The Beauty & Personal Care category on Amazon is a highly competitive but very profitable niche. There’s high demand and, if your product is good, a potential loyal customer base that will make recurring purchases.

But why do so many beauty listings get suspended? While the Beauty category is not totally restricted, certain beauty products and brands require approval to be sold on the platform. This means that, as a seller, you have to go through a bit more work to get approved and sell products. 

Amazon’s explanations on why a listing gets suddenly suspended or restricted are often quite vague. This article will explain why Amazon suspends beauty listings and provide a step-by-step guide on how to get it back.

Why Beauty Listings Get Suspended

Beauty is a high-risk category when it comes to compliance. Amazon faces great pressure from regulators and legal entities to monitor what gets sold under personal care. 

Plus, there’s also the official Amazon policy of placing the customer first and prioritizing their journey through the platform, which means an application may include document requests, performance checks, and other qualifications.

All of it is designed to ensure customers shop with confidence on Amazon, knowing that products are safe and authentic.

As a result, listings are regularly suspended for several reasons:

1. Making Prohibited Claims

Amazon prohibits medical claims on Beauty products. This includes phrases like:

• “Cures acne”
• “Anti-aging miracle”
• “Treats eczema”
• “Brightens skin”

These terms will get your listing flagged. Even backend keywords or A+ content with these kinds of phrases can trigger automated suppression. Keep an eye out. Quick tip:

• Only use safe words like “gentle,” “moisturizing,” “hydrating,” “refreshing.”

Even if a beauty product got FDA approval to make a medical claim, it would no longer be classified as a cosmetic under Amazon’s guidelines. Instead, it would fall into the Medical Devices category, for example. It depends on its classification.

Here’s the notification Amazon sends for a suspended listing:

2. Prohibited Ingredients

Amazon prohibits the use of a number of ingredients in cosmetics. Here are the guidelines:

• Products should not appear in an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) safety alert or recall.
• Products cannot contain substances the FDA classifies as posing a risk of harm or illness.
• Cosmetics should not contain components derived from sharks, whales, dolphins, or porpoises.
• Products should not contain more than 12% hydrogen peroxide.

3. Compliance Issues

With regard to labeling, Amazon requires that beauty products:

• Display in English the name of the item, its function, list of ingredients, and the manufacturer or distributor’s name and address.
• Follow the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FLPA). For beauty products, this means FDA and VCRP registration.

If any of this is missing or is incorrect, then it’s likely your listing will get suspended.

Note: If you sell beauty products in California, you will also need to comply with the California Safe Cosmetics Act.

4. Documentation Issues

Sellers in the Beauty category are often asked to provide:

• Invoices from manufacturers
• Certificates of Analysis (COAs)
• FDA registration (voluntary for cosmetics)
• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certifications

Missing one of these may trigger a suppression. But it’s fixable.

Pro tip: Download Amazon’s Category Listing Report to see an overview of all your listings.

How to Resolve a Suspended Beauty Listing

When your beauty product listing gets suspended, Amazon removes it from the site so customers can’t buy it. This is even worse if you had won the Buy Box. But you can solve this. Here’s the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Understand the Reason for Suspension

Amazon always sends a Performance Notification or shows the issue in the Account Health page. Head to Seller Central > Account Health > Policy Violations or check your Performance Notifications.

 

Amazon should outline the cause of the suspension. Take screenshots of it, save the notification, and analyze every element of the listing that was flagged.

Step 2: Close or Delete the Listing

This step is optional, but it is much better for your Account Health. Even when suspended, a listing may still appear in your catalog or be considered active in backend data. Removing your listing will help your case in the long run. 

You can do this by going to inventory and selecting the affected listing. Then go to “Action on selected” and click on whatever option you like: close the listing or delete it.

You’ll be able to upload a new version again once you’ve fixed the issues and gotten the case revised by Amazon.

Step 3: Gather Documents

This step depends on why the listing was suspended. If the problem is related to claims or keywords, remove phrases and words like those we mentioned before. These include “heals,” “cures,” “anti-aging,” “brightening,” “acne treatment,” etc. 

If your listing was suspended for another reason, prepare to defend your product with documents such as:

• Invoices dated within the last 180 days from a verified supplier
• COA or lab reports if requested
• GMP certificates or evidence that your product is manufactured in a compliant facility
• Sometimes you’ll also need an FDA registration if it’s an over-the-counter drug, such as acne cream.

This is the type of message Amazon sends sellers when they need them to submit relevant documents for their case.

Step 4: Submitting a Strong POA

When appealing a suspended listing, Amazon will expect a Plan of Action (POA) that you will upload through the Account Health section in Seller Central. This is how the page looks:

It’s quite important to highlight three main components in the structure of your POA: 

1. Root Cause

Clearly explain why the issue happened.

Example: “We used the term ‘brightening’ in the bullet points, which Amazon’s system flagged as a prohibited claim.”

2. Corrective Actions

Describe the changes you made to fix the listing. 

