Private label cosmetics for Canadian brands, made in India

Canadian brands and importers can source private label cosmetics from India, provided each product meets Canada's Food and Drugs Act and Cosmetic Regulations, which Health Canada administers. Two things shape most Canadian projects: the Cosmetic Notification Form, which tells Health Canada a product is being sold, and bilingual labelling in English and French. We manufacture in our own facility in Ambala, Haryana, India, and supply the technical information. The Canadian manufacturer or importer files the notification. This page explains who does what, what goes on the label and which documents to expect from us.

Who is legally responsible when you sell cosmetics in Canada?

Health Canada states that manufacturers and importers must notify it when they sell a cosmetic in Canada. Health Canada's notification guide also says the form now requires a Canadian address for the manufacturer or the importer. In practice, for private label products made in India, the notifying party is the Canadian importer or brand owner, or a service they appoint.

We do not notify products in Canada on your behalf. We make the product and provide the formula, ingredient concentrations and other details the notifier needs to complete the form accurately.

What has to happen before and around the first sale?

1. Check the formula against the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. Health Canada's Hotlist is an administrative tool listing substances that are prohibited in cosmetics, and substances that are restricted to certain conditions of use or need cautionary statements. Health Canada notes the Hotlist is not exhaustive, so a product must also be safe in its own right.
2. Confirm the product is a cosmetic. Products that make health claims may fall under drug or natural health product rules instead. Keep claims cosmetic.
3. Prepare a bilingual label that meets the Cosmetic Regulations.
4. File the Cosmetic Notification Form (CNF). The manufacturer or importer notifies Health Canada after the product is first sold, within the period the regulations set. The form covers the brand and product name, the notifier's details, manufacturing and importing information, label contact information, how and where the product is applied, its function, its physical form, and its ingredients with the concentration of each.

Health Canada states that submitting a notification is not an approval for sale and does not confirm the product meets all requirements. A notification also needs updating when details change, such as a reformulation.

What goes on a Canadian cosmetic label?

Health Canada lists these as mandatory label items:

• Product identity in both English and French.
• Ingredient list using INCI names. Health Canada's labelling guide says INCI names do not need to appear in both languages, although some ingredients must show a French equivalent alongside the INCI name, for example water shown as Aqua, or as Water/Eau.
• Net quantity in metric units.
• Dealer identity and principal place of business, plus contact information for consumer questions.
• Warnings and cautions in English and French.
• Directions for safe use in English and French.

If the product is too small to carry a legible ingredient list, ask your adviser about the alternatives Health Canada allows, rather than leaving ingredients off. Plan the artwork with both languages from the start, because adding French late usually means a new layout.

Health Canada's notification guide also states that certain fragrance allergens must now be listed as ingredients on the label, and therefore on the notification. Share the fragrance brief early so the allergen data is ready.

Which documents will your Canadian importer ask us for?

Our testing and documents service prepares the product paperwork. Our facility is ISO certified and GMP-compliant; these are facts about the site, not a Canadian approval for any product.

Which ranges suit the Canadian market?

• Skincare, where a complete INCI list with concentrations makes the notification simple to prepare.
• Body care, including body wash, lotions and butters, where fragrance allergen labelling needs planning.
• Hair care, such as shampoo and conditioner, with bilingual directions on pack.
• Baby care, for brands that want a small, carefully reviewed line; check every ingredient against the Hotlist first.

Bilingual labels take more space. Our packaging range and custom packaging service can help you choose a pack with enough label area.

How does an order to Canada work with us?

1. Brief. Tell us the products, Canadian channels and the importer who will notify.
2. Shortlist and sample. Samples are available on request; ready formulas start from 500 units per product.
3. Hotlist check. Your adviser reviews each formula.
4. Documents and label. We supply formula and concentration data; you approve bilingual artwork.
5. Production and shipment through our fulfilment and export service.
6. Notification. Your importer files the Cosmetic Notification Form as the regulations require.

Timelines depend on the formula, label approval and shipping route. See how it works and our guide to exporting cosmetics from India.

Next step

Send your product list and Canadian importer details through the inquiry form for Canadian orders. Health Canada updates the Hotlist and its labelling and notification requirements from time to time, so always confirm current requirements with your importer or a regulatory adviser before you sell.