out how to sell beauty products is overwhelming and intimidating.

Even small mistakes can lead to fines if you don’t fully understand the laws on selling homemade beauty products in the UK. The legal side often feels like an insurmountable mountain, and there’s no shortage of scary stories around Trading Standards enforcement.

That’s why I wrote this article. To give the many intimidated or unsure cosmetic makers I talk to on a daily basis a straightforward path to sell safely and legally.

By the end, you’ll know how to sell makeup from home and skincare from home confidently, or at least how NOT to sell them illegally, with every product fully compliant and ready to launch.

So let’s get right into it:

Law #1: Make sure you actually set up a business before trying to sell anything.

Yes, even if it’s just you working away at your kitchen counter. You must follow all of these rules:

You must register your business with HMRC.

Lots of customers reach out to me every month with a product they’re proud of and want to start selling right away, without having registered their business. But registering your business isn’t an opinion; it’s a critical, foundational first step. You can’t just wing it.

If you intend to sell homemade beauty products for profit, you must register your business with HMRC, choosing a structure such as a Sole Trader, Limited Company, or Partnership. You also must register as self-employed.

You must have public and product liability insurance.

People who start from their kitchen sometimes forget about public and product liability insurance. You might be tempted to think you’re only a really, really small business and that you shouldn’t/don’t need insurance. But you do. 

If you're operating from home, you must also check with your home insurance policy provider. 

You must have the right legal documents.

Depending on how and where you sell, you may also need appropriate business policies, terms and data-protection arrangements. We at Cosmetic Safety Solutions cannot advise on GDPR, contracts or general business law, so you should check the relevant official guidance or seek advice from a suitably qualified professional.

We can, however, support you with the cosmetic compliance requirements involved in bringing your products to market, including CPSRs, ingredient documentation, labelling and product notification.

Law #2: Make sure your ingredients and formulations are ‘safe for human health’.

Under the UK Cosmetics Regulation (UK CR), every cosmetic product you sell must be safe to use. However, there is no single list that can tell you whether a complete formula is safe.

The COSING database can show whether an ingredient appears in Annex II, which lists ingredients that are prohibited in cosmetics, or Annex III, which lists ingredients that are restricted and may only be used under certain conditions. These conditions might include limits on how much can be used or which types of products can contain the ingredient.

However, checking COSING is only one part of deciding whether a product is safe. You also need to consider how much of each ingredient is used, what it is mixed with and how the finished product will be used. (For example, products that stay on the skin usually face tighter restrictions than products that are rinsed off.)

Some ingredients, such as certain colourants and clays, must also meet specific purity standards. You may therefore need documents from your supplier confirming that substances such as heavy metals are below the permitted limits.

You’d be surprised (or perhaps not, after reading what I've just written) how often I encounter people who aren't sure if their products are actually safe to use.

Here are some common assumptions that fool a lot of people:

No, natural ingredients aren’t always safe & you shouldn’t assume them to be.

In our experience, many makers assume that natural ingredients must always be safe. This isn’t the case at all, and you can’t just throw essential oils into your formulation at any percentage. The UK and EU Annexes can show whether an ingredient is prohibited or subject to restrictions, but they cannot tell you whether a complete formulation is safe. That depends on the ingredient level, product type, intended use and how the ingredients behave together.

COSING can help you check legal ingredient restrictions, while the IFRA database is an online resource from the International Fragrance Association that provides information about restricted fragrance components and how safely they can be used in different types of products. However, using this information properly requires detailed knowledge of an essential oil’s composition and some careful mathematics calculations!

This is why it is sensible to have your formulation reviewed by an experienced assessment company before committing to it, so you know whether anything needs to be adjusted.

No, you can’t just use a ‘tiny bit’ of a banned substance.

Some cosmetic ingredients may be classified as CMR substances, meaning they are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.

As a general rule, these substances cannot be used in cosmetics unless they have been specifically assessed and permitted for a particular use under clearly defined conditions.

Law #3: Make sure you test your product for stability. 

Creating a product that looks, feels and performs well is amazing, but a successful first batch is only the beginning. The next step is to observe the product over time, record any changes and make sure it continues to behave as expected.

