1 Table of Contents  
Introduction  ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 
Cosmetic products  ....................................................................................................................................... 4 
Where do we get our cosmetics from in Australia? .................................................................... 4 
The Australian cosmetics industry  .................................................................................................  4 
The regulation of cosmetics  ..................................................................................................................... 5 
Cosmetic Products  ........................................................................................................................... 5 
Chemical ingredients used in cosmetics  ...................................................................................... 5 
Animal testing of cosmetic products or ingredients  ..................................................................... 6 
Why is animal testing carried out for cosmetics?  ........................................................................ 6 
Is using animals to test cosmetics legally required in Australia? .............................................. 6 
What is happening internationally?  ...................................................................................................... 7 
How can I be involved?  ............................................................................................................................... 8 
 
©Department of Health    
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Introduction 
The Australian Government has announced its commitment to implement a ban on testing 
cosmetics on animals.  This commitment recognises the strong view many Australians have 
on this issue and brings Australia into line with similar policies implemented in other 
countries.  In fulfilling this commitment  the Government will ensure that the impact to 
business,  trade and industry  is taken into account and is minimised in the approach going 
forward, whilst continuing to maintain Australia’s high standards in p rotecting public health, 
worker safety and the environment.  
The Australian Government is in the initial stages of a phased consultation process  to better 
understand and consider ideas, key issues and views  in the development of the policy . 
The purpose of thi s paper is to provide important background and contextual information.  It 
does not provide a comprehensive analysis or put  forward policy options.  Its purpose is to 
provide as a starting point to an important consultation process with the Australian 
comm unity.  
The Australian Government therefore encourages you to participate in the consultation process and is inviting you to contribute to the development of the policy.   
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Cosmetic products  
Cosmetics (and other personal care items) are chemical products that  are designed to be 
repeatedly applied directly to the human body, or inside the mouth, to change its 
appearance, cleanse it, keep in good condition, perfume it or protect it.  
Cosmetic products include:  
• Oral hygiene: mouthwash and toothpaste  
• Soaps and deodorants : antiperspirants, bath gels, body washes, antibacterial hand 
washes, shampoos and conditioners;  
• Skin care : skin cleansing, acne washes, secondary sun protection products (with an 
SPF of 15  or below ), lip care creams, anti -ageing creams, facial moist urisers, body 
lotions, hand/feet/skin emollients and shaving creams;  
• Make up and beauty : nail polish, mascara, make up, depilatory products, hair dyes 
and perfumes; and  
• Some baby care and hygiene products.  
Cosmetics are products that are used by consumers every day –  there are estimates 
that each consumer  uses at least  seven different  cosmetics per day and many of us will 
use more1. 
Where do we get our cosmetics from in Australia?  
The majority (>80%) of the cosmetic products sold in Australia are imported,2 principally 
from the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Thailand and China.3  
The Australian cosmetics industry  
The Australian cosmetics manufacturing industry principally consists of small, niche 
manufacturing companies. Australian cosmetic products have a global reputation for being high-quality, clean and environmentally friendly. Their reputation has contributed to growth in 
exports which are estimated to be worth $535 million annually, which represents over half of 
the total manufacturing revenue.
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1 http://europa.eu/rapid/press -release_MEMO -13-188_en.htm  
2 IBIS World Industry Report C1852, Cosmetics, Perfume and Toiletries Manufacturing in Australia 
(June 2016)  
3  IBIS World Industry Report G4271b, Cosmetic and Toiletry Retailing in Australia (May 2016)  
4 IBIS World Industry Report C1852, Cosmetics, Perfume and Toiletries Manufacturing in Australia 
(June 2016)  
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                                                           The regulation of cosmetics 
In Australia, cosmetics are regulated at the Commonwealth, and state and territory level.  
These regulatory frameworks establish requirements which ensure the safety and efficacy of 
cosmetics sold in Australia .  
Cosmetic  Products  
Cosmetics are a consumer good and are subject to the broad provisions of the Australian 
Consumer Law (ACL) (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010) which is 
regulated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.  The ACL provides a 
range of statutory guarantees to consumers when they purchase goods and services to 
ensure they are safe and of acceptable quality. Separately,  a specific information standard 
