Notification of Cosmetics: Guide for Cosmetic Notifications

Guide for Cosmetic Notifications

This document provides guidance to help you to fill in the online Cosmetic Notification form.

It contains information on some requirements of Food and Drugs Act (FDA) and the Cosmetic Regulations (CR).

It is not intended to substitute for or limit the requirements under the FDA or the CR. In case of any difference between this document and the legislation, the legislation will prevail.

According to section 30 of the CR, manufacturers and importers must notify Health Canada within 10 days after they first sell a cosmetic in Canada. Failure to notify may result in a product being denied entry into Canada or removed from sale.

Who this guide is for

This guide is intended for any person who is required to notify Health Canada about a cosmetic that they manufacture, import or sell in Canada. This includes:

• A Canadian manufacturer of a cosmetic;
• A Canadian importer of a cosmetic; or
• The person filling out the notification on behalf of a manufacturer or importer.

In this guide

• Checklist before completing a Cosmetic Notification Form
• How to complete a Cosmetic Notification Form
• Section 1 – Notification Type
• Section 2 – Product
• Section 3 – Notifier
• Section 4 – Manufacturing, importing and Label contact
• Section 5 – Product ingredients
• Section 6 – Additional documents and pictures
• Section 7 – How to save your Cosmetic Notification Form
• Section 8 – How to submit your Cosmetic Notification Form
• Section 9 – How to view/edit your previous Cosmetic Notification Form

Checklist before completing a Cosmetic Notification form:

1. Classification: Is your product a cosmetic?
   • Check if your product contains ingredients or is represented in a way that may make it fall outside the scope of a cosmetic. You can consult the "Guidance Document: Classification of Products at the Cosmetic-Drug Interface" and the "Guidelines for the Nonprescription and Cosmetic Industry Regarding Non-therapeutic Advertising and Labelling Claims" for guidance.
   • Please also refer to Appendix 1: Examples of cosmetics and products not considered to be cosmetics.
2. Product information:
   • information about the cosmetic including its name, formulation and intended use;
   • a complete list of ingredients using INCI nomenclature;
   • the exact concentration or concentration range for each ingredient;
   • check the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist to see if any ingredients are prohibited or restricted for use in cosmetics;
   • have the bilingual product labels including any avoidable hazard statements at hand.
3. Contact information:
   • Ensure you have accurate contact details for the notifier, manufacturer, the label contact and others as applicable.
4. Required Documents:
   • Gather any additional documents related to your cosmetic, for example, labels and evidence of safety documents (when applicable).

How to complete a Cosmetic Notification Form (CNF)

The CNF has nine sections. Follow the instructions for each section.

Important: All fields in the CNF marked with an asterisk (*) are required. You must fill out all required fields to be able to submit a CNF.

Section 1 - Notification Type

You must select a notification type from the drop-down list:

• New
  • select "new" if this is the first time you are sending a CNF for the product
    • you must notify Health Canada within 10 days after you first sell the cosmetic product in Canada
  • Amendment
    • select "amendment" if you have already sent a CNF for the product and you need to change some of the information

Important: Changes to product brand, name contact information, ingredient list or formula require the submission of an amendment.

• you must notify Health Canada of this within 10 days of the change
• make sure to add the Cosmetic Number to your form before submitting, if available
• instructions on how to find and upload your previous CNF can be found in Section 9
• the product name should match the previous CNF
• If the amendment is to change the product name, include the previous product name in the product description
• Discontinue sale:
  • select "Discontinue Sale" if you have stopped selling the product on the Canadian market:
    • you must notify Health Canada within 10 days of the change
    • make sure to add the Cosmetic Number to your form before submitting, if available
    • instructions on how to find and upload your previous CNF can be found in section 9

Important : All ingredients must be entered when you submit a "Discontinue Sale" notification.

Tip: Saving a copy of your notifications will make submitting amendments and discontinuations much easier.

For amendments and discontinuations of sale, if you have not yet received the Cosmetic Number for this product, the field on the form can be left blank and the number will be added by a Health Canada Officer.

Section 2 - Product

Notifier's reference

You may use this field for names or numbers that you use for the product, such as a formula code used by contract manufacturers or another internal identifier. This field is not intended to be used when you communicate with Health Canada, it is for your own reference only.

Primary product brand and name

You must enter the primary brand and name of the cosmetic, as it appears on the product label.

This name must be unique and different from all other products that you market.

For example, if a product called "Gentle Lavender Shampoo" is marketed by a company called "Cosmetic Brand" the primary brand and name of the product would be "Cosmetic Brand – Gentle Lavender Shampoo". A product name such as "Shampoo" is not enough to identify the product.

