Beauty
Beauty in Europe: What Cross-Border Brands Need to Know
European beauty is a regulated, sophisticated, premium-prepared market. Customers value ingredient quality, brand story and provenance, and the regulatory framework reinforces that quality bar. US and Canadian beauty brands that take compliance seriously find European customers receptive — and competitors caught off guard.
Expandly takes beauty brands into Europe with the CPNP setup, Responsible Person appointment, label and claims work, and listings done in one connected plan.
In this section
01
CPNP notification is the gate
03
Fragrance allergen labeling deadline 31 July 2026
05
Sustainability and clean beauty drive purchase
02
Responsible Person setup is non-negotiable
04
CMR substance restrictions live
The landscape right now
The current regulatory and market landscape for beauty brands placing products on EU and UK markets.
Omnibus VIII CMR substance restrictions live
15 CMR substances restricted or banned under EU Omnibus VIII, live from May 2026. Several ingredients commonly found in cosmetic formulations affected; review essential.
15 substances
EU Omnibus VIII
Responsible Person requirement
Every cosmetic product on the EU market needs an EU-established Responsible Person. CPNP notification depends on it. UK requires UK-established RP separately post-Brexit.
Required
EU Cosmetics Regulation
CPNP notification mandatory
EU Cosmetic Product Notification Portal entry required for every product before placing on EU market. Safety assessment, product information file and RP details all in scope.
Mandatory
EU Cosmetics Regulation
UK CBD cosmetics restricted
UK CBD cosmetic position remains restricted; EU CBD cosmetic rules limit approved product types. US CBD beauty brands should expect a slower European route to market.
Restricted
UK FSA; EU
Sustainability driving purchase decisions
French AGEC rules and broader EU green claims framework reinforcing customer demand for substantiated sustainability positioning. Clean beauty buying particularly strong in DE, FR, NL.
Driver
EU consumer research
Global Expansion Pathway
How Expandly works with beauty brands
The brands we typically work with in this segment look like this: established US or Canadian beauty brands in the $5M–$50M revenue range, often with successful Amazon US or Sephora US presence, looking at Europe as their natural next market. The regulatory work is the gate that has to clear before launch can move.
Our approach is to start with a CPNP and label audit. For every product in the launch range, we check ingredient compliance against EU and UK rules, get the Product Information File and safety assessment in place, set up the Responsible Person appointment, and run the notifications. In parallel, we plan the channel mix. Sephora EU, Douglas (Germany, France), Notino, marketplaces (Amazon, Zalando), and DTC together form the European beauty distribution landscape. The right mix depends on the brand position.
This sits across step two (Compliance) and step four (Omni-Channel) of the Global Expansion Pathway.
This sits across step one (Explore), step two (Compliance) and step four (Omni-Channel) of the Global Expansion Pathway.
What's changing in the next 12 months
Five key regulatory developments in the next 12 months with direct operational impact for beauty brands entering or operating in European markets.
EU fragrance allergen labeling deadline
56 new allergenic substances must be declared on cosmetic packaging from this date. Brands with fragranced product portfolios need label updates in place ahead of the deadline.
31 Jul 2026
EU Cosmetics Regulation
PPWR affects beauty packaging
EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation introduces design, recycled content and reuse target obligations relevant for beauty primary and secondary packaging.
12 Aug 2026
EU PPWR
EU Green Claims Directive enforcement
Substantiation requirements for sustainability claims tightening through 2026. “Eco-friendly”, “clean”, “natural” claims without evidence increasingly attract enforcement.
Ongoing
EU Green Claims Directive
UK CBD position reviews
UK CBD cosmetic position remains restricted through late 2026 pending further safety review. New CBD cosmetic SKUs on hold for the UK market.
Late 2026
UK FSA
Further CMR substance restrictions expected
Next round of CMR substance restrictions (Omnibus IX expected) progressing through EU regulatory pipeline. Continuous ingredient review remains essential.
