← Cosmetic regulations by market
Cosmetics regulatory changes digest · September 2026
What changed in cosmetics regulations in the 120 days to 2026-09-23?
15 regulatory changes across 15 markets were recorded between 2026-05-26 and 2026-09-23, the most recent in European Union on 2026-07-31. The ingredient lists we track hold 29,061 entries in 15 markets. Evidence level C (consultancy digests and transcribed official lists): the target market's latest official notice prevails.
Changes in the last 120 days
European Union · Expanded EU fragrance-allergen labelling becomes mandatory for new products
Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 adds 56 allergens to Annex III; products placed on the market from 31 July 2026 must name them above 0.001% (leave-on) / 0.01% (rinse-off), with existing products to comply by 31 July 2028 — Switzerland applies the same annex and Canada mirrors the list.
SourceMainland China · China NMPA Announcement No. 70 (2026) streamlines registration and filing
Eight measures: a first-launch-in-China commitment replaces home-market sale proof, animal-test exemptions widen, ingredient safety data are archived instead of submitted, similar formulas may share test reports, cross-border production transfers and domestic-responsible-person changes are simplified, and more efficacy-test methods are accepted.
SourceHong Kong SAR
Hong Kong Customs warned the public about a collagen cream containing banned Sudan red dye and lacking the required Chinese warning labelling (enforcement action under Cap. 456; no new legislation).
SourceUnited Kingdom (Great Britain) · UK SI 2026/23 and SI 2026/109 set GB-specific bans and dates
Great Britain bans 4-MBC and lowers the formaldehyde-releaser warning threshold to 0.001% from 15 July 2026, bans CMRs incl. TPO from 15 August 2026 (sell-through to 14 February 2027), restricts hexyl salicylate from 15 August 2026 and bans 17 more CMRs incl. nano silver from 23 March 2027, while still not adopting the EU 2023/1545 allergen expansion.
SourceSouth Korea
MFDS issued draft amendments to the Cosmetics Act Enforcement Decree and Rule setting detailed safety-assessment standards (assessor qualifications, record retention) and custom-cosmetics rules, implementing Act No. 21302 whose mandatory safety assessment phases in from 2028.
SourceMalaysia
NPRA Circular No. 2/2026 revised the Guidelines' annexes (prohibited, restricted, colourants, preservatives) to adopt the 43rd ACC amendments, following Circular No. 1/2026 of 2026-01-26 and the 2025-07-10 revision that banned 2-ethylhexanoic acid and TMPTA and restricted salicylic acid.
SourceTaiwan · Taiwan makes PIF and GMP mandatory for all general cosmetics
The final phase of the Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act roll-out requires every general cosmetic (except exempt handmade soap) to hold a Product Information File with a safety assessment and to be manufactured under 化粧品優良製造準則, on top of the existing product notification.
SourceASEAN (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) · ASEAN releases revised ACD Annexes II, III, IV and VI
After the 43rd ACC meeting, bifonazole, clotrimazole, thiabendazole and tioconazole were banned, kojic acid capped at 1%/0.2%, BHT and verbena absolute restricted and chlorophene/2-chloroacetamide dropped as preservatives; Malaysia transposed the changes by NPRA Circular 2/2026 on 2026-07-06 and the Philippines had adopted the 40th–42nd ACC changes by FDA Circular 2026-0001 on 2026-04-22.
SourceSingapore
HSA published the June 2026 ACD annex revisions (Annexes II, III, IV, VI) that notifiers must check before submitting or re-notifying products.
SourceAustralia · Australia requires an AICIS assessment certificate for retinal in consumer products
Following evaluation EVA00186 (presumed developmental toxicant, Repr. 1B), retinal/retinaldehyde with any consumer end use can no longer be exempted or reported, so an assessment certificate is needed before import or manufacture of retinal serums, creams and moisturisers.
SourceBangladesh · Bangladesh publishes draft Cosmetics (Licence and Registration) Rules 2026
The Health Services Division released for comment the draft rules that will operationalise cosmetics licensing and registration under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 2023 (DGDA), which has so far run without detailed rules.
SourceIndonesia
BPOM announced PerBPOM No. 8/2026 (set 2026-04-21) simplifying CPKB/GMP certification; in parallel PerBPOM 25/2025 ingredient limits must be met by 2026-10-03, BPJPH halal certification becomes mandatory for all cosmetics from 2026-10-17 (PP 42/2024), and BPJPH Regulation 3/2026 (2026-07-23) requires a red 'NON HALAL' mark on non-halal cosmetics after a 12-month transition.
SourceBrazil · Brazil issues RDC 1.029/2026 and 1.030/2026 ingredient lists after 2025 bans
ANVISA's new Mercosur-harmonised restricted list (part 1, 24-month adaptation) and prohibited list (12-month adaptation) follow RDC 995/2025's TPO and DMPT ban in force 2025-11-03 and Law 15.183/2025's animal-testing ban from 2025-07-31; consultation 1.399/2026 on the second restricted-list tranche ran until 8 September 2026.
SourceThailand
Thai FDA opened consultation (to 2026-07-08) on six draft notifications adding 10 prohibited substances (Quaternium-15, benzophenone, phenacetin, azole antifungals, etc.) and 3 restricted ones (BHT, Acid Yellow 3, verbena absolute) to align with the ACD, and on 2026-07-07 published a reference list of fragrance allergens based on EU Regulation 2023/1545.
SourceUkraine · Ukraine adopts Resolution No. 737 amending the cosmetics Technical Regulation
Re-issues Annexes 2–6 to EU 1223/2009 levels, keeps 2026-08-03 as the date from which all newly placed cosmetics must be notified and fully compliant, allows legacy/non-notified stock to be sold until 2030-08-03, and enters into force six months after publication (2026-12-13).
Source
Ingredient lists in 15 markets
| Market | Prohibited | Restricted | Permitted / listed | Total | vs previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 4,866 | 1,859 | 0 | 6,725 | — |
| Australia | 0 | 4,052 | 0 | 4,052 | — |
| United Kingdom | 1,725 | 404 | 246 | 2,375 | — |
| Eurasian Economic Union | 1,754 | 319 | 264 | 2,337 | — |
| Gulf states (GSO) | 1,736 | 350 | 241 | 2,327 | — |
| European Union | 1,736 | 344 | 241 | 2,321 | — |
| ASEAN | 1,710 | 224 | 228 | 2,162 | — |
| Indonesia | 1,606 | 217 | 247 | 2,070 | — |
| Mercosur | 1,362 | 77 | 291 | 1,730 | — |
| Brazil | 1,369 | 116 | 91 | 1,576 | — |
| Mexico | 126 | 115 | 407 | 648 | — |
| Canada | 493 | 91 | 0 | 584 | — |
| California (US) | 0 | 0 | 117 | 117 | — |
| Andean Community | 18 | 2 | 0 | 20 | — |
| India | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 | — |
First edition: this is the baseline later editions are compared against.
How this digest is made
Generated automatically on the 1st of each month. Regulatory changes come from this site's tracker of 42 markets, each with a source link; list counts come from transcribed prohibited, restricted and permitted lists for 15 markets. Summaries are written by us, not copied. Evidence level C, not legal advice: before using any item for a filing, label or formulation decision, check the target market's latest official notice.