Usually, you can cancel an online makeup order because you changed your mind. Tell the seller within 14 days after the day you receive the goods, then send them back within a further 14 days. A valid cancellation normally brings a refund of the item price and standard delivery. You may have to pay return postage if the seller told you that before you bought.
Opened cosmetics need more care. UK guidance creates an exception for sealed goods that cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons once opened, but it does not say that every makeup product is automatically exempt. The product’s seal, nature and the information given before purchase matter. Faulty, damaged or misdescribed makeup follows a separate consumer-rights route.
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Your three possible routes
Start by identifying why you want to send the product back. The legal process and the result differ depending on whether you simply changed your mind, opened a hygiene-sensitive seal, or received goods with a fault.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Situation | Main route | Likely outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Online change of mind | Cancel within the statutory period and return the goods | Refund of the item and standard delivery; an exchange is only available if the retailer offers one |
| Opened or unsealed hygiene-sensitive product | Check whether it was a sealed good that cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons once opened | The seller may rely on the exception, but “cosmetics” alone does not settle the question |
| Faulty, damaged or not as described | Contact the seller under consumer-goods law | Depending on the circumstances, repair, replacement, price reduction or refund |
| Retailer’s voluntary returns policy | Follow the extra terms the seller published | It may allow more time or an exchange, while statutory rights continue to apply |
The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 provide the online cancellation framework. Faults are dealt with principally under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the seller’s legal obligations described in GOV.UK guidance.
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How the online cancellation timetable works
1. Count the notification period
For goods bought online, by mail order or by telephone, the normal cooling-off period starts on the day after you receive the order. You must clearly tell the seller that you are cancelling within 14 days. You do not have to give a reason, and the product does not have to be faulty.
2. Send the goods back
After notifying the seller, you normally have another 14 days to return the makeup. The seller may specify a returns address or method, so use the details in the order confirmation or terms. Keep a copy of your cancellation message and your proof of posting or courier receipt.
3. Allow the seller to process the refund
Citizens Advice says the refund is generally due within 14 days after the seller receives the returned goods or receives evidence that you sent them, whichever happens first. The seller may wait for the goods or satisfactory proof of return rather than refunding immediately when you first email.
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If the seller did not provide the legally required cancellation information in writing, Citizens Advice says the cancellation period can extend to one year and 14 days. That extended period is not a reason to ignore the seller’s instructions: save the order paperwork and ask the seller to confirm the applicable deadline.
What to check before cancelling
- Order confirmation and terms: find the cancellation method, returns address, any form, the deadline and whether you pay return postage.
- Seal wording: look for a clear statement about sealed goods and health or hygiene restrictions, including whether the particular product becomes non-returnable when opened.
- Delivery details: note the delivery option you selected and keep the dispatch and receipt dates.
- Retailer’s longer policy: a seller can offer more than the legal minimum, such as 30 days or an exchange. Follow that policy if it is more generous.
- Condition: photograph the item, packaging, batch or shade information and any damage before sending it back.
A retailer cannot remove statutory rights with a “no refunds” notice. Such a notice may describe its voluntary change-of-mind policy, but it does not cancel the legal remedies for online cancellations or faults.
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Step-by-step: cancel and return an online makeup order
- Decide which route applies. If the only issue is that you do not want the product, use cancellation. If it is leaking, contaminated, the wrong shade or not the item advertised, describe that problem to the seller instead of presenting it solely as a change of mind.
- Check the date. Work from the day after delivery and make sure your written notice falls inside the statutory notification period, unless the seller’s policy gives you longer.
- Write a clear notice. Email or use the seller’s online cancellation form. State the order number, the products, the delivery date and that you are exercising your right to cancel. Do not rely only on a phone call unless you can obtain written confirmation.
- Ask for the return instructions. Confirm the address, reference number, carrier requirements and whether a prepaid label is supplied. Do not send valuable products to an address copied from an unrelated webpage.
- Prepare the package. Close caps, protect palettes and bottles from impact and leakage, and include the order or returns reference. Citizens Advice says original packaging is not legally required, but you should package the item so it is not damaged in transit.
