Can you sell skincare on Etsy?

Reviewed by our formulation chemist team. Updated October 2026.

What Etsy allows in bath and beauty, how its handmade and production partner rules apply to a skincare brand, the claims and ingredients it bans, what you owe buyers in the US, EU and UK, and every fee as of October 2026.

Not legal adviceThis guide summarizes Etsy's policies and US, EU and UK cosmetics rules as of October 2026. Etsy changes its policies often and decides itself whether a listing fits, so read the current pages and ask a regulatory adviser for anything unusual.

Short answer

Yes, Etsy allows skincare, but with three limits. Every item must fit Etsy's Creativity Standards: made by you, or your own design produced by a production partner that you disclose in the listing, which rules out simply relabeling a stock product. Etsy bans items that claim to treat, prevent, cure or diagnose a disease, any product that is both a cosmetic and a drug (such as sunscreen, acne treatments or anti-dandruff products), and cosmetics containing listed ingredients such as hydroquinone, tretinoin, mercury compounds and microbeads. You remain responsible for the law where your buyers live: FDA labeling and MoCRA in the US, and an EU or UK Responsible Person plus a CPNP or SCPN notification before you ship cosmetics to buyers there.

What Etsy allows in skincare

Etsy is a marketplace for items "made, designed, handpicked, or sourced" by sellers. Bath and beauty is a large category there: soaps, balms, body butters, face oils, serums, lip care and gift sets. Etsy's Seller Handbook article on cosmetics uses the US legal definition, articles applied to the body "for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance", and says that if your product meets it, it is a cosmetic even if you list it as "personal care" or "beauty".

So the question is not whether skincare is allowed. It is whether your product passes four tests:

The creativity test
Did you make it, or is it your own design produced with a production partner? A product bought from a supplier and resold as is does not fit.
The drug test
Is it a cosmetic only? Etsy prohibits products that are both cosmetics and drugs, and items making medical claims.
The ingredient test
Is every ingredient allowed under Etsy's cosmetics ingredients list and the law where you sell?
The compliance test
Is it labeled, notified and made the way the buyer's country requires? Etsy can ask for copies of your labels and documents.

Handmade, production partners and private label

Etsy's Creativity Standards (last updated 10 June 2025) set four categories. Two matter for skincare:

Made by a seller: items crafted by hand, hand altered or hand assembled by you, or produced in your own shop with tools. A balm you mix and pour in your workshop is the classic case.
Designed by a seller: "Original designs created by a seller and produced with the assistance of a production partner." Etsy's examples are a dress reproduced at scale and a printed coloring book. The rule: "Sellers must disclose that an item is made by a production partner, and provide accurate information about where the item will ship from."

The standards also say what does not qualify. Under "sourced by a seller", resold "cosmetic" supplies are listed as not allowed, and resold commercially available items that are ready to use are excluded from the other categories too. That gives a simple rule of thumb for a skincare brand made by a manufacturer:

Your product	Fits Etsy?	Why
You formulate and fill it yourself in your own workshop	Yes, "made by a seller"	You still need a safe formula, correct labels and GMP-style hygiene
A formula developed to your brief, in packaging and artwork you designed, produced by a manufacturer	Possibly, as "designed by a seller" with a production partner	You must disclose the production partner in the listing. Etsy decides whether the design is yours
A manufacturer's stock product with only your label added	Risky, likely no	Close to a resold commercial item; Etsy can remove the listing
Another brand's skincare bought wholesale and resold	No	Resold ready-to-use items are outside the Creativity Standards

Etsy's Seller Policy repeats the disclosure duty: "If you work with a production partner, you must disclose that production partner in your relevant listings." It also asks for your own photos and videos of the product, not stock images or renderings, with limited exceptions for items made with a production partner. If your brand is built on a manufacturer's ready formula, your own website and marketplaces such as Amazon or TikTok Shop are usually a better fit than Etsy. See OEM vs ODM vs private label for how the routes differ.