Through 2027
EU Commission
Beauty Blog
Latest insights on beauty
EU Cosmetics INCI Glossary Updated to 30,418 Entries — Mandatory from 30 July
348 new INCI entries — total now 30,418 — become mandatory for EU cosmetic labels from 30 July 2026. Brands launching new EU SKUs after
82 Substances, 31 Days: The EU Fragrance Allergen Deadline US Beauty Brands Can’t Ignore
The EU fragrance allergen list reaches 82 restricted substances under Regulation 2023/1545. Labels on affected EU SKUs must be updated before 31 July. New production
EU-Compliant Cosmetics in the UK – Key Divergences Beauty Brands Must Bridge Before Entering Both Markets
EU and UK cosmetics regulations started from the same framework after Brexit but are diverging. An EU Responsible Person and CPNP notification do not grant
EU Fragrance Allergen Labeling – 56 New Substances Mandatory on EU Cosmetic Labels by 31 July 2026
From 31 July 2026, every cosmetic product placed on the EU market must declare 56 additional fragrance allergens where present above threshold, taking the list
EU Customs €3 Flat-Rate Duty from 1 July 2026 – What Beauty Brands Shipping to the EU Must Calculate Now
From 1 July 2026, the EU’s €150 de minimis exemption ends and a €3 customs duty applies per HS6 code on every parcel. For beauty
EU Cosmetics Regulation 2026/909: What US Beauty Brands Need to Review
EU Cosmetics Regulation 2026/909, published in May 2026, updates Annex II and III of EC 1223/2009 with new restrictions on synthetic UV filters and updated
Three EU Compliance Deadlines Hit Beauty Brands This Summer
EU beauty brands face three separate compliance clocks running simultaneously in H2 2026. Regulations 2026/78 and 2026/909 — banning 15 CMR substances and introducing new
Europe
European beauty is one of the most rewarding markets for brands that meet the bar — and one of the harshest for those who don’t.
The brands that scale cleanly in this category share a pattern. They invest in compliance properly the first time. They build product information files that hold up to inspection. They treat the Responsible Person appointment as a long-term partner, not a paperwork transaction. And they choose channels that match their brand position, not just their volume ambitions.
Three observations from the brands we work with:
- CPNP notification is the gate; nothing moves until products are in the system.
- Label work compounds — getting it right the first time pays back across every reformulation.
- The brands that go premium tend to outperform those who go broad in Europe.
Europe is where US beauty brands with strong product and brand position can find a second growth market. The compliance bar is high. So is the customer’s standard. They reinforce each other.
Country guides
How this varies by country
United Kingdom
- Post-Brexit UK Cosmetics Regulation parallels EU; UK-established Responsible Person required separately; SCPN (Submit Cosmetic Product Notifications) is the UK CPNP equivalent
- Boots, Cult Beauty, John Lewis Beauty and Space NK key retailers; Amazon UK and Look Fantastic strong in ecommerce; growing clean and ethical beauty buyer
- UK CBD cosmetic position remains restricted; UK enforcement of claims and ingredient compliance increasingly visible particularly via OPSS and Trading Standards
Germany
- Douglas dominant in specialty across DACH; Rossmann and DM in mass; price-sensitive at mass and high quality bar at premium
- Strong clean beauty and Bio (organic) certification segment; consumers respond to substantiated sustainability and dermatologist-led positioning
- BfR active on enforcement; Pan-European FBA inventory commonly stored in Germany triggering VAT and CPNP scope considerations
France
- Sephora (French-origin), Nocibé and Marionnaud dominate specialty; pharmacy and parapharmacy channels hold authority for dermo-cosmetic positioning
- Sophisticated buyer; quality and provenance matter; AGEC sustainability rules add packaging and disclosure obligations on top of EU framework
- DGCCRF enforces health claims aggressively; French language labelling mandatory; Tri-Man logo required on packaging
Nertherlands
- Bol and Douglas dominate; growing clean beauty interest; ICI Paris XL strong in specialty; pharmacy channel for therapeutic positioning
- NVWA enforces cosmetic rules rigorously but processes registrations efficiently; cooperative regulatory environment
