Your company may have the best cosmetic products on the market, but customers will never know that if the labeling of your products doesn't reflect that. Improper labeling could even cost your business sales. About 75% of shoppers say that if they are unable to find the product information they're looking for while in the store, they are more likely to leave the store without the product, research it at home, and then purchase it online.
Similar to food and beverage labels, your cosmetic labels also need to follow the rules in order to be on store shelves in the first place. Ensure that your cosmetic labeling and packaging follows the regulations and appeals to customer needs by avoiding these key mistakes.
- Not knowing when you need an ingredient list
One thing cosmetic labels have in common with food and beverage labels is the requirement to follow regulations from the Food and Drug Administration. According to the FDA's cosmetic labeling guidelines, you need an ingredient list on your product if it is making cosmetic claims, such as reducing the appearance of acne or moisturizing dry skin. If your product doesn't make these claims, you typically don't need an ingredient list.
- Including one ingredient in the product name
When the front-facing label of your product only includes one ingredient and omits the others, FDA officials may consider this design as misbranding. To stay in line with FDA regulations, be sure to include all of the ingredients on the front or none of them.
- Using the wrong font size
Incorrect font size can be against FDA guidelines as well as an inconvenience to customers. Trying to read tiny font on cosmetic packaging, food and beverage labels, or anything else can deter potential customers from buying your product. Before you begin the label design for your products, check the FDA guidelines to find out which areas of the label need which font sizes. You will then want to physically measure the printed uppercase "L" and lowercase "o" on your labels to ensure you are following the rules.
- Leaving off contact information
Many cosmetic companies forget that they need to include their contact information on product labels. Guidelines require that cosmetic labels include the manufacturer or distributor name and the city, state, and zip code of their address. If the company is listed in a telephone or city directory, they can typically leave their street address off of the label.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can also avoid the tedious process of redesigning and reprinting your product labels. Once you have the perfect design ready, turn to Premium Label & Packaging Solutions to produce high quality commercial labels that will make both consumers and regulators happy.