Opening an Etsy shop, step by step

Decide where the shop is based
Your shop location sets your payment processing fee, payout currency and payment partner. Etsy's payments policy lists the fee by country: for example 3% plus $0.25 in the United States and 4% plus 0.20 GBP in the United Kingdom (as of October 2026). Sellers in some countries, including South Korea, must onboard through Payoneer.
Create the account and pay any set-up fee
Etsy may charge a one-time set-up fee during onboarding; if it applies, it is shown and charged as part of shop set-up and is non-refundable once the shop opens.
Verify identity and add payment details
Etsy Payments is required where it is available. Add a bank account in your name or business name and a card for fees.
Write shop policies
Returns, exchanges and processing times. EU and UK buyers may have a 14-day right of withdrawal, which Etsy's Seller Policy notes may not apply to some items, such as custom or perishable goods. Many beauty sellers refuse returns of opened products for hygiene reasons; say so clearly.
Check each product against the rules below
Creativity Standards, prohibited items, the cosmetics ingredient list, and the labeling and notification rules of every country you will ship to.
List with your own photos and full information
Title, photos, price, quantity, shipping profile, production partner (if any) and the full ingredient list and directions in the description. Each listing costs $0.20 and lasts four months.
Set shipping profiles by country
Ship only to countries where you meet the cosmetics rules. It is easier to start with your home country than to switch on worldwide shipping on day one.

Medical claims, drugs and banned ingredients

Medical claims

Etsy's Prohibited Items Policy (last updated 6 October 2026) covers "medical drugs, medical devices, and any other item that claims to treat, prevent, mitigate, cure, or diagnose a disease or medical condition". Its cosmetics ingredients page adds that Etsy prohibits items "intended for the treatment or prevention of an illness or a health condition, or affecting the structure or function of the body." That last part matters for skincare copy: "boosts collagen production", "repairs the skin barrier at a cellular level" or "regrows hair" describe changes to the structure or function of the body.

Products that are both a cosmetic and a drug

Etsy's Seller Handbook explains that some products are both under US law, such as anti-dandruff shampoo and sunscreen moisturizers, and says that "If a product is both a cosmetic and a drug, it would be prohibited by our Prohibited Items policy for drugs." It also notes that FDA does not recognize "cosmeceutical" as a category. In practice, these are out on Etsy:

Anything with SPF or a sun protection claim (in the US, sunscreen is an OTC drug; see the sunscreen regulation guide).
Acne treatments with drug actives or acne treatment claims.
Anti-dandruff, antiperspirant and skin-bleaching products.
Essential oil blends sold with health claims; Etsy's handbook says claims that an oil will cure or alleviate an illness are medical claims.

Banned ingredients

Etsy's Cosmetics Ingredients policy prohibits cosmetics that contain "any amount" of the listed ingredients, and says the list is not exhaustive and can change. Examples relevant to skincare include hydroquinone, mequinol, tretinoin, clobetasol, mercury compounds, trichloroacetic acid, microbeads, Lilial and Lyral (two fragrance ingredients banned in the EU), kohl, black henna, DMSO, chloroform and injectable skin products, including fillers and skin lighteners. Etsy also restricts some color additives and points sellers to FDA, EU, Australian and Canadian ingredient lists. Check every ingredient of every formula against the current list before you list it, and ask your manufacturer to confirm none are present.

Products Etsy says may pose a hazard

Hazardous materials are banned, and Etsy points beauty sellers to its handbook articles because some ingredients are hazardous in certain contexts. Essential oils with methyl salicylate (common in wintergreen and birch oil) need child-resistant packaging under US Consumer Product Safety Commission rules, per Etsy's handbook.

