What It Is
The part of a launch that quietly stops it
Most first launches are delayed by paperwork rather than by product. The formula is finished, the packaging has arrived, and then a retailer asks for documentation nobody prepared, or a claim on the label turns out not to be allowed.
We prepare the regulatory side in parallel with the formula, so the label copy, the ingredient declaration and the notifications are ready when the product is. It is unglamorous work and it is the difference between a launch date and a delay.
To be clear about scope: we prepare and guide. We are not your regulatory consultant of record, and for unusual claims or a difficult market we will tell you when you need specialist advice rather than improvising.
What We Prepare
Documentation that survives a retailer audit
- INCI ingredient declaration in the correct order and nomenclature
- Health Canada Cosmetic Notification Form guidance for the Canadian market
- Label copy review against the rules for your target markets
- Claim review, so what you say is supportable by what is in the bottle
- Safety documentation and the supporting file for your product
- Bilingual English and French labelling guidance for Canada
- Batch coding, expiry and period-after-opening marking
By Market
Where the rules actually differ
Brands often assume a compliant Canadian label will pass elsewhere. The ingredient science is shared, but the declarations, notifications and permitted claims are not, and the gap is usually discovered at the border or by a marketplace listing review.
The practical answer is to decide your target markets before the label is designed, not after. Retrofitting bilingual copy or a different declaration onto finished artwork is expensive and slow.
The main differences to plan for
- Canada requires notification and bilingual English and French labelling
- The United States has its own declaration rules and facility expectations
- The EU requires a responsible person in the region and its own safety assessment
- Permitted claims vary meaningfully between all three
- Some ingredients allowed in one market are restricted in another
We will tell you early which markets are straightforward from a Canadian base and which will need specialist support.
Is It Right For You
When you need this alongside production
Every product needs compliant labelling. What varies is how much help you need with it. A founder launching a first product usually needs all of it. An established brand adding a SKU may only need a claim review and a declaration check.
The moment to involve us is before packaging artwork is finalised. Once the artwork is at the printer, a compliance problem becomes a reprint rather than an edit.
Ideal for
Brands launching a first product, entering a second market, or preparing for a retailer who will ask for documentation.
How It Works
Prepared alongside the formula
- Markets agreed. We establish where the product will be sold.
- Ingredient review. The formula is checked against restrictions in those markets.
- Declaration prepared. INCI list in the correct order and nomenclature.
- Claims reviewed. What you want to say, checked against what you can support.
- Label copy. Mandatory text prepared for your artwork, bilingual where required.
- Notification. Guidance and preparation for the filings your market requires.
- Documentation pack. Assembled and handed over with the production run.
Get the paperwork
right the first time
Tell us the product and where you intend to sell it. We will set out what the label must say and what you will need to file.