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Beauty & Personal Care
Beauty & Personal Care
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Cosmetics Retail

Good margins on beauty products, but the FDA is strict and fake stock ruins reputations overnight.

01

Business structure

A shop and online store selling skincare, makeup, hair products and fragrances sourced from verified distributors.

02

Capital requirements

All figures in Ghana Cedis (GHs). These are planning estimates — get quotes from local suppliers before committing money.

Chairs, dryers and salon equipmentGHs 5,700 – GHs 45,500
Opening product stockGHs 3,300 – GHs 26,500
Shop rent and decorationGHs 4,200 – GHs 33,500
Permits and staff screeningGHs 1,800 – GHs 14,500
Total initial investmentGHs 15,000 – GHs 120,000
03

Licensing & permits

The compliance path in Ghana, from registration through to sector regulators.

  1. 1Reserve the name and register the business at the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC)
  2. 2Get a TIN linked to your Ghana Card and register for tax at the nearest GRA office
  3. 3Apply for a Business Operating Permit from your Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly
  4. 4Get Environmental Health clearance and staff medical screening from the Assembly
  5. 5Register cosmetics you make or import with the FDA
  6. 6Register the business and your staff with SSNIT once you start paying salaries
04

Target market

  • Women aged 18 to 45
  • Salons buying wholesale
  • Online and delivery customers
05

Risk assessment

01

Selling unregistered skin-lightening products can get your shop shut down

02

Stylists leaving and taking their client book with them

03

Counterfeit or expired products damaging clients and your name

04

Rent in a good location eating most of the margin

05

Slow weekdays against overloaded weekends

06

Marketing strategies

  1. 1Post before-and-after work on Instagram and TikTok consistently
  2. 2Take bookings over WhatsApp with deposits to cut no-shows
  3. 3Run loyalty cards: every fifth service discounted
  4. 4Partner with bridal planners and event photographers for weekend work

Fees, levies and permit requirements change. Confirm the current position with the Office of the Registrar of Companies, the Ghana Revenue Authority and your Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly before you spend.

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