- Post it within the return period. Obtain a dated receipt and tracking number. Photograph the sealed parcel and keep the tracking record until the refund appears.
- Check the refund. Compare the payment received with the item price and the standard delivery charge. The seller does not have to refund the extra cost of an express or other premium delivery option.
- Escalate in writing if needed. If tracking shows delivery but the refund is not made after the applicable period, send the seller the cancellation notice, proof of return and a concise request for the amount due.
Can you return opened makeup in the UK?
The hygiene exception is product-specific
GOV.UK describes an exception for sealed goods that cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons once opened. Its example is a sealed hygiene product such as underwear. The guidance does not create a blanket rule that every lipstick, foundation, mascara or other cosmetic is exempt as soon as its packaging is opened.
Ask three questions:
- Was the item supplied with a seal or other tamper-evident protection?
- Did opening that protection make it unsuitable for resale for a genuine health or hygiene reason?
- Did the seller explain the restriction before you bought it?
A seller that refuses an opened product should identify the specific seal and the basis for the hygiene restriction. The label “makeup is non-returnable” by itself does not answer whether the statutory exception applies to that product.
What handling is allowed?
GOV.UK says you may handle an item as you would in a shop. That allows inspection of packaging, shade information and the product’s general characteristics, but it is not permission to use the makeup normally. Applying mascara, wearing foundation for a day or repeatedly swatching a product can go beyond what is needed to establish its nature, characteristics and functioning.
Under the regulations, the seller can make a deduction for diminished value caused by handling beyond that necessary inspection. A deduction is different from an automatic refusal: the seller should be able to relate the amount to the loss in value and the circumstances.
Seals, samples and damaged packaging
Keep every seal, protective film, applicator cover and hygiene sticker until you have decided whether to keep the item. If the seal arrived broken, take photographs immediately and report it as a delivery or product problem. Do not break a seal merely to check a texture if you may want to cancel.
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Who pays delivery and return postage?
| Cost | Usual rule for a valid online cancellation |
|---|---|
| Original standard delivery | The seller refunds it |
| Premium or express upgrade | The seller need only refund the value of the cheapest standard delivery option offered |
| Return postage | You pay if the seller disclosed that responsibility before purchase |
| Return postage where no responsibility was disclosed | Citizens Advice says the seller must refund the postage cost |
| Return postage for faulty goods | Tell the seller about the fault and ask for its instructions; the fault route is separate from change-of-mind cancellation |
Save the postage receipt and any checkout wording showing who was responsible. If the seller supplied a prepaid label, use it unless the seller authorises another method.
Refund or exchange: what are you entitled to?
Change of mind
The statutory online remedy is cancellation followed by a refund. UK law does not generally require a retailer to exchange an unwanted shade for another shade. An exchange, gift card or credit may be offered under the retailer’s voluntary policy, but you should not assume one is available.
Faulty or misdescribed makeup
If the item is leaking, contaminated, damaged, the wrong product, materially different from its description or does not work as it should, contact the seller and describe the defect. GOV.UK states that a full refund is due in the relevant circumstances and explains that repair or replacement may be appropriate.
For goods returned within six months, GOV.UK says you may be entitled to repair or replacement unless the seller can prove the item was not faulty when sold. The exact remedy depends on the defect, timing and whether repair or replacement is possible and proportionate. Do not relabel a clear fault as a simple change of mind, because doing so can obscure the remedy you are asking for.
Claims for faulty goods can generally be made for up to six years, or five years in Scotland, subject to the facts of the case. Those limitation periods do not mean every claim made during that time automatically wins or produces the same refund.
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How to report a faulty, wrong or damaged item
- Stop using it if use could worsen the problem. Keep the product, outer packaging and delivery materials.
- Record the condition. Photograph a broken seal, leakage, shade mismatch, missing contents or damage, and retain the listing and order confirmation.
- Contact the seller promptly. Give the order number, purchase date, defect and the remedy you are seeking. Ask whether it wants the item returned for inspection.
