CDSCO Import Registration for Temporary Hair Colour & Spray in India: Standards, Documents and the Complete Process

Temporary and semi-permanent hair colours, colour-depositing foams, hair chalks and aerosol colour sprays colour hair without the oxidation chemistry of permanent dye, 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.

They are a distinct filing from the permanent hair-dye guide: direct dyes rather than PPD oxidation, with an aerosol dimension for colour sprays.

Is CDSCO Import Registration for Temporary Hair Colour & Spray Mandatory in India?

Yes. Temporary and semi-permanent hair colours are Fourth Schedule hair-care preparations and need CDSCO registration before import. Aerosol colour sprays additionally attract dangerous-goods handling.

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

Applicable Standard for Temporary Hair Colour & Spray

Permanent oxidation dyes have their own standards (IS 8481/15205/10350); a temporary or semi-permanent direct-dye colour has no dedicated IS and is assessed against the country-of-origin standard plus the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, with the CoA drawn against the manufacturer’s finished-product specification.

The colourants — direct dyes and pigments — are declared by CI number against IS 4707 (Part 1) and the Tenth Schedule; any dye that is also a hair-dye intermediate (PPD, etc.) triggers the statutory dye caution and patch-test requirement. An aerosol colour spray needs a Safety Data Sheet, propellant identity and percentage, internal pressure and container specification.

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.

Direct Dyes, Aerosols and the Caution Rule

Temporary hair colour raises no drug question; the controls are the permitted-colour list and, where any dye intermediate is present, the same mandatory PPD caution and patch-test rule that governs permanent hair dye. Aerosol colour sprays add the flammable dangerous-goods dimension. Pure direct-dye or pigment colours without intermediates avoid the caution but still need every CI number on IS 4707 (Part 1).

Documents Required for Temporary Hair Colour & Spray 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, Temporary Hair Colour & Spray needs:

• Certificate of Analysis against the country-of-origin specification.
• Colourant / direct-dye declaration by CI number against IS 4707 (Part 1) and the Tenth Schedule.
• Declaration confirming absence (or presence + statutory caution) of PPD-type dye intermediates.
• For aerosol colour sprays: Safety Data Sheet, propellant identity and percentage, internal pressure and container specification.
• Shade-wise variant list for fee computation.
• Skin-sensitisation / patch-test protocol where any dye intermediate is present.

Label Requirements Specific to Temporary Hair Colour & Spray

• The statutory dye caution and patch-test instruction where any dye intermediate is present.
• Flammability warning for aerosol colour sprays.
• Directions for use and expected wash-out duration.
• Net content by weight or fluid measure.

Step-by-Step: CDSCO Import Registration Process

1. Classify the product. Confirm it meets the definition of a cosmetic under Section 3(aaa) and map it to the hair care preparations category under the Fourth Schedule — this drives the fee and the certificate scope.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Pay the fee on Bharatkosh. Compute category + site + variant fees, pay online under head 0210041040000-00-1 and retain the acknowledgement receipt.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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 hair care preparations 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 direct dye / pigment with a CI number not on IS 4707 (Part 1).
• A dye intermediate present without the statutory caution and patch-test instruction.
• Aerosol Safety Data Sheet, propellant or container details missing.
• 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) — temporary hair colour & spray 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.
• PESO / dangerous goods — aerosol hair-colour sprays are pressurised and flammable, needing storage, transport and handling approvals under the Explosives Rules and the SMPV Rules.
• 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 temporary hair colour and colour spray?

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

How is temporary colour different from permanent hair dye for registration?

Permanent dyes use oxidation chemistry and have their own standards (IS 8481/15205/10350); temporary/semi-permanent direct dyes have no dedicated IS and are assessed against the country-of-origin specification, with colours on IS 4707 (Part 1).

Does a temporary colour need the PPD caution?

Only if it contains a dye intermediate such as PPD or para-toluenediamine — then the statutory caution and patch-test instruction apply. Pure direct-dye colours without intermediates do not.

What extra applies to an aerosol colour spray?

A Safety Data Sheet, propellant identity and percentage, internal pressure and container specification, plus PESO / dangerous-goods handling and flammability labelling.

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 temporary hair colour & spray 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 temporary hair colour & spray — 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 Hair Dye & Colour
• CDSCO Registration for Perm & Permanent Wave
• CDSCO Registration for Hair Removal Wax & Strips
• CDSCO Registration for Lip & Cheek Tint

Related Guides

• CDSCO Import Registration for Perm & Permanent Wave in India
• CDSCO Licence for Autoclaves & Sterilizers in India
• CDSCO Import Registration for Hand Wash & Liquid Hand Soap in India
• CDSCO Licence for Blood Bags in India

Need expert help? See our CDSCO registration services.