Other product names

You may enter translations of the product name in another language, or other names for the product.

For multiple products with the same base formulation but different shade/colour, scent/fragrance or aroma/flavour variations, you are to submit only one notification. You should list the different variations in shade/colour, scent/fragrance or aroma/flavour in this field.

Enter one product name per line. Click on the "Add Another Name" button to add each additional product name. Click on the "Remove Name" button to remove a product name.

Tip: Notify each unique product separately

Manufacturers and importers must submit a Cosmetic Notification Form (CNF) for each product unless:

• you've already submitted a CNF for the same product in a different sized container
• you are submitting a CNF which covers multiple products, and you meet the requirements for a single notification of multiple products

Date of first sale in Canada, actual or predicted

You may enter the exact date or the estimated date at which the product will be available for sale in Canada. The manufacturer and importer must submit a cosmetic notification to Health Canada within 10 days of the first sale of the cosmetic in Canada.

Product description

You may use this field to describe the product's purpose. For example: "shine serum for hair", or "detangling shampoo".

You may also use this field to identify cosmetic products, such as a gift basket or "combo pack" containing soap and shampoo, that are packaged together. These products are not considered "kits" and therefore each component must be notified separately. You can use this section to indicate the name and cosmetic number (if available) of the other product(s) included in the package.

For the purpose of this guide, kits are two or more components that must be mixed together in order to create the final product. Refer to Appendix 2 for more information.

Type of product *New*

You must indicate whether the cosmetic is leave-on or rinse-off.

Rinse-off products are those marketed as intended to be removed from hair, nail, skin or mucous membranes after use under normal conditions. Examples include soap, shampoo, shower preparations, and skin cleansers.

Leave-on products are those marketed as intended to stay on the skin, hair, nail or mucous membranes in normal conditions. Examples include lotions, creams, deodorants, lip stick or nail polish.

Area of application

You should choose all areas of application that apply to your product. This field is required.

The table below describes the intended area of application for products.

Function of product

The function of product refers to the purpose that the product is designed to do. You must choose the most appropriate function for your product; if the product serves multiple functions, you can select more than one function.

The table below describes each function of the product

Form of product

The form of the cosmetic is the physical form of the product as it is sold or used by consumers. You must choose the most appropriate form.

The table below describes each form:

Tip: Some cosmetics are infused into a solid part to make them easier to use, like wet wipes or sheet masks. In these cases, the liquid part is considered the cosmetic, so choose the form based on that. For example, if you have cleansing wipes infused with a water-based liquid solution, select "Liquid non-oily" for the form of the product

Information: Single notification of multiple products

You may submit one CNF to cover multiple products when all of the following are true:

• the same product name or trademark applies to all individual products listed in the CNF; and
• the base formulation is the same, except for slight changes in the ingredients for colouring, fragrance, or flavouring; and
• all other details in the CNF, such as the form, function, and manufacturer, are identical for each product.

You don't need to amend the CNF if you just add or remove products from the line, as long as no new ingredients are introduced.

Section 3 - Notifier

This is the person filling out the notification. This can be the manufacturer, an importer or a person filling out the notification on their behalf. This will be the primary contact for the notification. Indicate the full legal business name, complete mailing address and contact information, including the telephone number and e-mail address.

If a third party is filling out the notification on behalf of the manufacturer or importer, the contact information of the manufacturer and importer must be entered in section 4.

Section 4 – Manufacturing, importing and Label Contact

Please enter the contact information for the following (as applicable):

• the manufacturer;
• the importer; and
• the person who manufactured or formulated the cosmetic.

As per the amended Cosmetic Regulations, a "manufacturer" means the:

• Canadian manufacturer of cosmetics who sells a cosmetic under their own or a trademark, design, trade name, or other name they own or control;
• Responsible person in Canada acting on behalf of a manufacturer who is not in Canada; or
• If no one in Canada meets the definition of the "manufacturer", the importer or any person who manufactures or processes the cosmetic in Canada is considered the manufacturer.

In the Cosmetic Regulations, importer means:

• a person who imports a cosmetic into Canada for the purpose of selling it.

Contact information for the person who fabricated or formulated the cosmetic is also required, if it is different from the "manufacturer".

You must also enter the contact information for consumers as it appears on the label. Select "Label Contact" as the "Contact Type" to provide either a telephone number, email address, website address, postal address or any other information where consumers can direct their questions about the cosmetic.

Check the "Same as Notifier" box if applicable.

You must select "Contact Type" and indicate if the contact is a label contact, importer or manufacturer. If the contact has multiple roles, select the role that is the highest in the distribution chain for the product. For example, if the contact is both importer and manufacturer, choose manufacturer.

