A public notice from CDSCO has put India’s booming aesthetic clinic industry on alert. Any product supplied in injectable form does not qualify as a cosmetic under Indian law.
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India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has stated that cosmetic products are not permitted to be used through injections. It has warned that such practices violate provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Cosmetics Rules, 2020.
The notice was issued by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on May 18, 2026. It is directed at consumers, professionals, and aesthetic clinics alike.
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The CDSCO stated clearly: “No cosmetic is permitted to be used for injection by consumers, professionals or aesthetic clinics. Cosmetics are only intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or sprayed on the human body.”
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The notice draws from existing legislation, not new rules. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 carries a specific definition of what a cosmetic is.
Under the Act, “cosmetic means any article intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or sprayed on, or introduced into, or otherwise applied to, the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance, and includes any article intended for use as a component of a cosmetic.”
Under this definition, products supplied in injectable form do not fall under the definition of cosmetics and cannot be used by consumers, professionals or aesthetic clinics.
Manufacturing and import of cosmetics in India are regulated under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has clarified that cosmetics are only intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, sprayed, or otherwise applied externally on the human body, and cannot be used for injections or treatment purposes. The regulator warned that… pic.twitter.com/LSXd1hZTgO
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) May 21, 2026
The regulator went beyond the injection issue. It also addressed how cosmetics are promoted and marketed.
The CDSCO further stated that cosmetics are not permitted to be used for treatment purposes by professionals or individuals.
It also warned against misleading claims and the use of prohibited or restricted ingredients in cosmetic products, stating that such violations attract action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and related rules.
The CDSCO stated: “No cosmetic may purport or claim to convey any idea which is false or misleading to the intending user.”
The regulator also added that no person is allowed to alter, obliterate or deface any inscription or mark made by the manufacturer on the container, label or wrapper of a cosmetic product.
The notice also flagged ingredient safety.
The CDSCO noted that the list of Generally Not Recognized as Safe (GNRAS) and restricted ingredients for cosmetics is published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Products using any such ingredient face regulatory action.
This is significant because several cosmetic injectables being offered at clinics contain hyaluronic acid, glutathione, and similar compounds; none of which are approved as cosmetics for injectable use under Indian law. As far back as 2018, CDSCO raids had flagged this problem. In raids conducted in October 2018, CDSCO officials noted that “new generation cosmetics like stem cell based cosmetics, serums, skin whitening creams, glutathione injections, hyaluronic acid filler injections are being marketed without evaluating their safety and quality.” The pattern, it appears, has continued.
India’s aesthetic treatment sector has grown rapidly. The regulatory notice comes at a time when demand for injectable cosmetic procedures is rising sharply.
India’s skin boosters market was valued at USD 20.23 million in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 45.62 million by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.7% between 2024 and 2031.
Broader aesthetic injectable market in India is expected to reach a projected revenue of USD 618.8 million by 2030 with compound annual growth rate of 15% from 2024 to 2030.
Easy accessibility of cosmetic clinics, growing awareness about procedures through social media, rising disposable income, lower treatment costs compared to Western countries have driven this growth.
The 18-34 age group is projected to be fastest-growing consumer segment rising at CAGR of 16.83% through 2031, as social platforms normalise procedures such as skin boosters and low-dose aesthetic treatments.
This expanding market has also created a grey zone where products labelled as cosmetics are being injected into patients, often at unregulated clinics or spas, without the safety oversight required for drugs or medical devices.
The CDSCO notice names three categories directly: consumers, professionals, and aesthetic clinics. This means the warning is not limited to manufacturers or importers. Practitioners administering cosmetic injectables, whether they are dermatologists, beauticians, or spa technicians, are covered under this clarification.
The CDSCO urged the public to report any violations or suspicious activities to the appropriate regulatory authorities or to the respective state licensing authorities.
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