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September 12, 2026October 12, 2026
CDSCO, Compliance Guides, Cosmetics Compliance, Import Compliance

CDSCO Import Registration for Body & Face Paint & Glitter in India: Standards, Documents and the Complete Process

Face paints, body paints, carnival and festival makeup and cosmetic glitter are colour cosmetics applied across the skin, and each must be registered with CDSCO under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020 before import. Registration is product-level and tied to the specific formulation, its shades and the factory.

Because they cover large areas and are used near the eyes and lips, the permitted-colour list and the area-specific limits apply strictly, alongside skin-safety data — and children are common users.

Is CDSCO Registration Mandatory for Body & Face Paint & Glitter?

Yes. Face and body paint and cosmetic glitter are Fourth Schedule colour cosmetics and need CDSCO registration before import. The certificate covers the declared shades.

The application is filed by the overseas manufacturer or, in practice, its Authorised Indian Agent.

Applicable Standard for Body & Face Paint & Glitter

No product-specific Ninth Schedule Indian Standard applies to face/body paint or glitter, so it is assessed against the country-of-origin standard plus the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, with the CoA drawn against the manufacturer’s finished-product specification — pH, appearance, preservative content and microbiological limits.

Every colourant is declared by CI number against IS 4707 (Part 1) and the Tenth Schedule; where the paint is used around the eyes only eye-area-permitted colours may be used, and where used on the lips only lip-permitted colours. Heavy metals on the pigments follow the general limits, cosmetic glitter must be a cosmetic-grade (not craft) material, and a skin-irritation / sensitisation assessment is expected given the large application area and frequent use on children.

The Indian colour list is the only list that counts: a pigment permitted in the EU or US but not listed in IS 4707 (Part 1) and the Tenth Schedule will be refused. Map every CI number to the Indian list before you file.

Colour by Body Zone, and Skin Safety

Face and body paints raise no drug question; they are colour cosmetics. The controls are the permitted-colour list applied by body zone — general skin, the narrower eye-area list, and the lip list — plus skin-safety data because the paint covers large areas and is often used on children. Craft glitter and non-cosmetic pigments are the common failures.

Documents Required for Body & Face Paint & Glitter CDSCO Registration

Every Form COS-1 application needs the core document set — covering letter; First Schedule authorisation; Second Schedule Part-I; ingredient list with percentages; inner and outer labels; specification and method of testing; finished-product Certificate of Analysis; country-of-origin manufacturing licence or marketing authorisation; original Free Sale Certificate; non-animal-testing declaration; heavy-metal and hexachlorophene declaration; GMP / ISO 22716 certificate; correlation chart; Bharatkosh receipt; and the signed Form COS-1. On top of this base, Body & Face Paint & Glitter needs:

Colourant declaration by CI number against IS 4707 (Part 1) and the Tenth Schedule — eye-area-permitted colours where used near the eyes, lip-permitted where used on the lips.
Heavy-metals report on the colourants (As ≤ 2 ppm, Pb ≤ 20 ppm, other heavy metals ≤ 100 ppm total).
Cosmetic-grade glitter declaration (cosmetic-approved material, not craft/PET glitter).
Skin-irritation / sensitisation assessment, given the large application area and children’s use.
Certificate of Analysis against the country-of-origin specification and microbiological limits.
Shade-wise composition sheet — each shade is a separate variant at USD 50.

Label Requirements Specific to Body & Face Paint & Glitter

Directions for use, a patch-test recommendation and a caution against use on broken skin or too close to the eyes.
Shade name; suitability/age guidance where marketed for children.
Registration Certificate number preceded by “RC” or “Reg. Cert. No.”.
Net content by weight or fluid measure.

