Updates to Canada’s Cosmetic Notification Form: Key Changes and Compliance Tips

By: Ivy Tang, PRINCIPAL REGULATORY CONSULTANT, email

The Cosmetic Notification Form (CNF) is a regulatory requirement in Canada designed to ensure that cosmetics comply with safety standards outlined in the Food and Drugs Act and Cosmetic Regulations. The CNF collects essential product information for Health Canada, including product identification (name, function, form), a detailed ingredient list, and contact details for the manufacturer, importer, distributor, and/or formulator.

In April 2024, the Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Concerning the Disclosure of Cosmetic Ingredients: SOR/2024-63 were published. With these regulations coming into force on October 9^th, the following changes to the Cosmetic Notification Form will be implemented:

Section 2 – Product

• Type of Product: Notifiers must specify if the cosmetic is a leave-on or rinse-off product.
• Area of Application: This field is mandatory and must indicate where on the body the product will be applied.

Section 3 – Notifier

• Notifier: This can be the manufacturer, importer, or their representative. All communication will be directed to the notifier.

Section 4 – Manufacturing and Distribution

• New Title: This section will now be called “Manufacturing and Label Contact”.
• Notifiers must provide contact information for:
  • The manufacturer (as defined in the Cosmetic Regulations)
  • The importer
  • The person who formulated the product
• Definitions for “manufacturer” have been clarified.
• An address in Canada will be required (implementation date TBD).
• Use “Label contact” to provide consumer contact info (e.g., phone, email).

Section 5 – Product Ingredients

• INCI Requirement: Mandatory for all ingredients. Use chemical names if INCI is unavailable. Users can initiate a search by typing the first few letters of the ingredient and selecting ‘Begins with’ or ‘Contains’ to find INCI name options.
• A new field for Exact Concentration will be available.
• New concentration ranges will align with updated regulations.
• If any ingredient is “restricted,” a label text copy must be submitted.

Section 8 – Submit (formerly Section 7)

• A new field, Declaration: Notifiers must confirm that all submitted information is accurate and complete, understanding that false information may lead to processing issues.
• A new field, Signature: Notifiers must enter their full name, matching the name in the Notifier section

Read more about the Regulatory update in our 2024 Updates to the Canadian Cosmetic Regulations blog post.

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