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Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 25, 2024, and was updated on May 8, 2025, as per the latest developments. The updated contents are marked in red below.
Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (STSC) serves as the overarching technical standard for the supervision and testing of cosmetics safety in China. It encompasses the following key contents:
Chapter 1: Explanations of technical terms and general safety standards;
Chapter 2 and 3: Prohibited/Restricted/Permitted ingredients used in cosmetics;
Chapter 4 to 8: Testing methods for physical and chemical, microbiological, toxicological, human body safety, and efficacy evaluation.
Since STSC’s promulgation on December 23, 2015 and implementation on December 1, 2016, it has undergone multiple revisions to align with the evolving industry. The revisions can be summarized as follows:
1. Chapter 2: Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients Used in Cosmetics
Addition of 30 prohibited ingredients;
Inclusion of the limits for benzene as an impurity in cosmetics when technically unavoidable;
Prohibition of 5 plant/animal ingredients as fragrance ingredients;
Amendment of names and CAS numbers of prohibited ingredients;
Classification and merging of prohibited drug ingredients.
2. Chapter 3: Permitted Ingredients Used in Cosmetics
Addition of 1 permitted preservative: Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate HCL
3. Chapter 4: Physical and Chemical Testing Methods for Cosmetics
Addition of 2 testing methods for measuring pH value in water-in-oil cosmetics and toothpaste;
Addition of 22 testing methods for prohibited ingredients, heavy metals, preservatives, sunscreen, colorants, hair dyes, and other ingredients in cosmetics/toothpaste;
Revision of 24 testing methods for prohibited ingredients, restricted ingredients, preservatives, hair dyes, and other ingredients in cosmetics.
4. Chapter 5: Methods of Microbiological Test
Addition of 6 testing methods for detecting microorganisms in toothpaste.
5. Chapter 6: Methods of Toxicological Test
Addition of 26 toxicological testing methods and the General Rule for Pretreatment of Cosmetics in Toxicological Experiments;
Revision of 2 toxicological testing methods.
6. Chapter 8: Human Body Efficacy Evaluation Testing Method
Addition of 2 efficacy evaluation testing methods.
#English Translations
Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics 2015At the end of 2015, CFDA (now NMPA) finally announced that Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics 2015 has been reviewed and passed by Cosmetic Standards Expert Committee. Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics 2015 has been taken into implementation since December 1st, 2016.The main revisions of the new Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard are:Making clear explanations of certain terms;Detailing cosmetic safety technical universal requirements:The limit of lead is adjusted from 40mg/kg to 10mg/kg. The limit of arsenic is adjusted from 10mg/kg to 2mg/kg. The limit of cadmium is newly set as 5mg/kg. The limit of dioxane is 30mg/kg. No asbestos should be tested out.Revising lists of cosmetic prohibited and restricted ingredients and lists of cosmetic permitted ingredients:Currently, there are 1388 kinds of prohibited ingredients, 47 kinds of restricted ingredients, 51 kinds of permitted preservatives, 27 kinds of permitted sun screeners, 157 kinds of colorants and 75 kinds of hair tints in Cosmetic Safety Technical Standard 2015.And revising physical-chemical inspection methods:60 kinds of testing methods for prohibited and restricted ingredients in cosmetics are newly added.All testing methods are standardized and classified for more convenient reference.Few mistakes in the previous Hygienic Standard for Cosmetics have been corrected.If you only wish to read certain parts of it, please contact us by e-mail: [email protected] to tell us which parts you prefer buying and we will send you a corresponding quotation of the chosen parts.*Please note that this translation, provided by our affiliated company, is not included in ChemLinked paid membership benefits.Detailed Amendments to STSC from 2016 to 2025
