Regulatory & Compliance

Cosmetics Labelling Requirements in the GCC — A Complete Guide

Label compliance is one of the most common points of failure for cosmetics entering GCC markets. A product that passes ingredient review can still be rejected at customs or pulled from retail shelves because of a labelling deficiency — missing Arabic text, no importer details, or an incorrectly formatted ingredient list. Getting labels right before production starts saves significant cost and delay.

This guide covers the mandatory labelling elements for cosmetics sold across the GCC, the Arabic language requirement, how to handle the ingredient list, and practical guidance on preparing GCC-compliant label artwork.

Cosmetics Labelling Requirements in the GCC — Mandatory Elements

Under GSO 1943 (the GCC Technical Regulation on Cosmetics) and the individual national regulations of each member state, the following elements are mandatory on every cosmetic product sold in the GCC. All mandatory elements must appear in Arabic, either alone or alongside English or another language.

The Arabic language requirement — what it means in practice

Arabic is a mandatory labelling language for all cosmetic products sold in GCC markets. This is non-negotiable. Products arriving at GCC customs without Arabic labelling will not be cleared. Products found on shelves without Arabic labelling are subject to confiscation and market withdrawal.

In practice, there are two compliant approaches:

• Bilingual label — the product label carries both English and Arabic text in a bilingual format. This is the preferred approach for brands targeting both GCC and international markets, as it allows a single label design to serve both
• Supplementary label (sticker) — an Arabic-language supplementary label is applied over or alongside the original label. Common for smaller brands or for managing inventory between GCC and non-GCC markets. Customs authorities accept this but retail buyers may prefer cleaner bilingual artwork

Minimum font size requirements for legibility apply — typically 1mm minimum character height, though this varies by element and jurisdiction. Work with a designer who understands GCC label compliance to ensure font sizes meet requirements across all mandatory elements.

The ingredient list — INCI format for GCC

The ingredient list must use INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) names — the same standardised system used in EU labelling. INCI names are primarily in Latin or English and are recognisable internationally. Arabic translation of INCI names is not required — the INCI list may appear in English or Latin even on a GCC-market label.

The rules for the ingredient list:

• Listed in descending order of concentration (highest percentage first)
• Ingredients present at 1% or less may be listed in any order after all ingredients above 1%
• Colourants may be listed at the end of the ingredient list in any order, identified by their CI (Colour Index) number
• Fragrance is listed as “Parfum” or “Fragrance” — the individual fragrance ingredients do not need to be listed unless they are known allergens at concentrations above the reporting threshold
• Preceded by the word “Ingredients:” (or “المكونات:” in Arabic, though English INCI names are accepted)

Your manufacturer must provide you with the full INCI ingredient list in descending concentration order for every formula. This is a standard deliverable for any GMP-certified manufacturer and should be provided as part of your production documentation.

Importer / authorised agent details

Every cosmetic product imported into a GCC market must identify a local importer or authorised agent on the label. This is the entity registered with the national authority as the responsible party for the product in that market. Their name and address must appear on the label, either as part of the primary label or on a supplementary label applied by the importer before distribution.

The practical implication: if you are selling through a distributor in the UAE and a separate distributor in Saudi Arabia, you will need different label versions (or supplementary labels) identifying the correct local entity for each market. This is a significant logistical consideration for brands managing multi-market GCC distribution.

Some brands manage this by printing labels with a blank space for the importer information, which is then applied by each country’s distributor. This is acceptable in most GCC markets provided all other mandatory elements are pre-printed correctly.

Date of minimum durability vs Period After Opening

GCC regulation follows the same logic as EU regulation on this point:

• If a product has a shelf life of less than 30 months, the date of minimum durability must be shown — typically in “MM/YYYY” or “Month Year” format, preceded by a hourglass symbol or the phrase “best used before” in Arabic
• If a product has a shelf life of 30 months or more, the date of minimum durability is not required. Instead, an open jar symbol (the PAO symbol) must be shown, followed by the period after opening in months — for example, “12M” means the product is safe for use up to 12 months after opening

Your stability testing data will determine the shelf life claim. Your manufacturer’s quality team will advise on appropriate PAO periods based on formulation type and packaging format. Typically, anhydrous products (oils, balms) have longer PAO periods; water-based products have shorter ones.

Mandatory warnings by product type

GSO 1943 specifies mandatory warning statements for particular categories of cosmetic product. These must appear on the label in Arabic. Some examples of product types requiring specific warnings:

This list is not exhaustive. Verify specific mandatory warnings for your product category with your regulatory adviser or the relevant national authority.

Claims on cosmetic labels

Product claims — what you say your product does — are governed by the GCC regulation’s requirement that claims be honest, non-misleading, and supported by evidence. Claims that imply a medicinal action (treating, curing, or preventing a disease or medical condition) push a cosmetic product into pharmaceutical territory and require a different regulatory pathway.

Common claim pitfalls on GCC labels:

• Anti-ageing claims framed as permanent structural change rather than temporary cosmetic effect
• Claims about treating acne or eczema rather than cosmetically managing their appearance
• Hair growth claims that imply treatment of medical hair loss conditions
• SPF claims without appropriate test evidence and mandatory warnings

Check all claims against the relevant GCC standards and your own supporting data before committing to label artwork.

Summary

GCC cosmetics labelling requires Arabic language for all mandatory elements, a full INCI ingredient list in descending concentration order, importer or authorised agent identification for each market, correct use of date of minimum durability or PAO symbol based on shelf life, and all product-type specific warnings in Arabic. Working with a UAE-based GMP-certified manufacturer means your production documentation — INCI lists, batch numbers, stability data — is already formatted to support GCC-compliant labelling from the start.