US buyers: FDA labels and MoCRA

Etsy's cosmetics handbook summarizes the US duties, and they apply to a one-person shop as much as to a large brand:

Label: the identity of the product, net contents, the ingredient list, the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor, the country of origin and any required warnings. Etsy says it may request copies of your labels or ask that label information appear in the listing. See the cosmetic label requirements guide.
Color additives: only FDA-approved colors, some only from certified batches, and stricter rules near the eyes and on the lips.
Safety and GMP: Etsy's handbook says you or your supplier should use good manufacturing practices and package products so they do not get contaminated, and that you must notify Etsy and FDA and act if you learn of a safety issue.
MoCRA: the brand must list each product with FDA, the facility must be registered, and you must keep safety substantiation, report serious adverse events and put a US contact on the label. FDA's small business fact sheet says certain small businesses (under $1 million in average yearly US cosmetic sales) are exempt from registration and listing, but not if the products contact the mucous membrane of the eye, are injected, are for internal use, or alter appearance for more than 24 hours. The other duties still apply. Details in the MoCRA guide.
State rules: several states ban ingredients such as PFAS in cosmetics; see Prop 65 and state bans.

EU and UK buyers: Responsible Person, CPNP and SCPN

Etsy's ingredient policy says it is "up to you to ensure that you comply with all local laws and regulations for the markets you serve." For cosmetics, the EU and UK are the strictest markets an Etsy seller usually ships to.

Duty	EU (27 member states)	Great Britain
Law	Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009	The GB version of the same law, enforced by OPSS
Responsible Person	A person or company established in the EU, named on the label	A UK Responsible Person with a UK established address (no PO box or forwarding service)
Safety report	Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) signed by a qualified safety assessor, in a Product Information File (PIF)	Same, kept by the UK Responsible Person
Notification before sale	CPNP (Cosmetic Products Notification Portal)	Submit cosmetic product notifications service (SCPN), before the product is made available in GB
Label	Ingredient list in INCI names, fragrance allergens above thresholds, PAO or best-before date, batch, Responsible Person address, language of the country	Similar, with the UK Responsible Person address

A seller outside the EU who ships to EU consumers still needs these: the EU market surveillance regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, Article 4) requires an economic operator in the EU for products sold online that fall under the cosmetics regulation, and a parcel from a non-EU seller with no EU Responsible Person can be stopped. The EU also adds general product safety duties for online sales (GPSR); see the EU GPSR and packaging rules guide. In depth: the EU cosmetics regulation guide and the UK cosmetics regulation guide.

ExampleA US shop sells a 30 mL rosehip face oil to buyers in the US, Germany and the UK. For Germany it needs an EU Responsible Person, a CPSR and PIF, a CPNP notification and a label with the EU Responsible Person's address and the INCI list. For the UK it needs a UK Responsible Person and an SCPN notification. Until both are in place, the shop should switch off shipping to the EU and UK in its shipping profiles rather than risk returned parcels and fines.

Listing and claims compliance

Write cosmetic claims, not medical ones
"Softens dry patches", "leaves skin looking calmer", "gentle enough for daily use" are cosmetic. "Heals eczema", "cures acne", "anti-inflammatory", "treats rosacea", "kills bacteria" and "boosts collagen" are medical or structure and function claims and can get the listing removed. See cosmetic vs drug claims.
Watch the tags and the title
Etsy search reads tags, so a tag like "eczema cream" or "acne treatment" is a claim too. Use descriptive tags: "fragrance free face balm", "barrier cream for dry skin".
Put the full ingredient list and directions in the description
It matches the label, helps buyers with allergies, and answers Etsy if it asks for label information.
Use your own photos, no filters on skin
Etsy requires your own photos or videos. If you show results, follow the before-and-after rules in photos, testimonials and reviews.
Be careful with "natural", "organic" and "vegan"
"Organic" has legal meaning in several markets and needs certification for a seal; "vegan" and "cruelty-free" need proof. See what skincare claims you can make.
Disclose the production partner
If a manufacturer produces your design, add the production partner to the listing as Etsy's Seller Policy requires, and state where the item ships from.

