Cosmetics guide

Labeling cosmetics: all mandatory information on bottle and packaging

Reviewed by Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer, molecular biologist and founder of Novogenia · Updated: 13 October 2026 · Reading time: 10 min

In short

Under Art. 19(1) Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, the container and packaging of a cosmetic product must bear seven items: the name and address of the responsible person, the nominal content, the date of minimum durability or – for durability of more than 30 months – the period after opening, precautions for use, the batch number, the function (unless it is obvious) and the list of ingredients headed “Ingredients”. Ingredients carry the common names from the EU glossary, which builds on the INCI nomenclature. In Germany and Austria, nominal content, durability, precautions and function must be in German. Switzerland requires at least one official language.

Since July 30, 2026: a new dictionary for the ingredient list

On July 30, 2026, something quietly changed for labels in the EU. From that day, Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175 applies. It contains the new glossary of common ingredient names and repeals the previous glossary in Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/677 (Arts. 2 and 4). Companies were already allowed to use the new names from July 30, 2025 (Art. 3). For the update, the Commission mainly added new INCI names and corrected erroneous entries (recital 3).

The glossary is the shared dictionary of the ingredient list. Whether a serum sits on a shelf in Linz, Lyon or Lisbon: water is called AQUA, vitamin E appears for example as TOCOPHEROL, coenzyme Q10 as UBIQUINONE. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires the ingredient list to use these common names (Art. 19(6)). The glossary takes account of internationally recognized nomenclatures, above all the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI). Important: it is not a list of the substances authorized for use (Art. 33).

The seven mandatory items under Article 19

Cosmetic products may only be made available on the market if the container and packaging bear the following information in indelible, easily legible and visible lettering (Art. 19(1)). The container is the bottle or jar itself; the packaging is, for example, the folding carton around it.

Mandatory item (Art. 19(1))	What it means	Where
(a) Name or registered name and address of the responsible person	Abbreviations are allowed if the person and address can still be identified. If several addresses are given, the one where the product information file is kept is highlighted. For imported products, the country of origin is added.	Container and packaging
(b) Nominal content	Weight or volume at the time of packaging; not needed for packs under 5 g or 5 ml, free samples and single-application packs	Container and packaging
(c) Date of minimum durability or period after opening	see next section	Container and packaging
(d) Particular precautions	at least those listed in Annexes III to VI, plus the warnings required by the safety report (Annex I Part B point 2); special precautionary information for products for professional use	Container and packaging, enclosed if space is lacking
(e) Batch number or reference for identification	for very small products, on the packaging only	Container and packaging
(f) Function	only needed if it is not clear from the presentation, for example “night serum for the face”	Container and packaging
(g) List of ingredients	headed “Ingredients”	may appear on the packaging alone

The responsible person ensures the labeling (Art. 5(1)). Before making a product available, distributors verify that the name and address, batch number and ingredient list are present, that the language requirements are met and that the date of minimum durability has not passed (Art. 6(2)). Who the responsible person is, is explained in Responsible person, safety assessment, notification.

Date of minimum durability or period-after-opening symbol?

There are two routes for durability. Which one applies depends on the stability of the product (Art. 19(1)(c)):

Durability of up to 30 months: the date of minimum durability is mandatory. It is preceded by the symbol in point 3 of Annex VII or the words “best used before the end of”. The date consists of month and year, or day, month and year, in that order. If necessary, the storage conditions needed to guarantee the stated durability are added.
Durability of more than 30 months: the date of minimum durability is not mandatory. Instead, the label states how long the product can be used safely after opening – with the symbol in point 2 of Annex VII, followed by the period in months and/or years. This is only omitted where the concept of durability after opening is not relevant.

How long a product lasts is not a question for the label but for the data: stability under reasonably foreseeable storage conditions belongs in the safety report (Annex I Part A point 2). So clarify early with your manufacturer which information goes on your label.

How to build the ingredient list correctly

The ingredient list is the longest item on the label. Article 19(1)(g) sets out its rules:

Heading: the list is preceded by the term “Ingredients”.
What goes in: any substance or mixture intentionally used in manufacturing. Impurities in the raw materials and subsidiary technical materials not present in the final product do not count.
Order: descending order of weight at the time the ingredients are added. Ingredients below 1% may be listed in any order after those above 1%.
Fragrance: perfume and aromatic compositions appear as “parfum” or “aroma”. Substances that must be mentioned under the column “Other” in Annex III are listed in addition.
Nanomaterials: the name is followed by the word “nano” in brackets.
Colorants: they may be listed in any order after the other ingredients, using the CI (Colour Index) number where applicable.
Names: the common names from the glossary; where none exists, a term from a generally accepted nomenclature (Art. 19(6)).

With personalized cosmetics, this list has a special feature. When the genetic result changes the selection and dosage of the active ingredients, the list can change too – which actives are included and where they appear. It follows that the ingredient list must match the individual formula. Clarify early how the individual list and the batch or product reference get onto the pack. How genes shape the formula is shown in Personalized cosmetics.

