Importing cosmetics or skincare from China to Australia? This Brisbane-focused 2026 guide covers cosmetic vs therapeutic classification, AICIS registration, labelling rules, landed costs and how to verify a factory.
Last updated: 19 June 2026
In short: To import cosmetics and skincare from China to Australia, you need to (1) confirm whether your product is a cosmetic or a therapeutic good, (2) register your business with AICIS (the industrial chemicals regulator that oversees most cosmetics), (3) make sure ingredients and labelling meet Australian rules, and (4) factor in GST, duty, and freight from Chinese factories to ports like Brisbane. Most Brisbane SMEs can land a compliant first order within 8–12 weeks once a verified supplier is locked in. Get it wrong and your stock can be held at the border — so compliance is not optional.
This is the single most important question, and most first-time importers get it wrong. In Australia, a cosmetic cleanses, beautifies, or changes appearance — think moisturisers, lipsticks, cleansers, and serums that don't claim to treat a medical condition. These are regulated as industrial chemicals under AICIS (the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme).
A therapeutic good makes a health claim — sunscreen, anti-acne treatments, anti-dandruff shampoos, or anything claiming to "treat", "heal", or "prevent". These fall under the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) and face a much tougher, more expensive pathway.
The line matters because a single word on your label — "anti-ageing" versus "reduces the appearance of fine lines" — can flip your product from a simple cosmetic into a therapeutic good. When in doubt, check before you order, not after your container lands in Brisbane.
Yes. If you're bringing cosmetics into Australia as a business, you almost always need to register with AICIS each financial year. Registration is tiered by your annual import or manufacture value, and the base registration is an affordable annual fee for small importers.
AICIS distinguishes between "listed", "reported", "exempted", and "assessed" introductions based on the risk of the chemicals involved. Most everyday skincare ingredients fall into the lower-risk categories, but you're responsible for confirming every ingredient is permitted for use in Australia. Your Chinese supplier should provide a full INCI ingredient list — if they won't, walk away.
Australian cosmetic labels must comply with the Cosmetics Standard 2007 and Australian Consumer Law. At a minimum, your labelling needs to show:
Chinese factories will happily print whatever artwork you send them — but the legal responsibility for a compliant label sits with you, the Australian importer. Build your compliant label artwork first, then send it to the factory as part of the production file.
Beyond the unit price, budget for GST (10% on the landed value), customs duty (cosmetics are often duty-free under the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement, but verify your tariff code), freight, and AICIS registration. Here's a simplified worked example for a Brisbane skincare brand importing 2,000 units of a moisturiser:
Cost itemAmount (AUD)2,000 units @ $2.80 FOB$5,600Sea freight (LCL, Shenzhen to Brisbane)$900Customs duty (0% under ChAFTA, verify code)$0GST (10% on landed value)~$650AICIS annual registration (base tier)~$430Approx. total landed~$7,580
That's a landed cost of roughly $3.79/unit — and if your retail price is $24.95, you're looking at healthy margins even after marketing. The numbers are illustrative; freight and exchange rates move, so always price your specific order. With a stronger AUD in 2026, Brisbane importers are seeing import costs ease compared with prior years.
The beauty category is full of trading companies posing as factories, so verification is everything. Prioritise suppliers that hold GMPC (Good Manufacturing Practice for Cosmetics) or ISO 22716 certification, can provide their AICIS-relevant ingredient documentation, and will send a paid sample before you commit to a production run.
Always order samples first, run a stability and skin-patch check, and ideally arrange a factory audit before paying a deposit. A good supplier welcomes scrutiny; a dodgy one stalls. This is exactly where a sourcing partner with bilingual teams on the ground in China earns its fee — they walk the factory floor so you don't have to fly to Guangzhou.
Yes. There's no requirement to be a company — a sole trader with an ABN can register with AICIS and import. You're still fully responsible for compliance, labelling, and product safety.
There's no blanket pre-market approval for ordinary cosmetics, but you must ensure ingredients are permitted and the product is safe. Microbiological and stability testing is strongly recommended, and any product making therapeutic claims will need TGA evaluation.
For a verified supplier, expect roughly 2–4 weeks for samples and approval, 3–5 weeks for production, and 3–4 weeks for sea freight to Brisbane — about 8–12 weeks end to end for a first order.
Generally no. Most sunscreens are therapeutic goods regulated by the TGA, which means a far more involved (and costly) approval pathway than a standard moisturiser. Confirm classification before you order.
Non-compliant goods can be held, re-exported, or destroyed at your cost, and you may face penalties under the ACL. Getting classification and labelling right before production is far cheaper than fixing it at the wharf.
At Epic Sourcing, we've sourced over 20,000 products for 300+ happy clients, with average savings around 77% and bilingual teams on the ground in China and Vietnam. We help Brisbane beauty brands verify cosmetics factories, lock in GMPC-certified suppliers, manage compliant production files, and handle freight to your door. Selling other consumer goods? See our guide to importing toys from China to Australia. If you're ready to import skincare or cosmetics the smart way, give us a bell and book a discovery call.
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