Selling cosmetics in Australia comes with responsibilities. Products must be safe, labelled correctly, and able to back up the claims they make. This article gives a plain-English overview — though it is general information, not legal advice.
Two bodies matter most: the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), which oversees consumer product safety and ingredient labelling for cosmetics, and the TGA, which regulates therapeutic goods such as sunscreens. Most ordinary cosmetics fall under the ACCC.
Products must be safe
Under Australian Consumer Law, products you supply must be safe for their intended use. For a cosmetic, that includes staying safe for its whole shelf life — not just the day it leaves your bench. This is exactly what accelerated stability testing and preservative efficacy testing demonstrate.
If a product becomes unstable or under-preserved before its stated expiry, it may no longer be safe, and the business that supplied it can be held responsible.
Ingredient labelling
Australia has a mandatory ingredients labelling standard for cosmetics. In general, ingredients must be listed on the product so consumers can make informed choices and identify anything they may react to. Getting your labelling right is a core part of compliance.
Cosmetic or therapeutic good?
The line between a cosmetic and a therapeutic good depends on the claims you make and the ingredients you use. Sunscreens, for example, are generally regulated by the TGA, not the ACCC. If you make therapeutic claims, different and stricter rules apply.
If you are unsure which category your product falls into, it is worth getting specific regulatory advice before you launch.
Where stability testing fits
Stability testing supports compliance by giving you documented evidence that your product stays safe and within specification across its shelf life. It underpins your expiry and period-after-opening claims and demonstrates due diligence if you are ever questioned. Get a quote to start your compliance documentation today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is stability testing legally required to sell cosmetics in Australia?
There is no single rule that says 'you must run this exact test', but products must be safe for their intended use over their whole life on the market. Stability testing is the accepted way to demonstrate that and support your claims.
Are sunscreens treated the same as other cosmetics?
No. Sunscreens are generally regulated as therapeutic goods by the TGA and have their own SPF and efficacy testing requirements, separate from ordinary cosmetic stability testing.