makes it illegal to supply cosmetic products  that do not supply ingredient information to 
consumers at the point of sale (for details 
see  https://www.productsafety.gov.au/standards/cosmetics -ingredients -labelling).  
The Cosmetics Standard 2007 and the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines 
and Poisons  place further restrictions on ingredients used in cosmetic products and sets 
requirements for specified products to distinguish them from similar goods that are for therapeutic us e.  
Chemical ingredients used in cosmetics  
The import and/or manufacture (‘introduction’) of cosmetic ingredients are subject to regulation under the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme 
(NICNAS), which is established by the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) 
Act 1989 .  Industrial chemicals are defined by exclusion (chemicals that are not therapeutic 
goods, agricultural or veterinary chemicals, food or food additives) and hence include cosmetic ingredients. There is no standalone legislation for cosmetics; and chemical 
ingredients used in cosmetics are often used in a broad range of other consumer and 
industrial products.  
Chemical ingredients proposed to be used in cosmetic products are required to be notified 
and (unless exempt from assessment) assessed for human health and environmental 
impacts. The extent of scientific information required for assessment depends on the category under which a chemical is notified.  
In general, the amount and type of information required to be submitted to assess the risks 
of a cosmetic ingredient depend on the volume or concentration proposed for its use, and 
the hazardous nature of the chemical (factors that determine the estimated risk from the chemicals use). A full suite of health effects information is only required for those chemicals considered to warrant in- depth assessment (e.g. hazardous chemicals, or those introduced 
in high volumes and/or at high concentrations). The quality of data submitted is evaluated 
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with reference to the Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development (OECD) 
Test Guidelines5, which have wide international regulatory acceptance.  
Animal testing of cosmetic products or 
ingredients 
Animal testing relates to the use of animals in experiments and development projects usually 
to determine toxicity, dosing and/or efficacy of the test chemical or product.  
In a product safety framework, data derived from animal testing is used to help determine 
the limits for safe use of chemicals in order to protect  human and animal health, and the 
environment.   
Why is animal testing carried out for cosmetics? 
Cosmetics are used by consumers every day and therefore it is crucial to make sure that 
products that come into contact with our body every day  are safe for human health.  
The OECD offers guidelines on the testing of chemicals which provide the most relevant, 
internationally agreed testing methods for governments, industry and independent 
laboratories to assess the safety of chemicals.   
Whilst a nimal testing has  in the past  been considered a  reliable means of assessing the 
risks of a substance  or what most would call an ‘Ingredient’ of a product. A lternative non-
animal tests are being developed and have been validated for a range of health effect s.  
However,  it should be noted that  this is an emerging area of research with some non -animal 
test methods  not yet available for all health effects, either because they have not yet been 
developed or because they are still in the process of evaluation and validation.  
Is using animals to test cosmetics legally required in Australia?  
Australia’s regulatory framework for cosmetic ingredients, administered by N ational Industrial 
Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme, does not require any cosmetic product to be tested on animals and requires  animal test data only  in certain circumstances (and where 
there are no non -animal alternative tests available) if a company is introducing a new 
chemical ingredient into Australia.  
  
5,5 OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals  
http://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/testing/oecdguidelinesforthetestingofchemicals.htm  
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                                                           What is happening internationall y? 
The issue of testing on animals for cosmetics is not a new one when looking internationally.  
Many countries have debated this issue and have put in place policies that meet their 
circumstances.  Whilst all countries have tailored their approaches and t here are differences 
compared to one another, fundamentally all put in place a ban on the testing of cosmetics on 
animals.  
As illustrated below, other c ountries have implemented a ban, in some form , for example:  
• EU, India, Israel and NZ all have bans on te sting cosmetics and ingredients on 
animals;  
• EU has a general marketing ban on cosmetic products tested on animals; and 
• India and Israel have import bans on cosmetic products and ingredients tested on 
animals.  
 
  
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How can I be involved? 
This paper forms the  first stage of a phased consultation process to help shape the 
approach the Australian Government will take in implementing its commitment to Ban the 
testing of Cosmetics on Animals.  
As outlined previously the Australian Government invites you to participate in this process to 
help the policy development process.  
Further information about how you can get involved can be found on  Department of Health 
website : www.health.gov.au  
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