A balm, for example, should not melt too easily in warmer conditions, become unusably hard in winter or change in texture or appearance.

Bath bombs should retain their fragrance, while decorative botanicals on soaps should not quickly turn brown.

These checks help you create a stable product that customers can trust and protect your brand from complaints caused by products changing after they have been sold.

Stability checks are a must for all products for these main reasons:

• It helps to determine your product’s shelf life. This refers to how long your product lasts before it begins to break down naturally and no longer works the way it should. This is very important for consumers and regulators to know before you try to start selling.
  
  
• Products that combine oil and water, such as creams and lotions, need laboratory stability testing because they are at greater risk of separating.
  
  
• While products without water still need to be monitored over time and exposed to conditions, such as heat and cold, to make sure they remain stable during storage, transport and everyday use.
  
  
• Preventing oxidisation: Oils can gradually oxidise and develop an unpleasant rancid smell, particularly if they are exposed to heat, light or air. However, this is not usually a major concern for every water-free product. Many anhydrous formulations contain blends of refined oils and butters that are relatively stable when stored correctly.
  
  Oxidisation is more likely to affect products made with a single unrefined oil, less stable oils or ingredients that have been stored poorly. The best approach is to understand the stability of the ingredients you are using, store them carefully and observe the finished product over time.
  
  
  

How you test a product’s stability will depend on the type of cosmetic you are making. Small-scale makers of water-free products will often keep samples and observe them over time, checking for changes in appearance, texture, colour, scent and performance.

For example, if you're making a bath bomb, the bath bomb should keep its shape, colour and fragrance over time, while a balm should remain solid, avoid leaking from its container in warmer conditions and maintain a consistent texture. If you're making a cold-process soap, it should not become soft or break down too quickly, and its colour should not leach or stain sinks.

Some formulations may require accelerated stability testing in a laboratory. This is more likely with water-based or complex products, where controlled and documented results may be needed to support the proposed shelf life. However, for many small-scale makers with water-free products, keeping samples and recording how they change over time is a more appropriate starting point.

Products containing water, including ingredients such as hydrosols, aloe vera juice or witch hazel, will usually need laboratory testing to show that their preservative system can control bacteria, yeasts and moulds. This may include a Preservative Efficacy Test, also known as a PET or challenge test.

However, do not arrange testing before your formulation has been reviewed. It may need adjusting for legal, safety or formulation reasons first. Testing too early could mean paying for a test, changing the formula and then having to make new samples and pay for the test again.

At Cosmetic Safety Solutions, we'll first review your formulation, explain any changes that may be needed and confirm the appropriate laboratory tests. We can then provide details of trusted laboratories. The completed laboratory report will be needed before we can finish your CPSR.

Some water-free products may also need simpler microbiological testing. For example, an oil infused with botanicals and used in a leave-on product may need testing for yeasts, moulds and harmful microorganisms for each batch. Again, the formulation should be reviewed before any testing is commissioned, so you don't waste any money on lab testing.

Law #4: Make sure you have a cosmetic product safety report for your product (and that it’s actually valid).

We’ve written about CPSRs extensively on our blog already. So I’ll keep this really simple here:

• Yes, you do need a CPSR for your product.
  
  
• You will need a separate CPSR for every new product you create. You cannot get one CPSR for different products, as many people think.
  
  
• You are the Responsible Person for your product. It’s up to YOU to make sure your CPSR covers your cosmetic products legally, even if you’ve paid a professional to create one for you.
  
  
• Many companies out there offer CPSRs. Some are good, but some don’t really know what they’re doing, and even if you’ve paid for one, it might not hold up legally, and you could get into trouble if your product is released to the public without a valid CPSR.

Law #5: Maintain a bulletproof Product Information File (PIF) and track every single batch.

You must keep an updated PIF, written in English, for every product, and hold tight to it for 10 years after the last batch is sold.

Lots of makers just starting out seem to think this 10-year period is optional. It really, really isn’t. The law is very clear. You. Must. Keep. Your. PIF. For. 10. Years. (That’s 2036 at the time of writing.)

