Sourcing hair bleach powder from China
Hair bleach powder from China falls within other hair preparations, carrying 0% UK duty, subject to confirming the commodity code. Before sale in Great Britain, arrange a UK Responsible Person and confirm the cosmetic safety assessment, product information file and notification requirements with OPSS. Cambridge China Bridge sources hair bleach powder.
UK duty on hair bleach powder
Heading 3305 covers preparations for use on the hair. For finished hair bleach powder, check the other-hair-preparations line, 3305 90 00 00. The table shows colour and pack variants under that same line. For the wider product family, see hair dyes.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the supplied lines carried 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspension. Import VAT is 20%. The tariff attaches an export control of mercury. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether that measure affects any proposed movement of your formulation.
Confirm the classification using the complete formula, intended use and pack presentation before ordering. Follow finding your commodity code, particularly if the supplier offers raw chemicals rather than a finished hair preparation.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| White hair bleach powder | 3305 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the powder and developer together
Request the full quantitative formula for confidential review by your cosmetic safety assessor. Agree the powder colour, particle consistency, net fill, intended application and compatible developer. Specify the mixing instructions and the performance checks against an approved sample. Ask the supplier to obtain approval before changing ingredients, raw material sources or packaging.
For sale in Great Britain, establish the UK Responsible Person and confirm the safety assessment, product information file and notification requirements with OPSS before launch. Review ingredient restrictions and the label against the actual formula. Ask OPSS to confirm the required label information, including the Responsible Person’s name and address, ingredients, batch identification, durability information, function and relevant warnings.
Specify a moisture-resistant seal, resealable closure and pack compatibility with the powder. HSE warns that dusty products such as persulphates can cause asthma. Ask for evidence behind any reduced-dust claim and agree how trained personnel will assess dust during dispensing.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 200 kg of packaged hair bleach powder; illustrative order, not a quotation under 3305 90 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,600, so it is £1,320. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Powder: compare colour and texture with the approved sample; check for caking, foreign particles and variation between packs.
Performance: have a competent tester compare mixing, paste consistency and lightening on test hair using the agreed developer and instructions.
Packaging: check seals, closures, leaks, fill weight and evidence of moisture ingress; examine powder trapped around the closure.
Documents and labels: match the delivered batch to the approved formula, safety documentation and artwork; check ingredient wording, warnings and readable batch codes.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A sample can mix smoothly while the delivered batch forms lumps or produces a different paste with the buyer’s developer. Moisture ingress, damaged seals and unapproved substitutions are practical failure points. Record the test method and retain approved samples so disagreements can be investigated.
A supplier’s ingredient list alone is insufficient for the formulation-based safety assessment described in our published cosmetics guidance. Resolve confidential formula disclosure before production. Hold stock with unexplained formula changes, missing safety documentation or incorrect labels while the Responsible Person reviews it.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on hair bleach powder from China?
The supplied tariff data gives 0% for other hair preparations under 3305 90 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm that code for your finished powder. Import VAT is 20%.
Can I sell Chinese hair bleach powder under my own brand?
Before sale in Great Britain, establish a UK Responsible Person, confirm the cosmetic safety assessment, product information file and notification requirements with OPSS, and approve the label for the actual formula.
What should I ask the bleach powder factory for?
Ask for the full quantitative formula under confidentiality, compatible developer details, mixing instructions, batch records, packaging specifications and samples for agreed performance checks.
How do I check a reduced-dust bleach powder claim?
Request supporting evidence and agree a dispensing assessment by trained personnel. HSE warns that dusty products such as persulphates can cause asthma; a reduced-dust claim does not establish safe use.