Fees as of October 2026

From Etsy's Fees and Payments Policy (last updated 5 October 2026), Payments Policy and Advertising Policy:

Fee	Amount	Notes
Set-up fee	One-time, if applicable	Shown and charged during shop set-up; non-refundable once the shop opens
Listing fee	$0.20 per listing	Lasts four months; auto-renew charges $0.20 again
Transaction fee	6.5%	Of the displayed price plus shipping and gift wrap
Payment processing	By country: 3% plus $0.25 in the US; 4% plus 0.20 GBP in the UK; 3% plus 0.25 CAD in Canada	Assessed on the total order amount
Currency conversion	2.5%	Only if you list in a currency other than your payment account currency
Regulatory operating fee	A fixed percentage in some countries	Charged where Etsy has extra compliance costs
Offsite Ads	15% of an attributed order; 12% once your shop passes $10,000 USD in sales over 365 days	Capped at $100 USD per order. Opt-out allowed only while under $10,000 USD
Etsy Ads	Cost per click, within a daily budget you set	Daily budget at or above a minimum set by Etsy
Etsy Plus (optional)	$10 USD a month	Includes 15 listing credits and $5 USD of Etsy Ads credit each cycle

ExampleA US shop sells a $32 face serum with $5 shipping, a $37 order. Listing fee $0.20, transaction fee 6.5% = $2.41, processing 3% plus $0.25 = $1.36. Total Etsy fees: about $3.97, or 10.7% of the order. If the sale came from an Offsite Ad, add 15% = $5.55, for about $9.52 (25.7%). Price for the Offsite Ads case, not the best case. The pricing guide shows the full cost stack.

Shipping and fulfillment

Etsy has no fulfillment network like Amazon FBA or Walmart WFS. You ship orders yourself or through a 3PL (third-party logistics warehouse) connected to your shop. For skincare:

Leaks and heat: use pumps or droppers with a locking collar or shrink band, bag liquids, and avoid shipping balms and oils through hot weeks without padding.
Alcohol and aerosols: an alcohol-based toner with a low flash point or an aerosol mist is a dangerous good for carriers, especially by air and internationally. See the hazmat shipping guide.
Lot and expiry: keep a record of which batch went to which buyer, so you can act on a complaint or recall. See recalls and adverse events.
Customs: parcels to the EU and UK need a customs declaration with an accurate description and HS code (most skincare is in heading 3304); see HS codes and duties.

If you grow beyond your kitchen table, the 3PL and fulfillment guide explains what a cosmetics warehouse must track.

Etsy Ads and Offsite Ads

Etsy Ads show your listings in Etsy search results and other places on Etsy. You set a daily budget, Etsy bids for you with auto-bidding in a second-price auction, and you pay per click. Etsy generally does not let you set your own cost per click. Ads rank on search relevance, listing quality (including policy compliance) and bids, so a listing with weak photos does not get better by spending more.

Offsite Ads are ads Etsy buys on other sites, such as social networks and search engines, that can include your listings. All sellers are enrolled. You pay nothing up front, but if a buyer clicks one and orders from your shop within 30 days, you pay 15% of the order (12% for shops that have passed $10,000 USD in sales in a 365-day period), capped at $100 USD per order. Shops under the threshold can opt out; shops that have passed it must take part for the life of the shop. If the buyer's last click was an Etsy Ad, only the Etsy Ads fee applies.

Fix the listing before you advertise
Five or more clear photos, including texture and scale, a title with the product type and size, complete tags, and a price that leaves margin after the 15% Offsite Ads case.
Start Etsy Ads on 3 to 5 best listings
Run a small daily budget for 2 to 4 weeks, then keep the listings whose ad spend returns orders at a margin you can live with.
Decide on Offsite Ads with numbers
If your margin is thin, opting out (while you can) may be right. If you have margin, Offsite Ads are free reach that you only pay for on sales.

