02 notes pursuant to Vietnamese laws on the use of cosmetics and functional foods in hair salon businesses

Operating a hair salon/hairdressing salon (“Hair Salon”) requires not only beauty expertise but also strict compliance with legal regulations to ensure the safety of customers, staff, and the business itself. In particular, the use of cosmetics and functional foods in the Hair Salon must comply with relevant Vietnamese regulations.

In this article, BLawyers Vietnam outlines two important legal considerations regarding the use of cosmetics and functional foods in the operation of Hair Salons.

1. Notes on the use of hair beauty cosmetics

To meet customer beauty needs, Hair Salons frequently use hair cosmetic products containing chemicals, such as those used to alter hair structure, change hair color, or treat and protect hair. However, improper or inappropriate use of such chemical-containing cosmetics can pose health risks to both customers and employees. Therefore, the use of cosmetics must comply with the following legal regulations:

1. Use of cosmetics with clear origin and standard compliance:
   1. Cosmetic labels must include the following mandatory information: quantity; composition or quantitative composition; batch number; manufacturing date or expiration date/use-by date; for products with stability under 30 months, the expiration date must be stated; usage instructions unless clearly indicated by the product’s presentation; and relevant information or warnings;
   2. Imported cosmetic products must have supplementary labels in Vietnamese showing the mandatory content; and
   3. Hair Salons must ensure that cosmetic products used do not contain banned substances, do not exceed permitted concentrations or levels, and comply with authorized usage conditions.
2. Compliance with cosmetic usage instructions: Hair Salons must follow the manufacturer’s usage guidelines, including chemical processing time, dosage, and procedures to protect the scalp and hair of customers.
   • Cosmetics must also be stored in accordance with manufacturer instructions to prevent quality degradation or dangerous chemical reactions.
3. Customer warning and guidance: Hair Salons must provide information about potential risks and inquire about customers’ history of chemical allergies before applying any hair cosmetic products, in order to minimize adverse effects and protect customer health.
4. Compliance with hygiene and occupational safety regulations: Hair Salons must maintain cleanliness, avoid chemical residue or dirty tools to prevent infection risks, and comply with workplace environmental requirements, including ventilation systems and health protection measures for both staff and customers when using chemical products.

2. Notes on trading in cosmetics and functional foods

Nowadays, many Hair Salons not only provide hair services but also sell functional foods and hair care cosmetics. When engaging in the sale of these products, Hair Salons should be mindful of the following issues:

1. When selling or offering advice on functional foods and cosmetics, Hair Salons must meet relevant business conditions, such as registering additional business lines for retail or wholesale of functional foods and cosmetics. At the same time, Hair Salons must comply with regulations under Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP on food safety, ensuring product origin and avoiding the sale of counterfeit or substandard goods.
2. Functional foods and hair care cosmetics offered for sale must undergo quality declaration procedures before being marketed, specifically:
   1. Functional foods must be registered with a product declaration dossier in accordance with Decree 15/2018/ND-CP guiding the Law on Food Safety; and
   2. Cosmetics must be registered under the cosmetic product proclamation procedure as regulated under Circular No. 06/2011/TT-BYT on cosmetic management.
3. Hair Salons must ensure that the advertising of functional foods and cosmetics complies with legal regulations. In particular, Hair Salons must avoid advertising functional foods in a way that misleads consumers into believing they have therapeutic effects, as this may result in penalties under Decree No. 38/2021/ND-CP.

The above is not official advice from BLawyers Vietnam. If you have any questions or suggestions about the above, please contact us at info@blawyersvn.com. BLawyers Vietnam would love to hear from you.

Date: 14 August 2025

Writer: Chau Dang