You can also add contacts for any additional manufacturers, and agents authorized to act on behalf of the notifier. Click on the "Add Contact" button to add each additional contact. Click on the "Remove Contact" button to remove a contact.

Important: The form will require that a Canadian address be provided in in section 4. Note: This requirement will be implemented at a later date. A date has not been set at this time; however, a message will be sent via the cosmetics mailing list to advise stakeholders before this functionality update will occur.

Requests for information from Health Canada

If Health Canada has questions or concerns about a CNF, product or about any other issue concerning the submitted form, the department may contact the notifier. For example, depending on the issue, Health Canada may request that you:

• provide more information to demonstrate the safety of the product
• provide labels
• re-label the product
• reformulate the product
• remove the product from sale
• recall the product
• submit a product license application to a different Health Canada program such as the Health Products and Food Branch or the Pest Management Regulatory Agency

To avoid common deficiencies and delays in processing your CNF, refer to Appendix 2

Section 5 - Product Ingredients

Definition of an ingredient

A cosmetic ingredient is any substance or component that is added to the formulation on purpose and remains in the final product. Ingredients have a function in the formulation and usually give a certain physical property to the final product. Examples include conditioning agents, fragrances, colouring agents, preservatives and flavours.

Impurities or substances consumed during the manufacturing process are not considered cosmetic ingredients and do not need to be included on the CNF.

How to enter ingredients on the form

Enter one ingredient per line using the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI). More information on INCI names can be found on the Personal Care Products Council website. Enter at least 3 characters in the INCI Name field and click on the button "Find INCI Name". Select the ingredient contained in the notified product from the list.

An ingredient that has no INCI name or that is not found when using the "Find INCI Name" button must be entered using its chemical name in the field "Other Chemical Name".

You must indicate all ingredients of this notified product. As per the Cosmetic Regulations, the complete list of ingredients and their concentration or concentration ranges must be provided. Submitting a non-INCI name may cause delays in processing your cosmetic notification.

After you have entered the ingredient name, click the "Search Ingredient" button to validate the ingredient. The status of the ingredient will appear in the "Search Result" field. Any condition that applies to the ingredient will appear in the "Condition of Use" field. If the status of the ingredient is "Unknown" or "Not found" check for spelling, punctuation errors, and extra spaces.

If entering the exact concentration, enter the concentration in the "Exact concentration" field. You may also select a range code from the drop-down list and the lower and upper concentrations will be automatically populated.

Check "May Contain" only if the ingredient is variable. It should not be selected for all ingredients.

Use the "Add Ingredient" and "Remove Ingredient" buttons to add or remove ingredients.

Important: To avoid delays in notification processing:

• List only one ingredient per line
• For proprietary blends or base formulations, list each ingredient separately
• Use International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredient (INCI) names where possible. More information on INCI names can be found on the Personal Care Products Council website (you will need to sign in to access the ingredient database)
• List botanical ingredients by their complete INCI name or, at a minimum, the genus and species portions of the complete INCI name
• If there is no INCI name for the ingredient or the INCI name entered is not available in the drop-down list, list the ingredient name in the field "Other Chemical Name" using one of the naming systems listed below in order of preference:
  • INCI name
  • Chemical Abstract Service number (CAS #)
  • Chemical name such as the Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) name, or an International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) name
  • "Trade" name from the Merck Index (current edition) (Published by Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA)
  • Latin name (the scientific binomial name, including the genus and species)
  • International Non-Proprietary name (INN)
  • European or U.S. Pharmacopoeia Name (EP, USP)
  • Common name
• Check that the spelling of the ingredient is correct
• Verify that the dashes and spaces in the ingredient name are in the correct location
• For colouring ingredients that do not have an INCI name or have multiple INCI names, use the Colour Index (CI) number or colour name (not both)

An attached list of ingredients (for example, in a Certificate of Analysis, material safety data sheet, etc.) is not an acceptable alternative to filling out this section of the CNF.

Validation of the Ingredient

After entering the ingredient name, press the "Search Ingredient" button to validate the entry. Doing this will show information related to the Hotlist status of this ingredient in cosmetics in Canada. Note that the Hotlist is not exhaustive. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer or importer to ensure that a cosmetic meets the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act (FDA) and the Cosmetic Regulations, regardless of whether or how a cosmetic ingredient is described on the Hotlist.