Reviews rules

Etsy's Seller Policy lets buyers leave a review, with a 1 to 5 star rating and a photo or video, within 100 days of delivery or the estimated delivery date. Reviews and your responses may not include shilling or otherwise falsely inflate a shop's review score, or undermine the integrity of the reviews system. Buying from a competitor to leave a negative review is interference and banned. US law adds the FTC rule on fake reviews and testimonials, in force since 21 October 2024, which bans fake reviews, buying positive reviews and suppressing negative ones. Ask for an honest review once, after delivery, and never trade a discount or free product for one. More in reviews and social proof done legally.

What gets listings removed or shops suspended

Etsy uses automated systems, manual checks and reports from members and third parties. It can remove listings, limit the visibility of a shop, hold funds in a reserve, and suspend or terminate accounts; listing fees are not refunded. For skincare shops the usual causes are:

Medical or drug claims in titles, tags, descriptions or photos.
Products that are both a cosmetic and a drug, such as SPF moisturizers and acne treatments.
An ingredient on Etsy's banned list.
Items that do not fit the Creativity Standards, such as resold or relabeled stock, or an undisclosed production partner.
Stock photos or images copied from a supplier.
Missing or wrong labels when Etsy asks to see them.
Buyer complaints, cases and reactions you do not handle, which also hurt search ranking.

What Etsy and the law ask for, and which document answers it

For every marketplace side by side, see what each marketplace asks a skincare brand to prove. For Etsy:

Etsy or the law asks for	From KoreanOEM
Proof the item is your design made by a production partner	A formula adjusted or fully developed to your brief, and packaging sourced to your references; your brief, sample feedback and approvals stay on record in My page
Labels on request (US label elements)	Label proof check against US rules before printing, free on orders where we print the labels
Ingredient list, and proof that no banned ingredient is present	Full INCI list after the mutual NDA; tell us the Etsy list and the target markets and we confirm the formula against them
Safety and GMP	Production in an ISO 22716 cosmetics GMP facility; COA and microbiology for every batch; stability data for ready library formulas
US MoCRA product listing	Filed by our team: USD 150 per SKU
EU: CPSR, PIF and CPNP; EU Responsible Person	Through our partner: CPSR and PIF USD 1,250 per formula (UK notification included), CPNP USD 420 per product, Responsible Person USD 335 per product per year (UK and EU)
UK Responsible Person and SCPN	Responsible Person USD 240 per product per year (UK); UK notification included with the CPSR
SDS for carriers and hazmat checks	MSDS (SDS) for every product, included

Common mistakes

Listing a manufacturer's stock product with only a new label as "handmade". Etsy treats that as resold and can remove it.
Not disclosing a production partner, or using the manufacturer's photos instead of your own.
Adding SPF to a moisturizer, or selling an acne spot treatment with a drug active. Etsy bans cosmetic-drugs.
Tags such as "eczema", "psoriasis", "rosacea treatment" or "anti-inflammatory".
Shipping to the EU and UK with no Responsible Person and no CPNP or SCPN notification.
Pricing for the best case and losing money when an Offsite Ad takes 15% of the order.
Assuming the MoCRA small business exemption covers everything; adverse event reporting, safety records and labels still apply.
Skipping a stability and challenge test on a water-based homemade formula. See shelf life and preservatives.

Checklist

Each product fits a Creativity Standards category, with the production partner disclosed where one is used.
Every formula checked against Etsy's cosmetics ingredients list and the rules of each buyer country.
No product has SPF, a drug active or a drug claim.
Titles, tags, descriptions and photos use cosmetic claims only.
US label complete: identity, net contents, ingredients, distributor name and address, origin, warnings.
MoCRA product listing filed, or the small business exemption checked against FDA's limits.
EU Responsible Person, CPSR and CPNP in place before shipping to the EU; UK Responsible Person and SCPN before shipping to GB.
Shipping profiles limited to the countries where you comply.
Own photos of the real product, no skin filters.
Price checked against fees including a 15% Offsite Ads order.
Leak-proof packaging and a hazmat check for alcohol and aerosol products.
A batch record per order and a complaint and adverse event process.