Example: “We removed the term from all listing fields, updated our packaging images, and ensured transparency in our Declaration of Ingredients.”

3. Preventive Measures

Give a detailed explanation of what you’re doing to avoid this from happening again:

Example: Implementing a compliance review checklist for all new listings. You could also hire a third-party compliance consultant to verify content in the Beauty category.

Most sellers use AI tools like ChatGPT to get at least a template of a full POA. It can be helpful, though you have to avoid relying on the overly generic answers these tools usually give. Amazon reviewers can easily detect copy-paste language that does not apply to your case. 

How to Stay Compliant in the Beauty Category

Here’s a quick list of tips and tricks to prevent more suppressions in the future:

• Use factual but convincing terms like “moisturizing,” “gentle,” or “soothing”
• Use stock images that match your product exactly
• Stay up-to-date with Amazon’s Restricted Products Policy
• Keep invoices and COAs easily accessible

Prevention is your best ally when dealing with these high-risk categories. It will protect your listings, conversions and overall profit margins. So, for the Beauty & Personal Care category, make sure you don’t:

• Use before-and-after images.
• Mention disease names or medical conditions.
• Sell any product you haven’t personally verified for labeling compliance.
• Rely only on AI tools to write your listings.

Conclusion

Getting a beauty listing suspended on Amazon is very frustrating. And many times, Amazon doesn’t clearly explain the reason behind it. But in most cases these suspensions are fixable.

The answer is to act quickly and remove everything wrong with your listing while providing Amazon a clear explanation of what happened. Then, stay informed and audit your listings to prevent future suspensions.

Amazon Beauty Listing Suspensions FAQs

Is the Beauty category on Amazon restricted?

Not fully. The Beauty and Personal Care category is generally open, but some subcategories are restricted and require approval before you can list products. These include topical treatments, medicated cosmetics, and certain high-risk brands. To sell in these areas, Amazon may request invoices, certificates, or compliance documentation. You can review the requirements in Amazon’s Restricted Products Policy.

Can I make medical claims if my product is FDA approved?

No. Even if your product is FDA approved, you cannot market it as a cosmetic with medical claims. Once a product is FDA approved for therapeutic use, it is no longer considered a cosmetic by Amazon—it falls under over-the-counter drugs or medical devices. That means your listing will need to comply with stricter standards, including drug fact labeling. See the FDA’s guidance on Cosmetics Labeling Claims.

What happens when a beauty listing is suspended?

When Amazon suspends a listing, it is immediately removed from the site. Customers cannot see it, add it to their cart, or make a purchase. You’ll receive a Performance Notification in Seller Central, usually under Account Health, that explains the violation. Sometimes the notice is vague, so you may need to analyze the listing against Amazon’s policies. More details can be found in Amazon’s Listing Removal Notifications Help Page.

Should I delete a suspended listing?

You don’t always need to, but closing or deleting a suspended listing is often a good practice. Even if the listing is inactive, Amazon’s backend may still treat it as live, which can hurt your Account Health. By closing or deleting it, you clear the issue while preparing a corrected version for resubmission. You can always re-upload the listing once the compliance problem has been fixed.

What documents might Amazon request for a beauty product?

Amazon may require any of the following to prove authenticity and compliance:

• Invoices dated within the last 180 days from a manufacturer or distributor

• Certificates of Analysis (COAs) from accredited labs

• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certificates showing the product was made in a compliant facility

• FDA Registration Certificate for topical OTC products like sunscreens or acne treatments

• Proof of compliance with the California Safe Cosmetics Act if selling in California

For more details, see Amazon’s Restricted Products Requirements for Cosmetics and Skin/Hair Care.

How long does it take for Amazon to respond to an appeal?

Most appeals are reviewed within 24 to 72 hours, but the timeline can vary depending on the case. Complex cases involving documentation or compliance testing may take a week or more. If you don’t hear back, follow up in the original case thread rather than opening new cases, as multiple cases can slow the process.

Can backend keywords or A+ content get my listing suspended?

Yes. Amazon scans all parts of your listing—including backend keywords, alt text, and A+ modules—for restricted terms. Even if the main product detail page looks compliant, using words like “cure,” “anti-aging,” or “treats acne” in backend fields can trigger automated suppression. Sellers should review both front-end and backend copy against Amazon’s restricted word list and FDA guidelines before publishing.

Ready to Protect and Grow Your Beauty Brand on Amazon?

The Beauty and Personal Care category is one of the most competitive spaces on Amazon, but it can also be one of the most rewarding. The biggest challenge is keeping your listings active and compliant. Every day, sellers lose sales and customer trust because of vague suspensions, missing paperwork, or simple compliance mistakes.

You don’t have to put your business at risk. Working with someone who knows the Beauty category inside and out means you can resolve suspensions quickly, protect your account from future issues, and focus on building a loyal customer base that comes back again and again.

Fill out the form below and tell us a little about your business. Our team will connect with you to share clear steps you can take right away. No pressure, just real guidance to keep your listings live and your brand growing.