How to Read Imported Cosmetic Labels in India
The small print on the back of an imported cosmetic says more than you might expect. Who made it, when to use it by, and who brought it into India all go on the label. This note sets out what India's Cosmetics Rules, 2020 require a label to show, and which of those details a shopper can check.
This is general information, not legal advice. The exact wording of the rules and any amendments are on the website of India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
Product name, maker, dates and batch number
Rule 34 of the Cosmetics Rules requires both the inner and outer labels of a cosmetic to show the product name, the manufacturer's name and the complete address of the premises where it was made. If it was made in a factory the manufacturer does not own, the label should give the actual manufacturer's name and address, or the country where it was made as "Made in (name of country)". The same rule requires a use-before or expiry date. Some labels give a month and year after "Use before" or "Expiry"; others give a date of manufacture and say how many months the product lasts from it.
Look for the batch number too. The rules say it should be preceded by "B", "Batch No.", "B. No.", "Lot No." or "Lot". It is the number that links the pack to the manufacturing records for the batch it came from. The outer label also states the net contents by weight or volume. Very small containers are exempt from some of these items, so a mini size may carry a shorter label.
What only imported cosmetics carry
Rule 34 requires the unit pack of an imported cosmetic sold in India to show its import registration certificate number, preceded by "RC", "RC No" or "Reg. Cert. No", along with the importer's name and address. A cosmetic that is not packed and labelled as the rules require cannot be imported. Rule 18 adds that a cosmetic can be imported only if the use-before date on its label is more than six months after the date of import.
These details may be on a sticker rather than printed on the pack. Where an imported cosmetic needs India-specific labelling, the rules allow it to be stickered on the unit pack at a bonded warehouse. CDSCO's FAQ on cosmetic imports says the same: importers of registered products may add India-specific details, such as the importer's name and address and the import registration certificate number, at bonded warehouses after the goods land in India. A sticker on its own is no reason for suspicion. Rule 35, for its part, says no one may alter, obliterate or deface what the manufacturer has marked on the container, label or wrapper without the permission of the central licensing authority.
A label check is only a starting point
A label that shows every required item does not prove that a product is genuine or safe. The label tells you who is responsible for the product; it is not a quality certificate. If an item is missing, that is a reason to ask the seller or the importer before you buy.
In a public notice dated 8 September 2026, CDSCO named two creams that had not been issued an import registration certificate and said testing had found heavy metals above the specified limits. The notice advises consumers to buy and use cosmetics whose labels show the manufacturing licence number, the manufacturer's details, the batch number, the dates of manufacture and expiry, and, for imported cosmetics, the registration number. If you notice a label violation, it asks you to report it to the State Drugs Controller for products made in India, or to the Drugs Controller General (India) for imported cosmetics. For questions about a registration number or importer details, you can also contact the importer named on the label. With any product, if your skin reacts, stop using it and see a doctor or dermatologist.
Fragrance-free and unscented are not the same
Words about scent need a careful read. In its advice on dry skin, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends products labelled "fragrance-free". It explains that a product labelled "unscented" can contain chemicals that neutralise or hide the odours of other ingredients, and that these chemicals can irritate dry, sensitive skin. A product that does not smell of anything has not necessarily been made without fragrance.
When in doubt, read the ingredient list as well. Rule 34 requires ingredients above 1% to be listed in descending order of weight or volume at the time they are added, followed by those at 1% or less in any order, with the word "INGREDIENTS" in front of the list. Packs of 60 ml or less for liquids, or 30 g or less for solids and semi-solids, are exempt. An ingredient name tells you what is in a product; it does not tell you whether the product will suit your skin.
How HANARI is preparing its labels
HANARI plans to launch three products together in India in December 2026: Clean Start Gel Cleanser, Even Days Serum and Air-Fit Gel Cream. None are on sale yet. When we bring them into India, we intend to follow India's labelling requirements for cosmetics. Our regulatory status for import into India, including CDSCO registration, is not decided yet. The full INCI list and country of origin will be published on this site later, and questions about ingredients are answered in the FAQ.