Sell makeup online, shade by shade

1. 01

   Make each shade an option

   List a lipstick or a blush once, with every shade as an option that has its own stock and SKU. Buyers compare shades on one page, and you see which shades sell out first.

2. 02

   Swatch on more than one skin tone

   Every makeup buyer is asking whether a shade will work on them. Photograph each one swatched on light, medium and deep skin, in daylight and without filters, and say on the page that the photos are unedited.

3. 03

   Describe undertone and finish

   Give every shade a short line: warm or cool, matte, satin or shimmer, sheer or full. “Soft brick red, satin finish” helps more than a clever shade name on its own.

4. 04

   Answer the returns question up front

   Opened makeup usually can’t be resold. Say plainly what you take back (unopened, within a set time) on a returns page. Cornerrr can draft that policy for you to check and edit.

5. 05

   Sell minis and sets for first orders

   A mini lipstick or a three-shade set lets a new customer try your formula without gambling on a full-size shade. Price them so stepping up to full size feels natural.

6. 06

   Launch new shades on a date

   Indie makeup sells in drops. Announce the launch date on your home page, collect newsletter sign-ups ahead of it, and export the list to send your launch email from the tool you already use.

• Color additives are tightly controlled

  In the US, every color additive in a cosmetic must be approved by the FDA for that use, some need batch certification, and not every approved color is allowed around the eyes. The EU and UK keep their own lists of permitted colorants. Check every pigment with your supplier.

• MoCRA and eye products

  Under the US MoCRA law, most cosmetic makers register their facility and list their products with the FDA. Some small businesses are exempt, but not for products that regularly touch the eye’s mucous membrane, such as many eyeliners and mascaras. Check the FDA’s guidance.

• Selling to the EU or UK

  Makeup sold there needs a local Responsible Person, a safety assessment and a notification (CPNP in the EU, SCPN in Great Britain) before it goes on sale. Until you’re set up, leave those countries off your shipping list.

• Vegan and cruelty-free mean different things

  “Vegan” is about ingredients; “cruelty-free” is about animal testing. Say exactly which you mean, and only show a certification logo once you hold that certification.

General information to help you get started, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, state and product, so check the ones that apply to you.