Global Cosmetics Regulatory Updates-Vol.39 (May 2026)

This article compiles and summarizes the latest developments in cosmetics regulations as of May 2026, including domestic China industry news, newly issued regulations, updates to relevant standards and policies, and regulatory requirements, as well as global regulatory trends in the cosmetics sector. It aims to assist enterprises in ensuring compliance and keeping up with global cosmetics regulatory trends.

China: Cosmetics Regulations, Standards, and Industry News

This section is divided into two main modules: Regulatory & Standards Updates and Industry News. The first module primarily covers the latest regulatory developments issued by national authorities such as the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC). The latest developments related to cosmetic standards will also be presented in this section. The second module compiles and summarizes cosmetics-related key industry news.

Regulatory Updates

New Measures on Inspection and Supervision of Imported and Exported Cosmetics Released, Effective December 1

On May 6, 2026, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) issued Decree No. 284, promulgating the Measures of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China for the Supervision and Administration of the Inspection and Quarantine of Imported and Exported Cosmetics, effective December 1, 2026. The Measures comprise six chapters and 37 articles, providing comprehensive provisions on the inspection, quarantine, and supervision of imported and exported cosmetics.

Three Standards, Including o-Phenylphenol and Its Salts, Incorporated into the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics

On May 15, 2026, the NMPA published a notice incorporating three revised standards — o-Phenylphenol and Its Salts, Acid Violet 43 (CI 60730), and Mercury and Its Compounds — into the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition), replacing the corresponding existing requirements in the Standards.

Errata Notice for the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition)

On May 22, 2026, the NIFDC issued a notice on errata to the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition). Upon review, the Cosmetics Standardization Technical Committee of the NMPA identified textual errors in certain provisions of “Chapter IV: Physicochemical Test Methods” and issued an errata sheet (see annex); relevant entities should apply the corrected content in the errata sheet.

Eight Test Methods Incorporated into the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics

On May 29, 2026, the NMPA published eight methods, including the Test Method for Trivalent Chromium and Hexavalent Chromium in Cosmetics. Comprising four newly added and four revised methods — eight test methods in total — they will take effect on March 1, 2027 and are incorporated into the corresponding chapters of the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition).

Standards Updates

Safety and Technical Standards for Washing Products Approved and Published

On May 6, 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration of China, SAMR/SAC) issued China National Standard Announcement No. 20 of 2026, officially approving the mandatory national standard Safety and Technical Standards for Washing Products (GB 26396-2026). The standard will take effect on May 1, 2027, replacing the original recommended standard Safety and Technical Standards for Washing Products (GB/T 26396-2011), marking a comprehensive upgrade of China’s safety standard system for washing products.

Second Round of Public Comment on Amendment No. 3 to Requirements of Restricting Excessive Packaging for Foods and Cosmetics

On May 15, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued a notice that, under the SAC’s standards development and revision plan, the second draft for comment of Amendment No. 3 to the mandatory national standard Requirements of Restricting Excessive Packaging for Foods and Cosmetics has been prepared and is now open for public comment. The standard aims to restrict excessive packaging of food and cosmetics and promote green, low-carbon consumption.

Summary of other cosmetics-related standards:

Note: SAC = Standardization Administration of China; SAMR = State Administration for Market Regulation.

Industry News and Local Developments

Shanghai Customs and Shanghai MPA Jointly Issue Announcement on Pilot Electronic Labeling for Imported Cosmetics

On May 8, 2026, Shanghai Customs and the Shanghai Medical Products Administration (MPA) jointly issued an announcement setting out the implementation requirements for the pilot electronic labeling of imported cosmetics in Shanghai. The first pilot batch is conducted in the Pudong New Area; pilot enterprises must declare to the designated customs via the China (Shanghai) International Trade Single Window, and the declaration form must be marked “Electronic Labeling Pilot.” Label verification of pilot products focuses on the content of the visible surface of the Chinese label, and the QR-code information of the electronic label is not subject to repeated verification. The announcement took effect on May 11, 2026.

Shandong MPA Seeks Public Comments on Implementation Rules for Cosmetics Personalized Service Pilots

On May 9, 2026, the Shandong MPA prepared the Shandong Implementation Rules for Cosmetics Personalized Service Pilots and sought public comment; the comment period closed on June 9, 2026. The Rules apply to Shandong-based cosmetic filers or domestic responsible persons authorized by overseas filers participating in the pilot, who, at their own stores, direct-sale outlets, and other business premises, provide on-site services such as small-batch simple blending and repackaging of two or more general cosmetics for which they have filed (excluding children’s cosmetics, eye-skin-care cosmetics, and cosmetics using new cosmetic ingredients), and to the supervision of such activities.

Shaanxi MPA Seeks Comments on Administrative Measures for the Tiered and Classified Management of Cosmetics Manufacturers

On May 19, 2026, the Shaanxi MPA prepared the Shaanxi Administrative Measures for the Tiered and Classified Management of Cosmetics Manufacturers (Draft for Comment) and opened it for public comment, with a deadline of June 19, 2026. The Measures apply to cosmetics manufacturers that have lawfully obtained a Cosmetics Production License within Shaanxi Province. Enterprises are graded on a 100-point scale assessing factors such as product-quality risk, management-system risk, and compliance-control risk, and are assigned to one of four tiers: Tier A (compliant enterprise, 90+ points), Tier B (key enterprise, 70–89), Tier C (enterprise of concern, 60–69), and Tier D (warning enterprise, below 60). The Measures take effect on the date of issuance and remain valid for five years.

Shandong MPA Issues Three-Year Action Plan for Upgrading the Cosmetics Quality System

On May 11, 2026, the Shandong MPA issued the Implementation Plan for the Three-Year Action to Upgrade the Production Quality Management System of Shandong Cosmetics Enterprises. The plan defines three key tasks: (1) boosting quality-management-system improvement through targeted measures; (2) promoting high-quality industrial development through science-based supervision; and (3) enhancing regulatory efficiency through smart, technology-enabled empowerment. By the end of 2028, enterprises’ awareness of their primary responsibilities is expected to be comprehensively strengthened, the operational level of their quality systems to be raised overall, and the innovation, competitiveness, brand power, and influence of “Quality Lu-Makeup” (Pinzhi Lu-Zhuang) to be markedly improved, with at least five quality-system-upgrade best practices formed that can be promoted and replicated nationwide.

International Cosmetics Regulatory Developments

This section primarily covers global cosmetics-related developments for May, 2026.

Europe

EU SCCS Issues Preliminary Opinion on Acetophenone: Maximum Use of 100 ppm in Cosmetics

On May 4, 2026, the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) issued a preliminary opinion concluding that the maximum safe use concentration of acetophenone in cosmetics is 100 ppm (0.01%). ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) had previously recommended classifying it as a reproductive toxicant category 1B; under the EU Cosmetics Regulation, CMR 1A/1B substances are in principle prohibited in cosmetics. The SCCS assessment retains limited use for the ingredient, but the opinion remains at the consultation stage, and enterprises are advised to closely follow further developments.

Americas

Canada Imposes Significant New Activity (SNAc) Provisions on Two Cosmetic Ingredients

On May 2, 2026, the Government of Canada published Canada Gazette, Volume 160, Number 18, and adopted Significant New Activity (SNAc) provisions under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) for two ester substances. Before undertaking certain manufacturing or sale activities involving these two substances in consumer products and cosmetics, enterprises must submit a Significant New Activity Notice (SNAN). The provisions took effect upon publication.

Argentina Prohibits TPO and DMPT in Cosmetics

On May 15, 2026, Argentina’s National Administration of Drugs, Foods and Medical Devices (ANMAT) issued Resolution No. 2820/2026, amending the list of prohibited substances in cosmetics established under the original Resolution No. 6433/2015 by adding two prohibited ingredients: trimethylbenzoyl-diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) and N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT).

Oceania

Australia’s TGA Opens Public Consultation on Revising the Classification of Salicylic Acid in the Poisons Standard

On May 29, 2026, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), under the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, opened a public consultation on revising the classification of salicylic acid in the Poisons Standard, with comments due by June 30, 2026. The revision follows an AICIS assessment report on salicylic acid and its salts, which found that high concentrations of salicylic acid may cause irreversible eye damage. The TGA proposed two revision options to tighten the maximum concentration limit and labeling warning requirements for salicylic acid in skin-use cosmetics, so as to strengthen consumer safety.

Asia

From July 1, 2026, China Taiwan Launches Phase III of Cosmetics GMP

On July 1, 2026, China Taiwan enters Phase III of cosmetics GMP: with specified exceptions, all cosmetics manufacturing premises across Taiwan must comply with GMP requirements. At the same time, the Phase III launch of PIF (Product Information File) preparation requirements and the revisions to the Table of Cosmetic Scope and Categories and to the Standards for Cosmetics Administrative Fee Collection will also take effect.

Korea Revises Reporting Rules on Cosmetics Production/Import Records and Ingredient Lists, Tightening Oversight of Non-reporting Enterprises

On May 13, 2026, Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) officially published a partial revision (Korea Cosmetics Association No. 5-204) of the Regulations on the Reporting of Production/Import Records and Ingredient Lists for Cosmetics. The revision grants reporting-receiving organizations (e.g., KCIA) the authority to verify the facts regarding responsible cosmetic sellers that fail to submit production-record reports, authorizes local food-and-drug authorities to conduct on-site investigations of non-reporting enterprises, and establishes incentives for law-abiding enterprises. The revision was previously open for public comment from April 9 to 29, 2026.

Korea Amends the Cosmetics Act to Ban Misleading Advertising Using AI-Generated Virtual Personas

On May 26, 2026, Korea promulgated a partial amendment to the Cosmetics Act (Act No. 21709) that explicitly prohibits the use of AI-generated virtual personas in cosmetics advertising in a manner that creates the misleading impression that experts such as doctors, pharmacists, or university professors are endorsing, recommending, or using the cosmetics. Meanwhile, the Korea Fair Trade Commission revised its Review Guidelines for Labeling and Advertising Concerning Recommendations and Endorsements to add labeling requirements for AI-virtual-persona advertising, effective June 1, 2026.

Japan’s MHLW Strengthens Allergy Warning Requirements for Henna Hair Cosmetics

On May 20, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) issued a notice requiring prefectural and municipal health authorities to publicize and ensure compliance with the precautions for use of hair cosmetics and related products containing henna (Henna) and henna-derived substances within their jurisdictions. The notice follows a same-day report by Japan’s National Consumer Affairs Center on cases of anaphylaxis caused by henna products containing oxidative dyes, which noted that allergy warning information on the packaging of some products was insufficient.

Thailand Issues Rules on Piperonal in Cosmetics: Maximum 1% in Finished Products

On May 21, 2026, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health published a notification in the Royal Thai Government Gazette regulating the use of piperonal (CAS No. 120-57-0) in cosmetics, placing it under restricted-substance management and setting a maximum limit of 1% in finished cosmetic products to safeguard consumer health. The provisions took effect upon publication.

Thailand Issues Labeling Requirements for Dissolving Microneedle Patches

On May 21, 2026, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health published a notification in the Royal Thai Government Gazette setting labeling requirements for dissolving microneedle patches, pursuant to the authorization under Article 27 of the Cosmetics Act B.E. 2558 (2015).

CIRS Reminder

Cosmetics enterprises are advised to keep closely tracking the latest global cosmetics regulations, standards, and industry developments and to follow global regulatory trends. Continue to strengthen full-chain compliance management, assess compliance risks arising from domestic and international policy changes in advance, and rationally plan product R&D, formulation strategy, and market-entry plans to steadily navigate the new regulatory landscape. If you have any needs related to global cosmetics compliance, please feel free to contact us at any time!

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.

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