Step-by-Step: CDSCO Import Registration Process

Classify the product. Confirm it meets the definition of a cosmetic under Section 3(aaa) and map it to the colour cosmetics category under the Fourth Schedule — this drives the fee and the certificate scope.
Appoint the Authorised Indian Agent. Execute the First Schedule authorisation, signed jointly by manufacturer and agent, then notarised and apostilled (Hague states) or embassy-attested.
Assemble the technical dossier. Ingredient list with INCI names and percentages, the finished-product CoA against the applicable standard, inner and outer labels, GMP / ISO 22716 evidence and the Free Sale Certificate.
Align the label to Chapter VI. Indian labelling is a top rejection reason; India-specific content may be stickered onto the unit pack at a bonded warehouse before clearance.
Pay the fee on Bharatkosh. Compute category + site + variant fees, pay online under head 0210041040000-00-1 and retain the acknowledgement receipt.
File Form COS-1 on SUGAM. Upload the full checklist, including the correlation chart that ties each product serial number in COS-1 to the Free Sale Certificate and the authorisation.
Respond to CDSCO queries. Reply within the stipulated period — each query effectively restarts the clock, so a clean first filing is the biggest lever on timeline.
Receive Form COS-2. Print the Registration Certificate number on every unit pack, with the holder’s name and address, before the goods are cleared for sale.

Fees and Timeline

Government fees are paid online via Bharatkosh under head 0210041040000-00-1: USD 1,000 for the colour cosmetics category, USD 500 per manufacturing site and USD 50 per variant (shade, fragrance or formulation). A duplicate certificate is USD 200, permission for a novel ingredient is USD 500, and inspection of an overseas manufacturing site, if ordered, is USD 5,000.

Typical approval time is four to six months from acceptance of a complete application, and each CDSCO query effectively restarts the clock. The Registration Certificate is valid for five years from the date of issue and must be re-registered before it lapses.

Common Mistakes That Trigger a CDSCO Query

A pigment not on IS 4707 (Part 1), or a general-skin colour used in the eye or lip zone.
Craft / non-cosmetic glitter instead of a cosmetic-grade material.
Missing skin-irritation / sensitisation assessment for a large-area, children’s product.
Shades under-declared for the USD 50 variant fee.

Related Approvals to Plan Alongside CDSCO

DGFT Importer-Exporter Code — mandatory for any importer of record before the first consignment.
LMPC registration (Legal Metrology) — body & face paint & glitter is a pre-packaged commodity requiring MRP, net quantity, importer details, country of origin and consumer-care details on the pack.
Wholesale licence (Form 20B / 21B) — where the Indian agent also distributes drugs alongside cosmetics.
Drug import licence (Form 10) — where a therapeutic claim or a pharmacologically active ingredient makes the product a drug rather than a cosmetic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CDSCO registration mandatory for imported face and body paint and glitter?

Yes. They are Fourth Schedule colour cosmetics and cannot be imported until registered under Rule 12(1) of the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, with the certificate issued in Form COS-2.

Which colours can a face paint use?

Only colours on IS 4707 (Part 1) and the Tenth Schedule, applied by zone — eye-area-permitted colours near the eyes, lip-permitted colours on the lips, and the general list elsewhere.

Is ordinary craft glitter allowed?

No. Cosmetic glitter must be a cosmetic-grade, skin-approved material; craft or PET glitter intended for non-cosmetic use is not acceptable.

What safety data is expected?

A skin-irritation / sensitisation assessment and the heavy-metals report, given the large application area and frequent use on children, plus a patch-test recommendation on the label.

How long does registration take and how long is it valid?

Around four to six months for a complete application; the certificate is valid for five years and must be re-registered before expiry.

Do we need an Authorised Indian Agent?

In practice yes — the agent files on the First Schedule format and carries statutory liability for the product in India.

Why Choose PCN India Global

Claims triage — we confirm upfront whether your body & face paint & glitter is cleanly cosmetic or at risk of drug reclassification.
Category mapping — the correct Fourth Schedule category and test scope confirmed for your formulation.
Dossier assembly — the full core document set prepared and cross-checked against the CDSCO checklist.
Label compliance — a Chapter VI review to correct any non-compliant or therapeutic wording before you print packaging.
End-to-end SUGAM filing — application, query response and the Form COS-2 grant managed for you.
Adjacent approvals — LMPC, DGFT/IEC and, where relevant, PESO/AYUSH coordinated alongside your CDSCO registration.

PCN India Global manages the complete CDSCO import registration process for body & face paint & glitter — from claims triage and category mapping to dossier assembly, SUGAM filing and the Form COS-2 grant. WhatsApp or call +91 80109 05029, or email admin@pcnindiaglobal.com, to get your import registration underway.

Related Compliance Guides

Legal Metrology (LMPC) Registration
DGFT License Services (Importer-Exporter Code)
CDSCO Registration for Kajal & Eye Cosmetics

Need expert help? See our CDSCO registration services.