How to sell beauty products on Walmart

To sell beauty products on Walmart, expect to need approval first. Topical products are on Walmart's pre-approval list, cosmetics are a restricted category with enhanced vetting, and in 2025 trade press reported Walmart limiting beauty listings to brand owners and authorized distributors. If you're approved, the referral fee is 8% on items $10 or less and 15% above $10. Margenos is a Walmart reseller tool (Chrome extension and Android app) that shows whether a product is worth selling on Walmart Marketplace: fees, profit, ROI, sales estimates, every competing seller with stock, the Buy Box winner and the product's price and Buy Box history.

Walmart's referral fee for beauty

Walmart's schedule groups Beauty, Health and Personal Care together: 8% when the total sales price is $10 or less, and 15% when it's over $10. The tier applies to the whole price, and the total sales price includes shipping.

Hypothetical examples: a $9.99 lip balm with free shipping pays 8% = $0.80. A $12.99 serum pays 15% = $1.95. Watch the threshold: an $8.99 item with $2.00 shipping has a $10.99 total, so it pays 15% = $1.65, not 8%. Pricing low-cost beauty at $10 or under with free shipping can keep you in the lower tier. See Walmart seller fees for the full picture.

Approval and restrictions for beauty on Walmart

Beauty has more rules than almost any other category:

• Pre-approval. Topical products and fragrances are both on Walmart's pre-approval list.
• Restricted cosmetics. Walmart's cosmetics policy says the category is limited to certain sellers, and Walmart contacts eligible sellers about enhanced vetting.
• Brand owners and authorized sellers. In July 2025 trade press reported Walmart moving to limit beauty and personal care listings to brand owners and authorized distributors, with others needing extra documentation. Plan on needing a letter of authorization or distributor invoices.
• Labeling and claims. Listings must include FDA-compliant labeling (identity, net quantity, ingredients, directions, manufacturer or distributor). Claims to treat or prevent disease are prohibited; Walmart's example is that "reduce the appearance of wrinkles" is fine while "eliminate wrinkles" may be treated as a drug claim.
• Prohibited items include opened or used cosmetics, products not in original retail packaging, full-size items bundled with improperly labeled samples, products needing refrigeration, mercury above 1 ppm, and skin-lightening products.

More on gating in Walmart restricted brands and approval categories.

What sells and seasonality

Beauty is a replenishment category: shoppers rebuy the same cleanser, shampoo or nail polish, so steady sellers can move all year. Gift sets peak in Q4 and around Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, and sun care sells in spring and summer. Viral social media products can spike and fade quickly.

Sourcing beauty and the risks

Because of authorization rules, wholesale from the brand or an authorized distributor is the most realistic route for beauty; see Walmart wholesale. Retail and clearance buys and online arbitrage give you receipts, not authorization, so they carry more risk in this category.

• Counterfeits and diverted stock are common in fragrance and skincare. Buy only from sources that can prove the chain.
• Expiration and shelf life. Old stock and products past their period-after-opening sell poorly and draw complaints.
• Packaging changes. Brands reformulate and repackage; old versions get reviews that don't match.
• Hazmat. Nail polish, perfume and aerosols can be flammable and face shipping limits.
• Walmart sells major beauty brands itself, often at low prices.

Checklist before you buy beauty products

1. Confirm your account is approved for topicals and the brand in Seller Center.
2. Get authorization or distributor invoices before you buy.
3. Check the label for required elements and no disease claims.
4. Check sellers, stock and Walmart's presence on the listing.
5. Price around the $10 threshold and run profit after fees.

The full process: how to know if a product will sell on Walmart.

WFS notes for beauty

WFS works for small, light beauty items. Liquids need leak-proof packaging (sealed, shrink-wrapped or poly bagged) or WFS bags them and charges an unplanned prep fee. Dated items expiring within 60 days won't be received, and items at 30 days or less are removed at your expense. See Walmart WFS fees.

Sources: Walmart Marketplace referral fees · Walmart referral fee schedule for contract categories (updated Mar 9, 2026) · Walmart prohibited products policy: overview (updated Jun 5, 2026) · Walmart cosmetic products policy (updated Jul 9, 2026) · PPC Land on Walmart's beauty restrictions (July 2025) · WFS: prepare and pack shipments (updated Jul 24, 2026). Walmart changes its rules; confirm in Seller Center.