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Expert reviewer
Partner, Head of Production and Formulator, Oppenheimer Lab
A chemical engineer, Mohamed Arbi Jallali has 14 years’ experience in the cosmetics industry. Partner, Head of Production and Formulator at Oppenheimer Lab, he supports projects from the formula to the finished product.
Written by the Oppenheimer Lab team, reviewed by Mohamed Arbi Jallali.
Regulation and quality · 1 November 2026 · 8 min
Yes, cosmetic GMP are mandatory to place a product on the European Union market: Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires them, and ISO 22716 makes it possible to demonstrate compliance. Certification remains voluntary, but partners often ask for it. This article provides a checklist to vet a laboratory and a Tunisia and export perspective.
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Launching your brand · 1 November 2026 · 8 min
A good cosmetic brand name is distinctive, available and registrable. It is chosen in four steps: define the positioning, create the name, check prior rights with INNORPI, then register the trade mark. The name must also respect the rules on claims, as Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 covers names and trade marks. Tunisian registration only protects you in Tunisia: plan for export from the start.
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Export · 1 November 2026 · 8 min
Yes, Tunisian origin brings concrete advantages to a foreign brand: Tunisian industrial products are exported to the EU at zero customs duty, with rules of origin revised since 1 March 2025. But “Made in Tunisia” is not a guarantee of quality, the national label does not yet cover cosmetics, and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies as anywhere else.
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Export · 1 November 2026 · 8 min
Halal cosmetics are products formulated and manufactured according to halal rules: no ethyl alcohol, no non-compliant animal-derived ingredients, no animal testing. A cosmetic is not halal by default. The brand documents the formula, the raw materials and the process, then chooses a certifier recognised in the target country. Indonesia extends its requirements to cosmetics from 18 October 2026.
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Regulation and quality · 1 November 2026 · 9 min
A cosmetic claim is permitted when it meets the common criteria of Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 and is backed by evidence in the PIF (Product Information File). Promises to treat or cure, and mentions of approval by an authority, should be avoided. To export to the EU, link each wording to a document in the file and validate it with the Responsible Person.
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Regulation and quality · 1 November 2026 · 9 min
The cosmetic product information file (PIF) is the file the Responsible Person keeps for every product placed on the EU market, under Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. It includes the product description and the safety report, and is kept for ten years after the last batch. The laboratory supplies the manufacturing elements; the Responsible Person established in the EU, whether the brand or a designated third party, remains responsible for the complete file. Informative article.
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Launching your brand · 1 November 2026 · 9 min
A cosmetic label must carry the particulars of Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009: Responsible Person and address, country of origin, nominal content, date of minimum durability or PAO, precautions for use, batch number, product function and INCI list. Manufacturing in Tunisia does not exempt you from these requirements when selling in Europe. This informational article details each item, the symbols, distributor checks and a pre-print checklist.
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Export · 1 November 2026 · 14 min
To export Tunisian cosmetics, four regions stand out: Europe (France, Germany, Spain), Libya and the Maghreb, sub-Saharan Africa driven by the AfCFTA, and the Gulf and Middle East. The sector’s exports reached about 225 million dinars in 2024. Each market has its own rules: a Responsible Person and CPNP notification in the EU, local registration elsewhere. Choose your first country by weighing demand, regulatory complexity and your distribution capacity.
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Formulation · 1 November 2026 · 14 min
Custom cosmetic formulation means creating an exclusive formula from your specification. R&D proceeds in stages: brief, choice of ingredients, prototypes, stability and compatibility tests, industrial scale-up, then the regulatory file (PIF, CPSR, CPNP). At each stage it balances performance, stability, cost and compliance. At Oppenheimer Lab, allow 6 to 12 months, with small batches negotiable, from 100 to 200 units.
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Regulation and quality · 1 November 2026 · 13 min
In Tunisia, the requirements applying to a cosmetic product must be confirmed in writing with the competent authority and INNORPI, as public sources describe few specific rules. Some cosmetics also bear a consumption duty on top of VAT. To sell in the European Union, Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in full: a Responsible Person established in the EU, a PIF (Product Information File), CPNP notification and compliant labelling.
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Launching your brand · 1 November 2026 · 15 min
To start a cosmetic brand in Tunisia, first set the target, the benefit, the price, the quantity and the budget, then begin with a short range. File the name with INNORPI, in class 3, after a prior-rights search. Check the health framework with the Ministry of Health. Then choose between private label, custom private label or custom formulation, with a laboratory working to ISO 22716. Finally, distribute through parapharmacies, online or abroad.
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Private label and custom private label · 1 November 2026 · 8 min
Yes, a health and beauty retailer can launch its own private label range without a pharmacist’s degree. It chooses an existing formula, made by a laboratory, and sells it under its own name. If it is the only one to put its name on the label, it becomes the Responsible Person under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Allow 45 to 90 days for private label at Oppenheimer Lab, with small batches negotiable from 100 to 200 units.
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Private label and custom private label · 1 November 2026 · 9 min
White label, private label and contract manufacturing do not mean the same thing. The first two describe a commercial model and a level of formula customisation. Contract manufacturing describes a way of producing. A single project can combine all three. Outsourcing manufacturing does not automatically transfer Responsible Person status: the contract must settle this before launch.
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Cosmetic contract manufacturing · 1 November 2026 · 9 min
To choose a cosmetic manufacturer in Tunisia, compare laboratories on documented evidence: good manufacturing practice (ISO 22716), traceability, minimum quantity, lead times and a detailed quote. To sell in the EU, plan ahead for the Responsible Person, the Product Information File and CPNP notification. The sector has many informal players: ask for documents and visit the site before signing.
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Private label and custom private label · 1 November 2026 · 13 min
Private label cosmetics means selling under your own name an existing formula, manufactured and filled by a laboratory. In Tunisia, it is the fastest route: at Oppenheimer Lab, allow 45 to 90 days, with small batches negotiable from 100 to 200 units. To sell in the European Union, you need a Responsible Person established in the EU, a PIF (Product Information File) and a CPNP notification before placing the product on the market.
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Cosmetic contract manufacturing · 1 November 2026 · 15 min
Cosmetic contract manufacturing in Tunisia means entrusting formulation, manufacturing and filling and packaging to a Tunisian laboratory, under private label, custom private label or custom formulation. The choice depends on budget, timeline and the level of differentiation sought. Manufacturing must follow GMP, but ISO 22716 certification is not mandatory in itself. To sell in the EU, you need a Responsible Person, a PIF and a CPNP notification.
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