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Introduction to STSC
Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics 2015 (STSC) serves as the overarching technical standard for cosmetics safety supervision and testing in China. It includes:
Explanations of technical terms;
General safety standards;
Prohibited/Restricted/Permitted ingredients used in cosmetics;
Physical and chemical, microbiological, toxicological, human body safety and efficacy evaluation testing methods.
From 2016 to 2021, China has made several amendments to STSC, including newly adding 14 testing methods, improving the content of existing testing methods, and amending the requirements for some prohibited/restricted/permitted ingredients. The following table summarizes all the amendments to STSC in the past six years.
All the Amendments to STSC from 2016 to 2021
No. | Testing Methods/Ingredient Lists | Status | Release/Implementation Date | Introduction | Further Reading |
1 | In force | Mar. 2, 2021 | China approved these 3 cosmetic testing methods and newly added them to the STSC. | ||
To be enforced | May 1, 2021 | China amended the contents of these 4 cosmetic testing methods. | |||
2 | Draft | Jan. 22, 2021 | Based on the prohibited ingredients lists in STSC, China released the draft amended Inventory of Prohibited Cosmetic Ingredients. The main amendments include adding 17 prohibited ingredients, amending 13 prohibited ingredients and 27 prohibited plant (animal) ingredients, classifying and merging prohibited drug ingredients into three categories, and modifying some text contents.
Inventory of Prohibited Cosmetic Ingredients will be released and finalized as separate technical regulations or mandatory national standards in the future. | ||
3 | In force | Dec. 28, 2020 | China approved Methacrylate/Glyceryl Diisostearate Methacrylate Copolymer, Calcium Phosphoryl Oligosaccharides, Steareth-200 as cosmetic ingredients, approved Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate HCL as a new cosmetic preservative and included it in the List of Permitted Cosmetic Preservatives of chapter III of STSC. | ||
4 | In force | Jan. 1, 2020 | China approved these 5 testing methods and newly added them to the STSC. Among them, the last four are animal testing alternative methods. | China to Include Nine Testing Methods in Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standards: 5 New, 4 Revised | |
In force | Jan. 1, 2020 | China amended the contents of these 4 cosmetic testing methods. | |||
5 | In force | Sep. 27, 2019 | China approved 2 testing methods for hormone components and anti-infective drugs in cosmetics and newly included them in chapter IV of STSC. | ||
6 | In force | Jul. 11, 2019 | China approved the testing method for 22 sunscreen agents in cosmetics and newly included it in chapter IV of STSC. | ||
7 | Draft | Sep. 7, 2018 | China released the draft amendments to STSC. The amendment includes adding three restricted ingredients, revising the requirements for some prohibited, restricted, and permitted ingredients, and the content of some toxicological testing methods, etc. | China Consults on the Amendment to Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics | |
8 | In force | Aug. 21, 2017 | China approved 2 animal testing alternative methods for cosmetics and newly included them in chapter VI of STSC. | ||
9 | In force | Dec. 1, 2016 | China approved one animal testing alternative method for cosmetics and newly included it in chapter VI of STSC. | China Makes Giant Leap towards Realizing a Cruelty Free Cosmetic Sector |
ChemLinked has collected all the STSC amendments in Cosmetic Regulatory Database. Stakeholders can subscribe to Cosmetic Regulatory Database ($800) to quickly access all the STSC amendments and other 1000+ key regulations in over 12 APAC countries for FREE.
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