Cosmetic Product Compatibility Assessment
A desk review of how your formula and packaging interact, with evidence gaps and a test plan for your CPSR.
- Signed by a qualified safety assessor
- Regulator-ready, or we revise it free
- Delivered in 24, 48 or 72 hours
Trusted by brands including
Service details
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Quick answer
A cosmetic packaging compatibility assessment is a desk review of whether your formula and its packaging are likely to interact, based on your formula, packaging specifications and stability data. It gives your safety assessor the Annex I evidence the CPSR needs and flags any testing still required. From £110, with the report in 24 hours on Priority Delivery.
What's included in your compatibility assessment
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| Compatibility Assessment Report | Formula–packaging risk review: interaction, barrier properties and migration |
| Stability data review | Your existing stability and compatibility results checked for gaps |
| Packaging documentation review | Material composition and supplier declarations assessed for your formula type |
| Recommended test plan | Storage conditions, intervals and measurements, if further studies are needed |
| CPSR/PIF-ready summary | Written for Annex I, Part A, points 2 and 4 of your safety report |
Who this compatibility assessment is for
- Brands launching a new product or switching packaging supplier
- Products in glass, PET, HDPE or aluminium containers
- Low- or non-preserved formulas, or ones sensitive to light or air
- Brands whose safety assessor has asked for packaging evidence
- Responsible Persons building an audit-ready PIF
What this compatibility assessment does not include
- Laboratory stability or compatibility studies. The 72, 48 or 24 hours is the time to deliver the desk assessment report. Physical studies in final packaging run for weeks or months and are not completed within that time; if they are needed, your report sets out the test plan.
- The CPSR itself. The assessment supports your safety report, which is a separate service: see CPSR for a single beauty product or the All-in-One CPSR, PIF, SDS & UK/EU Notification.
- Compiling your full Product Information File. We provide the stability and packaging evidence; for the complete Article 11 dossier, add the Product Information File (PIF).
- Ingredient compliance checks. To confirm the formula itself meets Annexes II to VI, see Formulation Validation.
- Label checks. Packaging compatibility is not a labelling audit; see Label & Packaging Review.
How it works
- Fill our Product Information Document Tell us your formula, product type, intended shelf life and the packaging it will be sold in.
- Send packaging and stability documents Share packaging specifications, supplier declarations of material composition and any stability or compatibility results you already hold.
- We assess the risks We review interaction, barrier and migration risks against Annex I and the Commission guidelines, and check your data for gaps.
- You receive your report Your Compatibility Assessment Report arrives within your chosen delivery time, with a test plan if further studies are needed.
What is a cosmetic packaging compatibility assessment?
A cosmetic packaging compatibility assessment evaluates whether your formula and its packaging are compatible: that the product will not react with, absorb substances from, or escape through its container during storage and use. It is a desk-based review of your formula, packaging documentation and existing stability data, delivered as a written report.
This evidence is required for your safety report. Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, which applies in both the EU and Great Britain, requires the Cosmetic Product Safety Report to cover the product's stability under reasonably foreseeable storage conditions (Part A, point 2) and the relevant characteristics of the packaging material, in particular its purity and stability (Part A, point 4).
What the packaging compatibility assessment covers
What we assess:
- Formula–packaging interaction: the risk of reactions between your ingredients and materials such as glass, PET, HDPE or aluminium.
- Barrier properties: whether the pack protects light-, air- or moisture-sensitive formulas.
- Migration: the potential for substances to move from the packaging into the product, based on material composition and supplier declarations.
- Stability evidence: whether your data covers colour, odour, pH, viscosity, phase separation and pack integrity in the final packaging.
- Microbiological risk: whether the container suits low- or non-preserved formulas.
- Shelf life: whether the evidence supports the durability date or PAO you plan to put on the label.
If further testing is needed, the test plan typically covers:
- Storage conditions: refrigerated (around 4°C), ambient (25°C / 60% RH) and accelerated (40°C / 75% RH), in the final packaging.
