Cosmetics & Personal Care Customs Brokers

Cosmetics and personal care product imports into Australia include skincare, haircare, makeup, fragrances, sunscreens, and toiletries. The regulatory framework sits at the intersection of industrial chemicals regulation (AICIS) and consumer product safety (ACCC), making cosmetics one of the more complex commodity categories from a compliance perspective.

All cosmetic ingredients must be assessed and authorised under the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). Ingredients already on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals can be imported without individual assessment, but new-to-Australia ingredients require pre-market evaluation. Sunscreens making therapeutic claims (SPF ratings) are regulated by the TGA as therapeutic goods and must be listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). This distinction between cosmetic and therapeutic regulation is a common trap for importers unfamiliar with the Australian framework.

Customs brokers specialising in cosmetics manage labelling compliance under the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905 and ingredient disclosure requirements. They also navigate DAFF biosecurity requirements where cosmetics contain ingredients of biological origin — certain plant extracts, animal-derived ingredients, and natural oils may trigger biosecurity assessment. For imported cosmetics from major markets like South Korea, Japan, and France, brokers advise on FTA preferences and tariff classification under Chapter 33 of the Harmonised System to minimise duty costs.