How KoreanOEM helps

If your Etsy shop is ready to grow from handmade batches into a brand produced at scale, we are a Korean skincare OEM and private label manufacturer: we develop your formula and produce it in Korea. Best price, best cost and the lowest minimum order you cannot find anywhere else. We believe in our customers' vision rather than our own profit, so even if we lose money at the beginning, we still support you.

Your own formula, not a relabeled stock product: an adjusted library formula (USD 399 per SKU) or a fully custom formula (USD 399 per SKU), with first lab samples and 3 revision rounds, credited against your first production order. A custom formula developed for your brand is not offered to other brands. See fees.
Packaging in your style: custom container sourcing (USD 199 for up to 2 products) and box sourcing (USD 149), matched to your references. You or your designer supply the artwork; we supply the dieline and print specs.
US, EU and UK paperwork: MoCRA listing USD 150 per SKU; EU CPSR and PIF, CPNP and Responsible Person through our partner; and the label proof check.
A first run that fits a small shop: serums and creams from 500 units at a published starting price on products. First orders below 500 units are possible when you share your growth plan (expected volumes for the next orders), reviewed case by case.
Try before you commit: a sample box from USD 129, credited in full against the first production order when it is placed within 3 months of your sample order.

Get a free quote Order a sample box

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell skincare on Etsy?

Yes, if the product fits Etsy's Creativity Standards, makes no medical claims, is not also a drug, contains none of the ingredients on Etsy's cosmetics ingredients list, and meets the labeling and notification rules where your buyers live. Etsy can ask for your labels and remove listings that do not comply.

Can I sell private label skincare on Etsy?

Only if it counts as your own design made by a production partner, which you must disclose in the listing. A formula developed to your brief in packaging you designed may qualify; a manufacturer's stock product with only your label is close to a resold item and risks removal. Etsy decides case by case.

Do I need FDA approval to sell skincare on Etsy?

No. US cosmetics do not need FDA approval, except color additives, which must be FDA approved. You still need a compliant label, and under MoCRA a product listing and a registered facility unless you qualify as a small business under $1 million in average yearly US cosmetic sales, and the other MoCRA duties apply either way.

Can I sell sunscreen or acne products on Etsy?

No. Etsy's Seller Handbook says a product that is both a cosmetic and a drug is prohibited under its drugs policy, and sunscreen and acne treatments are drugs in the US. Etsy also bans any item that claims to treat, prevent, cure or diagnose a disease.

Do I need a Responsible Person to sell skincare on Etsy to EU or UK buyers?

Yes. Cosmetics sold to consumers in the EU need an EU Responsible Person, a safety report and a CPNP notification, and cosmetics sold in Great Britain need a UK Responsible Person with a UK address and a notification through the government's SCPN service before sale. Etsy puts compliance with local law on the seller.

What are Etsy's fees for selling skincare?

As of October 2026: $0.20 per listing for four months, a 6.5% transaction fee on the price plus shipping, payment processing by country (3% plus $0.25 in the US), and 15% on orders from Offsite Ads (12% once your shop passes $10,000 USD in yearly sales), capped at $100 USD per order.

Can I opt out of Etsy Offsite Ads?

Only while your shop has made less than $10,000 USD in sales over the prior 365 days. Once you pass that threshold, Offsite Ads are mandatory for the life of the shop at a 12% fee, even if sales fall later.

Which skincare ingredients are banned on Etsy?

Etsy's Cosmetics Ingredients policy bans any amount of listed ingredients, including hydroquinone, mequinol, tretinoin, clobetasol, mercury compounds, trichloroacetic acid, microbeads, Lilial, Lyral, kohl, black henna and injectable skin products. The list is not exhaustive and can change, so check it before each new formula.

Sources

Checked against these sources in October 2026. Rules and fees change; check with the authority or your importer before you sell.