A PIF basically is proof that your product is safe for human health. A PIF should contain the supporting documents for your ingredients, including:

• Your method behind how you made the product
• Your product’s stability data
• Your product’s testing data
• A valid CPSR

Along with any packaging information and a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) statement.

Yes, you read that correctly. Even in the kitchen, GMP applies. All this talk of clean facilities, strict no-cross-contamination protocols, and traceable ingredients- it’s not just applied to labs or big manufacturers. You need to do it too.

You also need to keep a solid paper trail of every ingredient you use, from start to finish. A common mistake we often see is sloppy batch tracking. But you need to trace every ingredient batch to your finished product. It’s the only way to be compliant.

You can do this by:

1. Writing down the numbers of the ingredients you bought. Every ingredient from your supplier will (or should) have a ‘batch number’ stamped on its box or bottle. If you’re buying ingredients from our website, you can view the batch number even before you buy by clicking on the ‘Documents’ section for each product.
   
   
2. Give your final product its own number: This way, you will be creating a brand-new ‘batch number’ for the bottles or jars you just filled.
   
   

By linking these numbers together in your records (and keeping them for 10 years, remember that!), you will have a solid paper trail, should your products come into question later down the line.

We make it easy to see and note the batch number of any ingredients you buy from us.

Law #6: You must appoint or be the Responsible Person for your products.

If you are making skincare or makeup on your kitchen counter to sell, you cannot just be the maker. Legally, you are also the 'Responsible Person' (RP) for those products.

In simple terms, this means it is your job to guarantee that your products are 100% safe, and you are the one who takes the blame if a customer has a bad reaction to your products.

Most people starting at home have no idea what an RP is. Never mind that they are the RP.

Some people don’t like being an RP as part of the job, as it means requiring that your identity (including your name and home address) be printed and easy to see on each product.

And while you could technically ‘appoint’ someone else to be the RP, if you want to keep your costs as low as possible while starting out, the best route is to act as your own RP.

You can still make your products at home, get your safety report (CPSR) from a company like us, register yourself on the UK Portal, and use your home address. This is all entirely legal, and it is how 95% of kitchen-table cosmetic businesses in the UK get their start!

Law #7: You must complete (and not be afraid of) the UK Portal Notification.

Well, you can be afraid of it if you want to. The SCPN portal is a UK government website where you must register your cosmetics before you can legally sell them.

If you’re looking to sell beauty products from home in the UK, the RP must legally notify the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) about each product you plan to release by using the Submit Cosmetic Product Notification (SCPN) portal.

Lots of people panic over the portal. But once you have your CPSR, it’s quite straightforward. Good preparation beforehand is the key to a stress-free encounter with the portal.

You only need to register each recipe once. You don’t need to register every single individual bar of soap or bottle of oil you make — just the formula itself.

When you register a recipe, you’ll be asked to put in your ingredients. You can do this in a few different ways:

• Manually, by typing your ingredients into the portal one by one
  
  
• By using a CSV file, by which I mean uploading a spreadsheet that contains your ingredient data
  
  

For either method, the portal allows you to enter your ingredients using either exact amounts or a percentage range (like 1% to 5%).

I highly recommend choosing the CSV file option and using percentage ranges. To do this, you simply list your ingredients from the largest amount to the smallest. Then, you put in a minimum and maximum percentage for each one. This is the best approach because it will matches your CPSR.

Also, we have a comprehensive SCPN guide and will guide you via our Live Chat portal (if you need us with this). 

Law #8: You must get your packaging and labelling right, and understand consumer law.

Lots of makers often come to us with pretty labels, but legally, they don’t hold up. Looks aren’t enough.

Trading Standards have contacted us multiple times about incorrect labelling. In many of these cases, the clients have been importers, but not always. They’ve had the report in place, but their labelling has been incorrect (meaning they hadn't checked the labels properly themselves, or asked us to check their labels), and their products have been seized due to this.