Limited space, leaflets and language

Not enough space: if the precautions or the ingredient list do not fit on the label, they appear on an enclosed or attached leaflet, label, tape, tag or card. Abbreviated information or the symbol in point 1 of Annex VII on the container or packaging then refers to it (Art. 19(2)).
Language: the language of the nominal content, durability, precautions and function is determined by the law of the country where the product is made available to the end user (Art. 19(5)). In Germany, this information must be in German (Section 4 Cosmetics Ordinance), and likewise in Austria (Section 2 Cosmetics Implementing Ordinance). The ingredient list is not translated – it uses the common names.
Translating in trade: a distributor who, on its own initiative, translates elements of the labeling for another EU country must submit certain information to the Commission electronically (Art. 13(3)).
Loose products: for products that are not prepackaged or are packaged at the point of sale at the purchaser’s request, Member States set the labeling rules (Art. 19(4)) – in Germany Section 5 Cosmetics Ordinance, in Austria Section 3 Cosmetics Implementing Ordinance.

Switzerland: VKos instead of Article 19 – and at least one official language

In Switzerland, Articles 8 and 9 of the FDHA Ordinance on Cosmetic Products (VKos) govern labeling. In substance, they largely match Article 19: ingredient list headed “Ingredients” in descending order of quantity, function, name and address, date of minimum durability or period-after-opening symbol, storage conditions, batch number and warnings. The differences in detail:

Topic	EU, Germany, Austria	Switzerland
Language	according to national law; in Germany and Austria, German for nominal content, durability, precautions and function	at least one official language of the Confederation, exceptionally another language if consumers are informed sufficiently and unambiguously (Art. 47(2)(c) LGV); distributors check this for function, durability, storage and warnings (Art. 3(4)(b) VKos)
Name and address	responsible person (Art. 19(1)(a))	manufacturer, importer, distributor or responsible person under EU law (Art. 9(1)(b) VKos)
Warnings	Annexes III to VI and the safety report	in addition: they must stand out clearly from the rest of the labeling (Art. 9(2) VKos)
Glossary	Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175, applicable since July 30, 2026	The VKos refers (as of January 1, 2026) to the glossary of Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/677 (Art. 8(1)(f) VKos)
Fill quantity	nominal content under Art. 19(1)(b)	governed by the Quantity Indication Ordinance (MeAV) (Art. 10 MeAV); prepackages under 5 g or 5 ml are excluded (Art. 1(2)(a) MeAV)

What this means for you: a German-language label that meets the EU requirements also meets the Swiss language requirement, because German is an official language. If you specifically target French- or Italian-speaking Switzerland, it makes sense to add French or Italian.

Checklist for your cosmetics label

Item	Legal basis (EU)	Typical place
Name and address of the responsible person	Art. 19(1)(a)	Bottle and carton
Nominal content in g or ml	Art. 19(1)(b)	Bottle and carton
Date of minimum durability or symbol with period after opening	Art. 19(1)(c), Annex VII	Bottle and carton
Precautions and warnings	Art. 19(1)(d), Annexes III to VI	Bottle and carton, or leaflet with symbol
Batch number	Art. 19(1)(e)	Bottle and carton
Function, if not obvious	Art. 19(1)(f)	Bottle and carton
“Ingredients” with common names	Art. 19(1)(g) and (6), Art. 33	Carton
Language of the country of sale	Art. 19(5); Section 4 KosmetikV; Section 2 Cosmetics Implementing Ordinance	All surfaces carrying the items concerned
No implied characteristics or functions the product lacks	Art. 20(1)	Everywhere, including the shop – more in Advertising cosmetics

Frequently asked questions

Does the ingredient list have to be on the bottle itself?

No. The list of ingredients may be indicated on the packaging alone (Art. 19(1)(g) Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). If even that is impossible for practical reasons, it appears on an enclosed or attached leaflet, label, tag or card, and abbreviated information or the symbol in point 1 of Annex VII on the packaging refers to it (Art. 19(2)).

When is the period-after-opening symbol enough?

When the product has a minimum durability of more than 30 months. In that case, the date of minimum durability is not mandatory. Instead, you use the symbol in point 2 of Annex VII to show how long the product can be used safely after opening – in months and/or years (Art. 19(1)(c)). At 30 months or less, the date of minimum durability is mandatory.

Do I have to translate the ingredient list?

No. The language rule in Art. 19(5) concerns nominal content, durability, precautions and function. The ingredient list uses the common names from the EU glossary (Art. 19(6)) and is headed “Ingredients” in every country.

Whose name goes on the label of my own brand?

The name or registered name and address of the responsible person (Art. 19(1)(a)). If you are not the responsible person yourself, it is the person you designated by written mandate. Abbreviations are allowed as long as the person and address can still be identified. Your brand and design still shape the label.

What applies to samples and mini sizes?

Packaging containing less than 5 g or 5 ml, free samples and single-application packs do not need the nominal content (Art. 19(1)(b)). If a product is too small, the batch number may appear on the packaging only (point (e)). All other mandatory information still applies. In Switzerland, prepackages of less than 5 g or 5 ml are excluded from the Quantity Indication Ordinance (Art. 1(2)(a) MeAV).

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Note: This guide is general information for businesses and professionals and does not replace legal advice. BeautyMe products are cosmetic products; statements in this guide are not promises of cure. The genetic traits determined in a genetic analysis are well documented (each gene included is backed by at least three independent studies); recommendations for skincare and formulation derived from them are logical conclusions, not scientifically proven. Regulations can change; errors and changes excepted.