Cosmetics and skincare brands register in class 3, which covers cosmetics, skincare, cleaning and toiletries. Because the category is crowded and platform registries demand trademark evidence, the filing plan usually needs more than one class.
Class 3 plus the classes around it
- Class 3: your core goods, from serums to soaps
- Class 5: medicated skincare, if any product makes medical claims
- Class 35: retail and advertising services, for marketplace brand registration
- Class 44: beauty and salon services, if you run clinics or studios
The platform angle
Amazon and other marketplaces ask for trademark evidence when you register a brand or file a complaint. For sales in China, that evidence is a Chinese registration in the class of the products. Filing only the brand name and skipping the logo leaves your packaging artwork exposed, so most cosmetics brands file both a word mark and a figurative mark.
What catches cosmetic brands out
Descriptive claims are the usual refusal reason: a name that simply describes the effect or the ingredient will not register. The fix is picking a distinctive name or proving acquired distinctiveness, which is a slower path. If you are launching, send us the name and product list before printing labels, and we will flag the risk before the official fee is spent.
