Analysis of Amendments to China’s New Cosmetic Mask Industry Standard QB/T 2872

Compared to the old QB/T 2872, the new cosmetic mask industry standard is expanded in scope. It also stipulates new requirements on ingredients, fragrances, microbial testing, and hazardous substances in order to align with "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard (2015)". To encompass market and industry changes and the expansion in product characteristics, the scope of "Mask" in QB/T 2872 2017 is expanded to cover the general surface of human skin, including eye mask, lip mask, hand mask and foot mask, etc...

Takehome:

To encompass market and industry changes and the expansion in product characteristics, the scope of "Mask" in QB/T 2872 2017 is expanded to cover the general surface of human skin, including eye mask, lip mask, hand mask and foot mask, etc.
Because the "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard (2015)" revised numerous prohibited ingredients and limitations of restricted ingredients, the new QB also revised the restrictions of ingredients relevant to masks. Meanwhile, it also supplements fragrance use requirements (pursuant to GB/T 22731).
For microbial testing, the new QB also includes the latest methods listed in "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard (2015)" (compared with the 2007 Standard, both the sample taking and culture time required in microbial testing are different); for heavy mental testing, the new QB not only adds cadmium testing requirements but also revises other heavy metal limits.
Due to a recent focus on asbestos in talcum powder in mass media, the QB stresses asbestos control, and requires asbestos testing for powder mask using talcum powder. The product is required to be completely asbestos free with no permitted maximum limit.
Florescent masks are a topic of major concern among the Chinese public. The new QB adds a "transferable fluorescence whitening agent" test requirement. The test method refers to GB/T 27741 "transferable fluorescence whitening agent" test for paper and paperboard. It is noteworthy that even the carrier (normally made of non-woven fabrics) doesn't contain transferable fluorescence whitening agent.

For the detail of QB/T 2872 2017, you may refer to the translation edition provided by Chemlinked.

Annex: Other changes in the new edition:

Point of Changes	Old Edition (QB/T 2872-2007)	New Edition (QB/T 2872-2017)
Revise English name	Skin mask	mask
Revise the application scope	----	Delete the foam mask Delete fiber types of mask made by fermentation technology
Revise the category of mask	Paste(cream) mask, gel mask, facial film mask, powder mask	Paste(cream) mask, gel mask, facial film mask, powder mask, mud mask
Add the tests of direct contact package materials and carriers	----	The package materials and carriers should comply with "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard"
Add the test of transferable fluorescence whitening agent	----	Transferable fluorescence whitening agent can't be tested out
Add the test of ingredients	----	The usage of ingredients should comply with "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard"
Add the test of fragrance	----	Comply with the restrictions of 99 kinds of fragrance listed in Annex B of GB/T 22731
Revise the range of pH requirements	3.5-8.5	4.0-8.5
Revise the temperature range of cold resistance	-5-10℃	-6-10℃
Add the test of heat resistance	----	Keep in (40+-1)℃ for 24h, return to room temperature, the sample remain the same feature as tested before
Add the test of cold resistance	----	Keep in (-6-10)℃ for 24h, return to room temperature, the sample remain the same feature as tested before
Add the test of asbestos in powder mask using talcum powder	----	Complete absence of asbestos required
Add the test of ethyl alcohol in cream (lotion) mask	----	Ethyl alcohol =<2000ppm
Cancel the test of ethyl alcohol in powder mask	Ethyl alcohol=<2000ppm	----
Revise the permitted limits of lead	----	Lead=<10ppm (according to "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard")
Revise the permitted limits of arsenic	Arsenic=< 10ppm	Arsenic=<2ppm (according to "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard")
Add the test of cadmium in all types of mask	----	Cadmium=<5ppm(according to "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard")
Add the test of sense (appearance, fragrance) of mud mask	----	The mask should be in mud form; Comply with required fragrance type
Add the test of physicochemical indexes (pH, hot-resistance, cold-resistance)	----	The test of pH should comply with GB/T 13531.1
Add the hygiene standard (methyl alcohol, total bacterial count, total count of mycete and saccharomycetes, thermotolerant coliform bacterial, staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium) of mud mask	----	Comply with "Cosmetic Safety and Technical Standard"
Add the label method of net content	----	The molding film type can use counting unit to label net content; The liquid dipping fiber mask can use unit of measurement to represent net content