- Follow the seller’s return instructions. Ask for a prepaid label or confirmation of how reasonable return costs will be handled.
- Keep evidence. Save messages, photographs, tracking and any inspection result until the matter is resolved.
For a fault, the seller may propose a repair or replacement rather than an immediate refund, depending on the circumstances. A seller cannot avoid its legal obligations simply by displaying a no-refund sign.
Can a retailer offer a longer return window?
Yes. A retailer can provide a voluntary policy that is more generous than the statutory minimum, such as additional days, free return postage or an exchange. Read the conditions: some policies exclude opened products, sale items, personalised products or items without a particular seal. The voluntary policy supplements rather than removes your statutory cancellation and fault rights.
What if the seller refuses the return?
Refusal because the product was opened
Ask the seller to identify the exact hygiene term, the seal it relies on and when that term was shown to you. Explain whether the seal was intact when delivered and how the product was handled. If the product was faulty, restate that you are making a fault claim rather than relying only on change-of-mind cancellation.
Refusal because the deadline allegedly passed
Send the delivery date, your cancellation timestamp and the posting receipt. Check whether the seller supplied the required cancellation information in writing; if it did not, the extended period described by Citizens Advice may be relevant.
Refund not received
Send one written chase containing the order number, cancellation notice, proof of return, tracking delivery confirmation and the amount expected. Ask the seller to explain any deduction in writing, particularly if it says the product lost value through handling.
Escalation
If the seller still does not resolve the matter, use its formal complaints process and keep a dated record. Citizens Advice can explain the next step for your nation. Court limitation rules and consumer advice differ in detail across the UK, so confirm the position for England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland rather than assuming an England-only page covers every procedure.
Cancellation message template
You can adapt this email or online message:
Subject: Cancellation of online order [order number]
I am notifying you that I cancel my contract for the following goods:
[product names and quantities]
Order date: [date]
Delivery date: [date]
Please confirm the return address and any required reference. I will return the goods within the applicable period. Please refund the purchase price and the standard delivery charge to the original payment method.
Name: [your name]
Address: [your address]Keep the sent message, the seller’s acknowledgement and all attachments. The template is for a change-of-mind cancellation; add a separate, factual description if you are reporting a fault.
Practical examples
You dislike the shade but have not opened the seal
Notify the seller within the cancellation period, follow its return instructions and send the sealed product back. The normal refund and delivery rules apply; an exchange depends on the retailer’s policy.
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Do not assume either outcome. Ask whether the product is a sealed hygiene good covered by the seller’s disclosed exception. The seller may assess diminished value if your handling went beyond inspection, but “makeup” is not itself a universal exclusion.
The foundation arrived leaking
Photograph the leak and packaging, stop using it and report a fault or damaged delivery. Ask for the appropriate remedy and return instructions. This is not merely an unwanted-item return.
The wrong shade was sent
Keep the dispatch label and product photographs, then tell the seller the goods do not match the order or description. Request the remedy for a misdescribed or incorrect item rather than paying to exchange it as a change of mind.
UK scope and the sources of the rules
The online cancellation framework comes from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. GOV.UK’s “Accepting returns and giving refunds: the law” explains the cancellation, delivery, hygiene and fault principles. Citizens Advice’s “Changing your mind about something you’ve bought” page is focused on England and links to separate advice for the other UK nations.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsUse the nation-specific guidance when a dispute reaches a formal complaint or court stage. GOV.UK guidance notes a six-year limitation period for claims in most of the UK and five years in Scotland; the period is not a guarantee that every claim will succeed.
Quick Recap
Final checklist before you post the parcel
- You identified change of mind, hygiene exception or fault as the correct route.
- Your written cancellation is inside the applicable period, or you have checked whether missing information extends it.
- You saved the order, terms, seal wording and delivery evidence.
- You photographed the product and package.
- You used the seller’s stated address and included its reference.
- You obtained tracked proof of posting.
- You know which delivery and return costs the seller should reimburse.
- You will keep the evidence until the refund, repair, replacement or other resolution is complete.
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