That being said, here’s a quick overview of what you must, by law, include on your packaging and labelling:

Here’s what you MUST include on your labels:

When designing your labels, you have to include a few specific things. These must be printed on both the container (like your jar or bottle) and any outer box it goes in:

• The name and address of the 'Responsible Person' (usually you)
• How much the product weighs or its volume (e.g., 50g or 100ml)
• The date of minimum durability (‘Best Before’ date) or, where the minimum durability is more than 30 months, a ‘Period After Opening’ (PAO)
• List of ingredients
• The batch number
• The function of the product (if not obvious) 
• Any necessary safety warnings (like 'keep out of eyes')

If your packaging is too small to hold all the required information, certain details may be provided on an enclosed or attached leaflet, label, tag, tape or card. You must also display the ‘hand and book’ symbol on the container or outer packaging so customers know that further information is included.

Here’s how you MUST write your ingredients list (The INCI list):

You must list them in order from the ingredient you used the most to the one you used the least. (This will be easier when you have your CPSR.)

Any allergens (present in most essential oils and fragrance oils) and/or ingredients below 1% must be calculated to determine the level present in the final product and added at the end of the list. We have an allergen calculator to help with that.

… and here’s how you MUST keep things honest:

It’s easy to get excited about a product, especially if you’re very proud of it. So be very careful with your marketing claims.

You cannot make non-cosmetic claims for your product. For example, you cannot claim a kitchen-counter cream 'cures eczema' or 'heals acne' on the label. That is a medical claim, and would invalidate your CPSR and bring your product under the medicines directive.

The UK Government lists the cosmetic functions that CAN be mentioned for cosmetic products here in Article 19 - Labelling.

Law #9: Stay on top of your records, so you can handle any customer issues.

Your compliance work does not end when the product is launched. You must keep your PIF and batch records up to date, ensuring that your documents reflect each new batch of ingredients you buy from your suppliers.

Many small makers forget this, and it can be a compliance trap of sorts.

But two other issues could arise, and you’ll want to be prepared for them:

• You may need to allow an inspection by Trading Standards. They do still do those, and they will want to see the PIF and examples of labels and weighing machinery, etc. 
  
  
• Someone who uses your products could report a reaction to you. As the Responsible Person, you must record any undesirable effects reported to you, and if the undesirable effect is serious, (e.g. the person needs urgent treatment) then as the RP you must report that to the OPSS.
  
  

FAQs

Do I need a license to sell skin care products in the UK?

No, you do not need a license. Anyone can legally make and sell skincare products from home, provided that each of the products that you make and sell has a valid CPSR and all of the duties of the Responsible Person have been fulfilled.

However, while you do not need a piece of paper called a ‘license’ or to have attended a particular course, you must follow the strict safety laws covered in this article before you sell anything.

Are there any new laws on selling homemade beauty products in the UK that I need to know about?

No. This article is up-to-date as of July 2026. We will monitor and keep it up-to-date with any big changes as they develop. If in doubt, please contact us. We will be happy to help.

Selling homemade beauty products in the UK is entirely achievable, but only when you fully understand and comply with the laws.

By following these nine critical laws on selling homemade beauty products in the UK, you’ll protect your products, your customers, your reputation and your business from fines, invalid CPSRs, and Trading Standards issues.

I know it sounds like a lot. It’s intimidating, and it’s complicated. But that’s what I’m here for. My team and I love helping small businesses get started on the right foot and flourish. It’s what gets us up in the morning.

So if you enjoyed this article and think we can help, please get in touch with us today. We’ll be happy to help you find the right ingredients and craft a valid CPSR and/or guide you through the later stages.

In the meantime, imagine confidently selling skincare and makeup from your kitchen, knowing every formulation, label, and registration is fully compliant, while your customers trust and fall in love with your brand.

You don’t have to imagine; we can make it happen together.

About the Author:

Joanne Priestley is a cosmetic safety assessor and owner of Cosmetic Safety Solutions. She has 15 years of product safety experience in the cosmetics industry.

Joanne is a chartered biologist, a full member of the Royal Society Of Biology, a member of the British Toxicological Society and a passionate advocate for cosmetic safety and accurate, fair and responsible certification.

You can view Joanne's credentials here and her LinkedIn profile here.