Chapters in STSC | Revised/Added Items | Implementation Date | Introduction | Further Reading | |
Chapter 2 Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients Used in Cosmetics | 1 Prohibited Ingredients Used in Cosmetics (Inventory 1) | May 28, 2021 | Based on the previous prohibited ingredients lists in STSC, NMPA released and implemented the amended Inventory of Prohibited Ingredients for Cosmetics. The main amendments include:
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Benvimod (CAS No. 79338-84-4) | August 28, 2023 | The Inventory of Prohibited Ingredients for Cosmetics newly includes "Benvimod" as a prohibited ingredient (No. 1285). |
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Benzene (CAS No. 71-43-2) | A new note states that if benzene is technically unavoidable to be present in cosmetics as an impurity, its limit should not exceed 2mg/kg. | ||||
Bimatoprost (CAS No. 155206-00-1) | March 21, 2024 | The Inventory of Prohibited Ingredients for Cosmetics newly includes these five prostaglandin analogs as prohibited ingredients (No.1286, No.1287, No.1288, No.1289, No.1290). | |||
Latanoprost (CAS No. 130209-82-4) | |||||
Tafluprost (CAS No. 209860-87-7) | |||||
Tafluprost ethyl amide, (5Z)-7-{(1R,2R,3R,5S)-2-[(1E)-3,3-Difluoro-4-phenox y-1-buten-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxycyclopentyl}-N-ethyl-5- heptenamide (CAS No. 1185851-52-8) | |||||
Travoprost (CAS No. 157283-68-6) | |||||
2 Prohibited Plant (Animal) Ingredients Used in Cosmetics (Inventory 2) 1 General Principles | Inventory of Prohibited Plant (Animal) Ingredients for Cosmetics | May 28, 2021 | Based on the prohibited ingredients lists in STSC, China released and implemented the amended Inventory of Prohibited Plant (Animal) Ingredients for Cosmetics. The main amendments include:
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Chapter 3 Permitted Ingredients Used in Cosmetics | 1 Permitted Preservatives Used in Cosmetics (Inventory 4) | Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate HCL (CAS No. 60372-77-2) | December 28, 2020 | China approved Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate HCL as a permitted preservative and included it in the Inventory of Permitted Cosmetic Preservatives. The maximum concentration is 0.4%. |
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Chapter 4 Physical and Chemical Testing Methods for Cosmetics | 1 General Principles | August 28, 2023 | China approved the testing method for pH value in water-in-oil cosmetics and newly added it to STSC. |
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December 1, 2024 | China approved these testing methods for toothpaste and newly added them to STSC. |
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1.16 Determination of Li and 42 Kinds of Elements in Toothpaste | March 1, 2026 | China amended the contents of this cosmetic testing method. | |||
| 1.17 Determination of Hard Particles in Toothpaste | China approved this testing method for toothpaste and newly added it to STSC. | ||||
| 1.6 Determination of Li and 42 Kinds of Elements in Cosmetics | China amended the contents of this cosmetic testing method. | ||||
2 Testing Methods of Prohibited Ingredients | 2.14 Determination of Cantharidin and Chlormethine in Cosmetics | January 1, 2020 | China amended the contents of these cosmetic testing methods. | ||
March 1, 2024 |
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2.18 Determination of Desloratadine and Other 50 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | |||||
December 1, 2024 | |||||
| 2.27 Determination of Asbestos in Cosmetics | July 1, 2025 | ||||
2.28 Determination of Tretinoin and Other 7 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | May 1, 2021 | ||||
September 27, 2019 | China approved this testing method for hormone components in cosmetics and newly added it to STSC. |
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2.35 Determination of Dimetridazole and Other 119 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | December 1, 2024 | China amended the contents of this cosmetic testing method. | |||
2.36 Determination of Ethyl Acrylate and Other 39 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | August 28, 2023 | China approved the testing method for 40 ingredients in cosmetics and newly added it to STSC. |
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December 1, 2024 | China approved these testing methods for toothpaste and newly added them to STSC. |
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| 2.39 Determination of Phenacetin in Cosmetics | July 1, 2025 | China approved the testing method for phenacetin in cosmetics and newly added them to STSC. | |||
| 2.40 Determination of Diethylene Glycol and Glycol in Toothpaste | March 1, 2026 | ||||
3 Testing Methods of Restricted Ingredients | 3.1 Determination of Glucuronic Acid and Other 13 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | July 1, 2025 | China amended the contents of these cosmetic testing methods. | ||
| 3.14 Determination of Hydroxycapric Acid in Cosmetics | July 1, 2025 | China approved this testing method for hydroxycapric acid in cosmetics and newly added it to STSC. | |||
| 3.15 Determination of Soluble/Free Fluoride in Toothpastes | March 1, 2026 | China approved these testing methods for toothpaste and newly added it to STSC. | |||
| 3.16 Determination of Total Fluoride in Toothpaste | |||||
December 1, 2024 | China amended the contents of these cosmetic testing methods. | ||||
May 1, 2021 | |||||
3.9 Determination of Thioglycollic Acid and Other 7 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | March 1, 2024 |
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4 Testing Methods of Preservatives | 4.1 Determination of Methylisothiazolinone and Other 22 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | May 1, 2021 | |||
4.2 Determination of Zinc Pyrithione and Other 18 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | |||||
4.3 Determination of Hexamidine diisethionate and Other 6 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | |||||
4.7 Determination of Formic Acid and Other 8 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | |||||
China amended the serial number of this cosmetic testing method. | |||||
March 1, 2024 | China amended the contents of this cosmetic testing method. |
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December 1, 2024 | China approved this testing method for toothpaste and newly added it to STSC. |
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5 Testing Methods of Sunscreens | 5 Determination of 3-benzylidene Camphor and Other 21 Kinds of Sunscreens in Cosmetics | July 11, 2019 | China approved these testing methods for cosmetics and newly added them to STSC. | ||
6 Testing Methods of Colorants | 6.3 Determination of CI 10020 and Other 10 Kinds of Components | August 28, 2023 |
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6.4 Determination of CI 11920 and Other 12 Kinds of Components | |||||
7 Testing Methods of Hair Dyes | 7.2 Determination of P-phenylenediamine and Other 31 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | May 1, 2021 | China amended the contents of this cosmetic testing method. | ||
August 28, 2023 | China approved these testing methods for cosmetics and newly added them to STSC. |
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8 Testing Methods of Other Ingredients | |||||
March 1, 2024 | China amended the contents of this cosmetic testing method. | ||||
8.3 Disodium Distyrylbiphenyl Disulfonate and Other 4 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics | August 28, 2023 | China approved these testing methods for cosmetics and newly added them to STSC. | |||
| 8.4 Determination of Azelaic Acid and its Salts in Cosmetics | July 1, 2025 | ||||
Chapter 5 Methods of Microbiological Test | 7 General Guidelines in Toothpaste | December 1, 2024 | China approved these testing methods for toothpaste and newly added them to STSC. |
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8 Aerobic Plate Count in Toothpaste | |||||
9 Detection of Thermotolerant Coliform Bacteria in Toothpaste | 9 Detection of Thermotolerant Coliform Bacteria in Toothpaste | ||||
10 Detection of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in Toothpaste | |||||
11 Detection of Staphylococcus Aureus in Toothpaste | |||||
12 Molds and Yeasts Count in Toothpaste | |||||
Chapter 6 Methods of Toxicological Test | 8 Bacterial Reverse Mutation Assay | January 1, 2020 | China amended the contents of these cosmetic testing methods. | ||
16 Teratogenicity Test | |||||
18 In-vitro 3T3 Neutral Red Uptake Phototoxicity Test Method for Chemicals Used in Cosmetics | 18 In-vitro 3T3 Neutral Red Uptake Phototoxicity Test Method for Chemicals Used in Cosmetics | December 1, 2016 | China approved these toxicological testing methods and newly added them to STSC. |
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19 In Vitro Skin Corrosion: Transcutaneous Electrical Resistance Test (TER) for Chemicals Used in Cosmetics | August 21, 2017 | ||||
20 Skin Photoallergy Test | |||||
21 Short Time Exposure In Vitro Test Method (STE) | January 1, 2020 | ||||
22 Skin Sensitization: Local Lymph Node Assay: DA (LLNA: DA) | |||||
23 Skin Sensitization: Local Lymph Node Assay: BrdU-ELISA (LLNA: BrdU-ELISA) | 23 Skin Sensitization: Local Lymph Node Assay: BrdU-ELISA（LLNA: BrdU-ELISA） | ||||
24 In Chemico Skin Sensitization: Direct Peptide Reactivity Assay (DPRA) | 24 In Chemico Skin Sensitization: Direct Peptide Reactivity Assay (DPRA) | ||||
25 In Vitro Mammalian Cells Micronucleus Test | March 2, 2021 | ||||
26 In Vitro Skin Sensitisation: Human Cell Line Activation Test (h-CLAT) | 26 In Vitro Skin Sensitisation: Human Cell Line Activation Test (h-CLAT) | August 28, 2023 |
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27 In Chemico Skin Sensitisation: Amino acid Derivative Reactivity Assay (ADRA) | 27 In Chemico Skin Sensitisation: Amino acid Derivative Reactivity Assay (ADRA) | ||||
28 Fluorescein Leakage In Vitro Test Method | |||||
29 Acute Oral Toxicity Test: Up-and Down Procedure | |||||
30 Acute Oral Toxicity Test: The Fixed-Dose Procedure | |||||
31 Acute Oral Toxicity Acute: Toxic Class Method | |||||
32 In Vivo Mammalian Alkaline Comet Assay | |||||
33 General Rule for Pretreatment of Cosmetic in Toxicological Experiments | 33 General Rule for Pretreatment of Cosmetic in Toxicological Experiments | December 1, 2024 | |||
34 Acute Inhalation Toxicity Study | |||||
35 Acute Inhalation Toxicity-Acute Toxic Class Method | |||||
36 Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Assay for Photoreactivity | |||||
37 U937 Cell Line Activation Test | |||||
38 Skin Absorption: in Vivo Method | |||||
39 Repeated Dose 28-Day Oral Toxicity Study | |||||
40 28-Day Inhalation Toxicity Study | |||||
41 90-Day Inhalation Toxicity Study | |||||
42 Extended One-Generation Reproductive Toxicity Study | |||||
43 Two-Generation Reproductive Toxicity Study | |||||
| 44 In Chemico Skin Sensitisation The ARE-Nrf2 Luciferase LuSens Test | 44 In Chemico Skin Sensitisation The ARE-Nrf2 Luciferase LuSens Test | March 1, 2026 | China amended the contents of this cosmetic testing method. | ||
Chapter 8 Human Body Efficacy Evaluation Testing Method | 5 Test Method for Efficacy Measurement of Skin Whitening Cosmetic Products | 5 Test Method for Efficacy Measurement of Skin Whitening Cosmetic Products | March 2, 2021 | China approved these efficacy evaluation testing methods and newly added them to STSC. | |
6 Test Method for Efficacy Measurement of Anti-hair Loss Cosmetic Products | 6 Test Method for Efficacy Measurement of Anti-hair Loss Cosmetic Products | ||||
Apart from the aforementioned amendments that have already come into effect or are soon to take effect, China has also issued a revised draft of STSC in 2022. Referred to as STSC 2022, this revision extensively modifies the original content while maintaining the fundamental framework of STSC 2015. The changes involve updating contents that are incompatible with current regulatory practices, retaining relevant and applicable sections, incorporating the above revisions made to STSC 2015, and enhancing the standardization and clarity of certain terms and expressions. For detailed information regarding the specific revisions, please refer to ChemLinked News.
ChemLinked offers a comprehensive solution for accessing STSC amendments and over 1,000 key regulations from more than 17 global countries/regions. By subscribing to the Cosmetic Regulatory Database for $800, stakeholders can conveniently access all the STSC amendments and other regulations for FREE. Additionally, for translation need, welcome to contact ChemLinked ([email protected]).
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