Organic Cosmetics
What this covers (examples): organic skincare (creams, oils, serums), haircare, soaps, deodorants, lip balms made with certified organic plant inputs (neem, turmeric, ashwagandha, aloe, coconut, sesame, etc.). In trade data these largely sit in HS 3304 (beauty/make-up & skincare).
Exports (latest available):
- India exported ~US $347 million of HS 3304 “Beauty Products” in 2023. Top buyers: UAE ($75.6m), USA ($59.3m), Nepal (~$31.1m). (These figures cover all beauty products; organic is a subset but uses the same tariff line.) The Observatory of Economic Complexity
Quality, strengths & India specificity
- Ingredient advantage: India is a major source of botanical inputs used in natural/organic beauty. Under HS 1211 (plants used primarily in perfumery/pharmacy), India exported ~US $450.5 million in 2023 (code 121190 alone). This upstream strength (henna, amla, shikakai, neem, tulsi, essential-oil crops) feeds organic-beauty supply chains. World Integrated Trade Solution
- Heritage & clusters: India has an established aromatic ecosystem—FFDC Kannauj (Govt. of India) provides R&D/QA services to essential-oil/fragrance SMEs; Kannauj attar itself holds a GI tag. CSIR’s national Aroma Mission continues to scale aromatic crops for industry. ffdcindia.orgIntellectual Property IndiaAroma Mission III
- Organic & natural certification most buyers ask for:
- COSMOS (by Soil Association/Ecocert et al.) sets global criteria for organic/natural cosmetics; “COSMOS ORGANIC” typically requires ≥95% organic plant content and ≥20% organic in final product (10% for rinse-off). media.cosmos-standard.orgEcocert
- USDA Organic can apply to cosmetics if agricultural content meets USDA NOP rules; four labeling categories (100% organic, Organic ≥95%, “Made with organic …” ≥70%, or <70% claims). AMS+2AMS+2
- India’s NPOP (APEDA) is recognized by the EU/Switzerland for unprocessed plant products—useful for sourcing/ingredients going into organic cosmetics. APEDA
- COSMOS (by Soil Association/Ecocert et al.) sets global criteria for organic/natural cosmetics; “COSMOS ORGANIC” typically requires ≥95% organic plant content and ≥20% organic in final product (10% for rinse-off). media.cosmos-standard.orgEcocert
Market-access (compliance) snapshot for exporters
- India (manufacture/label): Cosmetics Rules, 2020; BIS IS 4707 lists permitted colourants and ingredients. Permitted colours must not exceed As 2 ppm, Pb 20 ppm, other heavy metals 100 ppm (impurity limits in colours). CDSCOia600308.us.archive.org
- EU/UK: comply with EU Reg. 1223/2009; every product needs a CPSR & CPNP notification before sale in the EU. (UK has analogous SCPN). Internal Market & IndustryRegistrar Corp
- USA: since MoCRA, cosmetic facilities & product listings must be registered with FDA (enforcement delayed to July 1, 2024 and now active). Organic claims must also meet USDA rules. U.S. Food and Drug Administration+2U.S. Food and Drug Administration+2
What buyers typically check (specs/tests): full INCI, microbiology, stability, preservative efficacy (if water-based), allergens labelling (EU), heavy metals in colourants per India BIS (if applicable), organic certificate traceability (COSMOS/USDA), and safety file (EU). CDSCOia600308.us.archive.orgInternal Market & Industry
Herbal Powders
What this covers (examples): henna (Lawsonia inermis) hair dye powders; amla, shikakai, reetha, neem leaf powders; face-pack/“ubtan” blends; sandalwood substitutes, etc. These trade under HS 1211 (botanicals for perfumery/pharmacy), sometimes HS 3305 for hair preparations (when formulated hair dyes).
Exports (latest available):
- HS 121190 “Other plants/parts used in perfumery/pharmacy”: India exported ~US $450.5 million (99.78 million kg) in 2023, making it #2 globally—strong signal of capacity in cosmetic-grade botanicals. World Integrated Trade Solution
Quality, strengths & India specificity
- Botanical diversity & know-how: India’s long Ayurvedic tradition plus modern R&D underpin consistent supply of cosmetic botanicals (amla/shikakai for hair, neem/turmeric for skin). The Aroma Mission and institutions like FFDC/CSIR help with agronomy, distillation and ingredient quality—supporting powder inputs (e.g., leaf powders and co-products from essential-oil crops). Aroma Mission IIIffdcindia.org
- Henna regulatory nuances:
- USA: Henna is a color additive approved only for hair; not for direct skin application (mehndi) under FDA rules. U.S. Food and Drug Administration+1
- EU: The SCCS considers henna safe as a hair dye under specified use; “black henna” reactions are mainly due to added PPD (restricted). Public HealthMDPI
- USA: Henna is a color additive approved only for hair; not for direct skin application (mehndi) under FDA rules. U.S. Food and Drug Administration+1
Contaminants & typical buyer limits for raw plant powders
- Global buyers commonly align to WHO herbal-quality guidance (identity, microbial limits, pesticides, heavy metals). Indian AYUSH pharmacopoeial references (for herbal materials) often cited by buyers set typical maxima of Pb 10 ppm, Cd 0.3 ppm, Hg 1 ppm, As 3 ppm—useful as internal specs for cosmetic-grade powders too. World Health Organizationijcap.in
Market-access (compliance) snapshot for exporters
- EU cosmetics (finished powder products for skin/hair): require CPSR, notification via CPNP, compliant claims/labeling per 1223/2009. If shipping raw powders as ingredients, REACH Annex V may exempt non-chemically-modified natural substances from registration (case-by-case hazard review still applies). Internal Market & Industryreachonline.eu
- USA cosmetics: Facilities & product listings under MoCRA (in force July 1, 2024); organic claims (if any) must meet USDA NOP categories. U.S. Food and Drug Administration+1AMS
- India manufacture/label: Cosmetics Rules, 2020 (ingredient restrictions via IS 4707-2; permitted colours list via IS 4707-1). CDSCOLaw Resource
One-page cheat sheet
| Sub-category | Typical HS | 2023 India export scale | Main compliance routes |
| Organic cosmetics (finished) | 3304 | ~US $347 m total beauty/skincare exports (organic subset) | EU: CPSR + CPNP; US: MoCRA registration/listing + USDA claim rules (if used); India: Cosmetics Rules 2020/BIS IS 4707. The Observatory of Economic ComplexityInternal Market & IndustryU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationAMSCDSCO |
| Herbal powders (ingredients/finished) | 1211 (ingredients), 3305 (hair dyes) | ~US $450.5 m (HS 121190) botanical exports; strong global rank | EU: CPSR/CPNP for finished cosmetics; REACH Annex V may exempt non-modified botanicals; US: MoCRA + FDA henna-for-hair-only rule; India: Cosmetics Rules 2020/BIS. World Integrated Trade SolutionInternal Market & Industryreachonline.euU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationCDSCO |
Practical sourcing/QA tips
- Certificates: COSMOS (or NATRUE) for finished organic cosmetics; USDA Organic for US-market organic claims; NPOP for organic plant inputs (EU-recognized for unprocessed plants). media.cosmos-standard.orgAMSAPEDA
- Testing pack: identity (botanical + DNA barcoding where needed), microbiology, pesticides (MRLs), heavy metals (align at least to WHO/AYUSH style limits), aflatoxins (if nut/seed-origin), and particle size for powders. World Health Organization
- Regulatory files: EU PIF/CPSR for each product; US MoCRA registration/listing; India labels & ingredient conformity per Cosmetics Rules 2020/IS 4707. Registrar CorpU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationCDSCO
