Skip to main content
Amazon has recently updated it’s Skin Lightening Products Program Policy. The new requirements mandate third-party verification based on specific parameters outlined on the Amazon Seller page.
Under Amazon's New Policy, Sellers must work with an approved third-party organization to test, inspect and certify their products. Third party verification validates that products meet regulatory standards, including proper manufacturing and labeling.
Third party verification is essential for Sellers to keep their listings active, as the updated policy aims to improve the safety and quality of these products on the platform.
Partnering with SGS for Verification Services
In addition to making your Amazon Verification as seamless as possible, SGS provides full service regulatory for Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs, Cosmetics and Personal Care Products, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Dietary Supplements and Food. This includes labeling, registration and claim substantiation for FDA, Health Canada and many other global locations. SGS also provides full service clinical trials in both humans and companion animals.
SGS Cosmetics & Hygiene provides services to verify compliance with Amazon's Skin Lightening Products Program Policy. To get started with your testing, simply visit your Amazon Seller Central page and choose SGS as your testing provider.
- Dedicated Customer Support: SGS offers personalized experience by providing you with a dedicated Client Service Representative. The Representative will be your point of contact throughout the entire process, ensuring you receive tailored assistance every step of the way.
- Expertise in Skin Lightening Product Testing: Our expertise in Skin Lightening product testing is built on years of scientific support, ensuring that your product testing aligns with Amazon's quality and safety standards.
Start your compliance journey by connecting with SGS today
Please visit Amazon Seller Central and select SGS as your testing partner. Once you have selected SGS as your laboratory and submitted your Testing Request Form (TRF) through Seller Central, here is what you can expect next:
- Keep an eye on your inbox for an e-mail from your dedicated Customer Support Representative. This e-mail will guide you through the next steps in the process and will be sent to the primary e-mail address associated with your Amazon Seller account.
- If you haven't received the e-mail within two business days, please contact george.hatzinas@sgs.com and include your Testing Request Form (TRF) number in your message for prompt assistance.
- Please respond to your welcome e-mail with the following information:
- Legal Company Name
- Legal Company Address
- First and Last Name of Your Company Contact
This will help ensure smooth communication and processing of your request.
- Receive a quote: After all the required information from Step 2 is received, your Customer Support Specialist will prepare a quote for your product. You will receive this quote via e-mail for your review and acceptance.
FAQ
Amazon's Skin Lightening Products Program Policy outlines requirements to ensure the safety and quality of skin Lightening products sold on its platform. The process involves:
- Product testing and review: Sellers partner with SGS, a third-party testing and certification company, to conduct necessary testing based on the specific skin lightening product type. This testing helps verify that the product aligns with Amazon's safety and quality standards.
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Certificates: The Seller must provide GMP certificates from their manufacturer, verifying compliance with recognized quality manufacturing standards.
- Facility and Product Registration Certificates: Seller must provide Facility Registration and Product listing proof of compliance (FDA forms 5066 & 5067 or similar proof of registration for both manufacturing facility and product)
- Label Verification and Product Testing: The product’s label images, and testing results are reviewed to ensure they meet Amazon's Skin Lightening product standards.
- Objective: Ensure that the product's label meets regulatory standards and guidelines.
- Why It Matters: Label verification is critical as any errors or non-compliance with labeling regulations can prevent the product from reaching the market.
- Heavy Metals Testing
- Mercury: < 1ppm
- Lead: < 10ppm
- Arsenic: < 3ppm
- Cadmium: < 3 ppm
- Microbiological Testing
- ≤1000 cfu/mL(g) - USP <60>,<61>
- Absence of specified organism (or negative) – USP <62>
- Adulterants Testing
- Hydroquinone: ND
- Betamethasone dipropionate: ND
- Betamethasone 17-valerate: ND
- Betamethasone: ND
- Clobetasol propionate: ND
- Clotrimazole: ND
- Halobetasol propionate: ND
- Fluocinonide: ND
- Fluocinolone: ND
- Fluocinolone acetonide: ND
- Outcome notification: Once the review is completed, SGS reports a “Pass” or “Fail” status to both the Seller and Amazon.
Once a product passes, it is authorized by Amazon for sale on its platform.
As an Amazon Selling Partner, Amazon will notify you if your product requires compliance verification. Follow the Amazon process for requesting testing services, typically through your Seller Central Portal, which will allow a Selling Partner to select a laboratory for verification. Should you choose SGS, you will be contacted by a SGS representative and the path to verification begins.
Per Amazon's Skin Lightening Program Policy, product compliance is valid for 12 months from the date of acceptable verification. After this period, you must renew compliance annually to continue selling your product on Amazon. If the compliance status of a product expires, Amazon may suppress the ASIN (product listing), meaning the product will no longer be available for purchase on the Amazon platform until compliance is renewed and verified. To renew compliance, you will need to repeat the verification process through a third-party laboratory (such as SGS) to ensure the product still meets Amazon safety and quality standards.
Sample amounts needed will be finalized at the time of quoting. Samples shall be unopened and sealed as they would be sold.
The process from when the product arrives, and all the terms have been agreed upon will take about 3 to 5 weeks from sample submission to verification against Amazon’s Skin Lightening Products Program Policy. Things that may delay the process will be Out-of-Specification (OOS) investigations, communication delays, incomplete documents from manufacturers, etc.
For an exact price please request a quotation. Discounts may be available based on quantity of samples sent for verification.
If a Selling Partner disagrees with testing outcomes that result in a failed verification and reach an impasse, the Amazon Policy states that an appeal should be filed directly with Amazon.
If your product qualifies for failure resolution, the selling partner must submit a Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA) document to SGS, providing a strong justification that implementing the CAPA is likely to yield a different result. Upon successful resolution, which may require product re-verification, SGS may change the product status to “Pass.” Testing fees may apply.
SGS requires direct access to all required documents through the manufacturer or laboratory used in the product being evaluated. We will not accept any documents (i.e., COAs, GMP certificates, ISO accreditation certificates, etc.) from the Selling Partner as this introduces high risk for falsified documents. Please work with your providers (labs, manufacturers) to allow SGS direct access to these items so there are no delays in meeting the requirements.
According to Amazon Policy must come to SGS directly.