Indonesia Proposes to Amend Cosmetic Ingredient Use Requirements: 75 Newly Prohibited Ingredients, 2 Amended Restricted Ingredients and 2 Deleted Preservatives

The main amendments include: 1) Deleting requirements specifically related to cosmetics containing alpha arbutin or beta arbutin; 2) Appendix I: List of Restricted Ingredients – 1 revised; 3) Appendix III: List of Permitted Preservatives – 2 deleted; 4) Appendix IV: List of Permitted Sunscreens – 1 revised; 5) Appendix V: List of Prohibited Ingredients – 75 added.

Background: Current Ingredient Use Requirements

Cosmetic ingredients in Indonesia shall comply with Technical Requirements for Cosmetic Ingredients and its appendices:

Appendix I: restricted ingredients
Appendix II: permitted colorants with limitations and conditions of use (excluding hair dyes only for dyeing hair)
Appendix III: permitted preservatives with limitations and conditions of use
Appendix IV: permitted sunscreens with limitations and conditions of use
Appendix V: prohibited ingredients

Prohibited cosmetic ingredients in Indonesia are:

Ingredients listed in Appendix I that do not comply with the allowable limit and conditions of use;
Ingredients listed in Appendix II, III and IV that do not comply with the requirements specified in the Appendices;
Ingredients listed in Appendix II, III and IV that are not used as the colorant, preservative and sunscreen agent, and do not comply with the requirements in Appendix II, III and IV;
Colorants not listed in Appendix II (except for colorants specifically used for hair dyeing)
Preservatives and sunscreen agents not listed in Appendix III and IV;
Prohibited ingredients listed in Appendix V.

Notes:

Other cosmetic ingredients not listed in Appendix I can be used as long as it meets the safety, efficacy, and quality requirements. Relevant scientific or empirical evidence shall be provided and included in the Product Information File (PIF);
When natural ingredients not listed in Appendix II, III, and IV are used as colorants, preservatives, or sunscreens in cosmetics, relevant scientific or empirical evidence shall be provided and included in PIF.

On March 1, 2024, the Indonesian Agency for Food and Drug Control (BPOM) released the amended draft of the Technical Requirements for Cosmetic Ingredients for public consultation until March 19, 2024. ¹ The proposed amendments include:

1) Deleting requirements specifically related to cosmetics containing alpha arbutin or beta arbutin;

2) Appendix I: List of Restricted Ingredients – 1 revised;

3) Appendix III: List of Permitted Preservatives – 2 deleted;

4) Appendix IV: List of Permitted Sunscreens – 1 revised;

5) Appendix V: List of Prohibited Ingredients – 75 added.

1. Deleting requirements specifically related to cosmetics containing alpha arbutin or beta arbutin

The requirements proposed to be deleted are as follows: