On May 21, 2026, Argentina's National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Devices (ANMAT) issued Order No. 2599/2026 and Order No. 2601/2026, incorporating Mercosur GMC Resolution No. 06/25 and Resolution No. 07/25 into the national legal framework, respectively. The two Orders comprehensively update the lists of prohibited and restricted ingredients in personal hygiene products, cosmetics, and perfumes. Both Orders take effect upon publication in Argentina's Boletín Oficial (Official Gazette), with transitional compliance periods of 12 to 24 months.
Amendments to the Prohibited Ingredient List (Order No. 2601/2026)
Order No. 2601/2026 amends the prohibited substance list in Mercosur GMC Resolution No. 62/14. The key changes include: 13 newly added prohibited substances, 2 revised existing entries, and 5 deleted substances.
1. Thirteen Newly Added Prohibited Substances
The following 13 substances are newly added to the prohibited ingredient list for cosmetics:
| No. | Substance | CAS No. |
| 1405 | Diboron trioxide; Boric oxide | 1303-86-2 |
| 1406 | Boric acid | 10043-35-3 |
| 1407 | Borates, tetraborates, octaborates and salts and esters of boric acid, including the following: | |
| Borates, tetraborates, octaborates and boric acid salts and esters, including:Disodium octaborate anhydrous [1]Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate [2]2-Aminoethanol, monoester with boric acid [3]2-Hydroxypropyl ammonium dihydrogen orthoborate [4]Potassium borate, boric acid potassium salt [5]Trioctyldodecyl borate [6]Zinc borate [7]Sodium borate, disodium tetraborate anhydrous; boric acid, sodium salt [8]Tetraboron disodium heptaoxide, hydrate [9]Orthoboric acid, sodium salt [10]Disodium tetraborate decahydrate; borax decahydrate [11]Disodium tetraborate pentahydrate; borax pentahydrate [12] | 12008-41-2 [1]/ 12280-03-4 [2]/ 10377-81-8 [3]/ 68003-13-4 [4]/ 12712-38-8 [5]/ -[6]/ 1332-07-6 [7]/ 1330-43-4 [8]/ 12267-73-1 [9]/ 13840-56-7 [10]/ 1303-96-4 [11]/ 12179-04-3 [12] | |
| 1408 | Perboric acid (H3BO2(O2)), monosodium salt trihydrate [1];Perboric acid, sodium salt, tetrahydrate [2];Perboric acid (HBO(O2)), sodium salt, tetrahydrate sodium peroxoborate hexahydrate [3] | 13517-20-9 [1] 37244-98-7 [2] 10486-00-7 [3] |
| 1409 | Polyurethane-18 | - |
| 1410 | Polyurethane-19 | - |
| 1411 | Dibutyltin hydrogen borate | 75113-37-0 |
| 1412 | Nickel bis(tetrafluoroborate) | 14708-14-6 |
| 1413 | Diaminotoluene, methyl-phenylenediamine (technical product — reaction mass) | - |
| 1414 | Ketoconazole | 65277-42-1 |
| 1415 | Dichloromethane | 75-09-2 |
| 1416 | Butylphenyl methylpropional (Lilial) | 80-54-6 |
| 1417 | Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (HICC) | 31906-04-4 /51414-25-6 |
2. Two Revised Existing Entries
(1) Entry No. 178: Revised to include 4-Benzyloxyphenol and 4-Ethoxyphenol.
(2) Entry No. 221: The description of mercury and its compounds has been revised.
3. Five Substances Removed from the Prohibited List
The following 5 substances have been removed from the prohibited list:
| No. | Substance | CAS No. |
| 178 | 4-Methoxyphenol (p-Hydroxyanisole) | 150-76-5 |
| 382 | Benzoyl peroxide | 94-36-0 |
| 451 | Methyl eugenol | 93-15-2 |
| 1339 | 1,4-Dihydroxybenzene (Hydroquinone) | 123-31-9 |
| 1373 | Azelaic acid | 123-99-9 |
4 Transitional Period
For cosmetic products that have already been granted market authorization and are affected by the amendments, a general transitional period of 12 months is provided from the Order's publication date. However, an extended transitional period of 18 months applies to Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial) and Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde (HICC).
Amendments to the Restricted Ingredient List (Order No. 2599/2026)
Order No. 2599/2026 incorporates Mercosur GMC Resolution No. 06/25 into the Argentine national legal framework, namely the "Mercosur Technical Regulation on the List of Substances that Personal Hygiene Products, Cosmetics and Perfumes Must Not Contain Except Under the Conditions and Restrictions Established." This Order fully replaces the previous GMC Resolution No. 24/11 and Resolution No. 35/22, and simultaneously repeals ANMAT Disposition No. 6365/2012.
This Order comprehensively updates the restricted ingredient list, mainly involving: adjustments to maximum permitted concentration limits for restricted substances, changes to applicable product categories, and updates to labeling requirements. For affected products that have already been granted market authorization, a transitional compliance period of 24 months is provided.
CIRS Reminder
This update to Argentina's prohibited and restricted cosmetic ingredient lists is an important measure for Mercosur member states to harmonize cosmetic regulations, aligning with international regulatory trends such as those of the EU. Key points of attention include:
- Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial) and HICC have already been listed as prohibited substances in the EU. Argentina's simultaneous prohibition reflects the trend of global convergence in cosmetic safety regulation.
- The large-scale prohibition of boron compounds (involving boric acid, borates, perborates, etc.) requires particular attention to products containing boron-based preservatives or functional ingredients.
- The removal of substances such as azelaic acid, hydroquinone, and benzoyl peroxide from the prohibited list does not mean these substances are unrestricted. Enterprises should monitor whether they have been transferred to the restricted list and comply with the corresponding conditions of use.
- Cosmetic enterprises exporting to Argentina are advised to promptly conduct product formula self-inspections and utilize the transitional period to complete compliance adjustments, ensuring products meet the new regulatory requirements after the transitional period ends.
CIRS Group will continue to monitor changes to cosmetic regulations in Argentina and Mercosur and promptly release the latest updates. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.
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