- Observation points: commonly 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks, recording colour, odour, pH, viscosity, phase integrity and pack deformation or leakage.
- Method guidance: ISO/TR 18811 and the Commission guidelines on Annex I. ISO/TR 18811 leaves the final protocol for the manufacturer to specify and justify.
Why packaging compatibility matters for your launch
- A complete CPSR: your safety assessor needs stability and packaging information to reach the Part B conclusion.
- A supportable shelf life: the durability date or PAO on your label should be backed by evidence.
- Fewer late surprises: finding a packaging problem before filling avoids re-packaging after launch.
- An audit-ready PIF: documented evidence that authorities can review on request.
Legal framework
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Article 3: cosmetics must be safe for human health under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use.
- Article 10 and Annex I, Part A, points 2 and 4: the safety report must cover stability under reasonably foreseeable storage conditions and the purity and stability of the packaging material.
- Commission Implementing Decision 2013/674/EU: guidelines on Annex I, covering interaction between product and packaging, barrier properties and migration of substances from packaging.
- Article 11: the Product Information File, which includes the CPSR, must be kept available to the authorities.
- UK Cosmetics Regulation: the same requirements apply in Great Britain under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as amended by Schedule 34 to SI 2019/696.
- ISO/TR 18811:2018: international guidance on the stability testing of cosmetic products.
Official sources:
- Annex I, Cosmetics Regulation (legislation.gov.uk)
- Commission Implementing Decision 2013/674/EU, Annex I guidelines (legislation.gov.uk)
- ISO/TR 18811:2018 stability testing guidelines (ISO)
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (EUR-Lex)
Why brands choose Phoenix for packaging compatibility assessments
- Built around Annex I and the Commission guidelines your safety assessor works to
- Clear next steps: a test plan if your existing data has gaps
- CPSR/PIF-ready: written to slot into your safety documentation
- Regulator-ready or we revise it free: our compliance guarantee
- Trusted by 1,400+ brands over 14 years, including The Beard Struggle, The Essence Vault, Parfum Fabric and Junaid Jamshed
- Fast delivery options for the desk report: Standard Delivery (72 Hours), Fast Delivery (48 Hours) or Priority Delivery (24 Hours)
Get your packaging evidence in order before your CPSR. Choose your delivery speed above, or message us on WhatsApp on +44 7346 009332 if you are unsure which option you need.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cosmetic packaging compatibility assessment?
It is a desk review of whether a cosmetic formula and its packaging are likely to interact, covering reactions, barrier properties and migration from the pack, using your formula, packaging specifications and existing stability data.
Is packaging compatibility evidence legally required?
Yes, as part of the safety report. Annex I of the UK and EU cosmetics regulations requires the CPSR to cover product stability and the purity and stability of the packaging material. This assessment provides that evidence for your safety assessor.
Does the 24-hour option include stability testing?
No. The 72, 48 and 24-hour options are delivery times for the desk assessment report. Laboratory stability and compatibility studies take weeks or months; if your data has gaps, the report includes a recommended test plan.
How long does cosmetic stability testing take?
Laboratory studies commonly run for about 12 weeks under accelerated conditions such as 40°C, often alongside longer real-time studies to confirm shelf life. ISO/TR 18811 leaves the exact protocol to the manufacturer to justify.
What do you need from me?
Your formula, product type and intended shelf life, the packaging specification and supplier declarations for each component, and any stability or compatibility results you already hold.
How does it fit into my CPSR?
The report supplies the Part A information on stability and packaging (Annex I, points 2 and 4), which your safety assessor uses to reach the Part B conclusion. It is then kept in your PIF.
How much does a compatibility assessment cost?
£110 with Standard Delivery (72 Hours), £145 with Fast Delivery (48 Hours) or £195 with Priority Delivery (24 Hours). These prices cover the desk assessment report, not laboratory testing.