- High cross-border purchase intent; Dutch consumers regularly buy from German and French sites; English-language listings often accepted alongside Dutch
Spain
- Sephora and Douglas in specialty; Primor strong in mass; Mediterranean ingredient preferences (olive, sun protection, fragrance) differ from northern Europe
- Growing belleza-from-within and clean beauty interest; younger demographic skewing DTC and Instagram discovery; influencer-led purchase common
- AEMPS active on cosmetic enforcement; Spanish-language labelling mandatory; Canary Islands operate as separate market with distinct rules
Italy
- Sephora and Douglas in specialty; strong perfumery tradition with significant local brands and heritage houses; Italian customers responsive to design and brand story
- Italian-language packaging requirements specific and rigorously enforced; ICQRF active on cosmetic compliance for non-EU imports
- Strong category strength in fragrance, dermo-cosmetics and luxury makeup; specialty retail and brand-direct dominant over marketplace for premium positioning
upcoming events
Related events
Coming Sooon
Netherlands Confirms Intent to Ban Ashwagandha -What Supplement Brands Must Do Now
The Dutch Ministry of Health confirmed its intent to ban ashwagandha on 10 April 2026, with no effective date yet set. Denmark already bans leaf-derived ashwagandha and France has an ANSES advisory. Supplement brands with Netherlands-based EU fulfillment should assess affected products and a realistic effective date now.
EU Health Supplement Market Entry for US Brands : The 2026 Compliance Guide
The European health supplement market exceeds EUR 10 billion in 2026, but EU rules differ sharply from the US. Before placing a product on the EU market, US brands must clear Novel Food status, map health claims to the EU permitted list, check member state ingredient restrictions, and meet FIC labeling and PPWR packaging requirements.
EU Sports Nutrition Market Entry: What US Brands Need to Comply With Before Shipping the First Unit
The EU sports nutrition market is worth $6.61 billion in 2026. Before a single unit ships, US brands must answer five compliance questions in order: Novel Food status, EU permitted health claims, member state ingredient restrictions, FIC-compliant labeling and PPWR packaging. The sequence matters, and each question has a definite answer rather than guesswork.
frequently asked questions
Common questions
What is CPNP and do I need it?
CPNP (Cosmetic Product Notification Portal) is the EU portal where every cosmetic product must be notified before being placed on the market. Yes, you need it for every product in your EU launch range.
Who can be my Responsible Person in the EU?
The Responsible Person (RP) is an EU-based legal entity that takes responsibility for the cosmetic product’s compliance. It can be your importer, distributor, or a specialist RP service. The choice has commercial implications — we recommend independent RPs in most cases.
Are US claims like "anti-aging" allowed in the EU?
Some yes, some no, with significant variation by country. Cosmetic claims in the EU are governed by the Cosmetic Claims Regulation and country-level enforcement. Many common US claims need rewording for the EU market.
Do I need separate UK CPNP-equivalent notification post-Brexit?
Yes. The UK Cosmetics Regulation runs in parallel with the EU one. Notifications must be made through the UK Cosmetic Product Notification system. RP must be UK-established for UK sales.
How does Pan-European FBA affect beauty product flow?
Pan-European FBA moves your inventory between EU fulfillment centers, which can trigger VAT and CPNP scope considerations. For beauty specifically, country-level cosmetic notifications still apply regardless of where the product is fulfilled from.
If this sounds like your world,
let's talk.
Beauty expansion typically warrants our Guided tier or higher because of CPNP, RP and claims complexity.
Service tiers
Self-Serve
- £1,150/month
- Platform-led with email support
- Best for: $1M–$5M brands
Guided
- £3,000/month
- Dedicated Account Manager
- Best for: $5M–$20M brands
VIP
- £5,000/month
- Dedicated VIP Consultant
- Best for: $20M–$50M+ brands
Ready to talk?
If you’re a US, Canadian or UK beauty brand planning European expansion, book a call. For a personalized set of recommendations first, the four-step lead form will route you to a tailored guide.