The results from the ingredient search will show in the "Ingredient Status" field. There are 4 possibilities:

• Known: There are no specific conditions for the use of the ingredient in cosmetics
• Restricted: The ingredient is restricted for use in cosmetics. The details of the restriction will be provided in the "Condition of use" field. In order to speed up the processing of your cosmetic notification submission:
  • If the ingredient has a concentration restriction, include the exact concentration used in the product.
  • If one or more ingredients are described as "restricted", you will be required to provide a copy of the product label in Section 6, in order to submit the cosmetic notification.
• Prohibited: The ingredient is prohibited for use in cosmetics. Therefore, the product cannot be sold in Canada as a cosmetic.
• Unknown/Not found: The ingredient is not recognized or not known to be used in cosmetics. Check that the ingredient is spelled correctly and is entered as per the naming conventions listed above. Also check spaces and punctuation. You may add information in Section 6 to help identify unknown ingredients (for example, Material Safety Data Sheets or Certificates of Analysis).

The Hotlist should be consulted each time a CNF is submitted. If you are unsure if an ingredient is permitted for use in a cosmetic, please Contact us — Consumer Product Safety Program — Health Canada - Canada.ca

Concentration of ingredients

You can provide the concentration of an ingredient as:

• Exact concentration: Please enter the exact concentration, in the "Exact concentration" field
• Concentration range *New*: You may also select a range code from the drop-down list; the lower and upper concentrations will be automatically populated.

The table below lists the concentration ranges corresponding to the 13 range codes as described in the Cosmetic Regulations.

Tip: by providing the exact concentration, especially for ingredients that are described as restricted on the Hotlist, notifiers will avoid delays in processing their CNF.

Refer to Appendix 2 for a detailed explanation of how to calculate "concentration".

The total concentration should add up to 100% unless the formulation includes ingredients that are variable, and the "May contain" box has been checked.

Additional information for completing the product ingredients

"May contain" box

Should only be used in the case of a single CNF for multiple products:

1. list all the variable ingredients used in the product one by one in the ingredient lines
2. indicate the exact concentration or the concentration range for each ingredient
3. check the "May contain" box for each one

Aerosol container propellants

If the product is packaged in an aerosol container you must list the propellant ingredient and its concentration on the CNF and the product label.

Incidental ingredients

All ingredients present in the final product must be declared in the CNF. However, any incidental ingredients do not need to be listed, such as any processing aids that are either:

• added and removed during processing
• converted to a declared ingredient

Fragrance and flavouring agents

You may list flavouring ingredients individually or together using the term "flavour" or "aroma". You may list fragrance ingredients individually or together using the term "fragrance" or "parfum". Note – effective April 12, 2026, certain fragrance allergens must be listed as an ingredient in the CNF. For more information, please consult the Industry Guide for the labelling of cosmetics. See Appendix 2.

Important: It is the responsibility of the manufacturer or importer to make sure that a cosmetic meets the requirements of the FDA and the Cosmetic Regulations. As per Section 16 of the FDA, no person shall sell a cosmetic that:

• has in it any substance that may injure the health of the user when the cosmetic is used according to its directions or customary method, or
• consists of any filthy or decomposed substance or of any foreign matter.

Health Canada may take action to enforce the FDA and the CR, if a substance is present at a level that may cause injury, or that should otherwise not be present in the finished product, regardless of why the substance is present.

Section 6 - Additional documents and pictures

You should use this section to submit product labels, evidence of safety, or any other documents relevant to the product, if applicable.

If a cosmetic product has a particular labelling requirement, such as a warning or cautionary statement, or presents an avoidable hazard according to the Cosmetic Regulations or the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist, you will have to include copies of the labels and inserts with your CNF. If not provided at the time of notification, Health Canada may request that you submit other relevant documents when processing your notification.

To attach a document to the CNF, follow these steps:

1. Click the "Choose Files " button and select the document to be attached.
2. Add a title to each document and select a document type from the drop-down list menu. The most common selection will be "Label - Text" for a text only label, or "Label - Marketplace" for a label including graphics or printer proof.
3. Use the "Choose Files/Browse" button each time another document needs to be attached.
4. Use the "Remove Document #" button to remove an attached document.

Tip: Submit all required documents at the time of notification

If your completed form including attached digital files is larger than 70 MB, you will see an error message and be unable to submit. If this happens to you, follow these steps:

1. Submit as many attached digital files as you can to your form
2. Make sure you note the case number you receive when you submit that form
3. Go to the "Additional Information" web form and attach any additional digital files (those that put you over 70 MBs in total). Enter the case number of the original form in the "Case Number" field.

You can't submit executable files (for example, programs and.exe files) or compressed files (for example.ZIP files).

Section 7 - How to save your Cosmetic Notification Form

The information related to your CNF can be saved at any point while filling in the online form. Once you have filled out the CNF, save the file for your records. Saving a copy of the form will make it quicker and easier to submit an amendment or discontinuation of sales in the future.

Please note that if you do not save a copy of the.hcxs file, you will be required to manually re-enter all information when submitting an amendment or a discontinuation of sale for the product.

To save your online form:

1. Click on the button "Save my form"
2. From the pop-up menu presented, left click on the option "Save as…"
3. Using the "Save as" pop-up window presented, choose where your online form information can be saved on your computer. The file extension used is ".hcxs".
4. Save the file to a location that will be easy to find and use a name that includes the Case number and Submission number (generated after the CNF has been submitted). It is also a good idea to include the product name.

Note that in a file with the extension format ".hcxs" only the text entered in the online CNF will be saved. The form itself will not appear in its PDF or HTML formats.

Health Canada recommends you also save a PDF version of your form (e.g. "Print to PDF" from the webpage) as this format will allow you to recall and see the information as it was entered into the form without having to access the information again via the online form. In addition, should you wish, you could share the PDF version of the form with third parties.

Section 8 - How to submit your Cosmetic Notification Form

Before submitting the CNF, you must review the information include in the form and check the box for the declaration:

• I hereby declare that all the information I am submitting is, to the best of my knowledge, true, accurate, current, and complete.
• I understand that providing false or incomplete information may result in the cosmetic notification form not being processed, which can result in compliance and enforcement actions.

In the Signature box, you must include your first and last name as the notifier. The first and last name indicated in the signature box must match the name of the contact person in the Notifier section.

Click the "Proceed to Submit" button to submit the CNF. A confirmation will be displayed if the CNF has been successfully submitted, along with the Case and Submission numbers. If the form contains errors or is incomplete, error messages will appear at the top of the CNF as well as in the relevant sections and those will need to be corrected before the form can be submitted.

Take note of your Case and Submission numbers. Always include them when communicating with us about a specific product notification.

If you have problems submitting the CNF, review the Help on Forms page.

Section 9 - How to view/edit your previous Cosmetic Notification Form

Open the CNF webpage and go to Section 9. Then:

1. Select the.hcxs file you previously saved on your computer, using the "Choose File/Browse" button
2. The file name of the selected file will be displayed to the right of the "Choose File" button
3. Click on the "Upload Information" button
4. The information previously saved will be presented in the online form
5. If you edit the information and you wish to submit it, please refer to Section 8 - How to submit you Cosmetic Notification Form for more details.

Make sure the online form you are using is empty (does not contain information from another CNF) before you upload your information file. Also, for others to view or edit the content of your CNF, they must first:

1. open the online form on the Health Canada website (on their browser)
2. upload the information file you forwarded to them

Amendments and discontinuations

You must submit amendments whenever a change to the product needs to be made, such as:

• product brand and name
• contact information
• ingredient list

You should submit a discontinuation as soon as you have stopped selling a cosmetic in Canada.

The manufacturer/importer should determine the most appropriate time to submit the discontinuation notification, which may be when:

• the last stock of the product has been sold
• the product has been manufactured for the final time
• the product has been imported into Canada for the final time
• the manufacturer or importer estimates that the retail stock has been depleted

To amend or discontinue a product, open the CNF webpage and scroll to Section 9. Then proceed using these steps:

1. Use the "Choose file/Browse" button to select the file containing the information; the file will have the extension ".hcxs"
2. Use the "Upload information" button to upload the information. The information previously saved will populate the CNF
3. For an amendment, select "Amendment" as the Notification Type in Section 1 of the CNF and add the Cosmetic Number
4. Make any necessary changes and click the "Proceed to submit" button to submit online
5. Remember to save a copy of any changes to your CNF information for your own records (refer to the Saving your Cosmetic Notification information section for more details)
6. For a discontinuation, follow the same process, but select "Discontinue Sale" as the Notification Type in Section 1 of the CNF rather than "Amendment"

Reference numbers associated with CNF

Cosmetic Number (CN): The CN is an 8 eight-digit unique identifier assigned by Health Canada for record keeping purposes. Once the CNF is processed, a CN will be assigned and sent to the notifier via email. For amendments or discontinuation of sale, enter the CN (if available) to speed processing. Receiving a notification number does not constitute approval of the product by Health Canada.

This CN should also be used in any correspondence with Health Canada related to a product. This is equivalent to the "CNF number" used before 2013.

Case and Submission numbers: The Case and Submission numbers are internal tracking numbers for submitted CNFs. The numbers are assigned and inserted directly into the CNF when submitted online. Including the Case and Submission numbers in correspondence with Health Canada regarding the CNF improves our ability to identify the product(s) in question.