Korea Implements Amendments to Two Functional Cosmetic Regulations

Amendments to “Requirements for Evaluation of Functional Cosmetics” and “Standards and Testing Methods of Functional Cosmetics”, released on Jan 21 2015 by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), officially entered into force from March 25th 2015.

The revised “Requirements for Evaluation of Functional Cosmetics” permits functional cosmetics manufacturers/importers conducting product safety and efficacy evaluation to submit activity testing documentation included in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) instead of only allowing those included in the Science Citation Index (SCI). Testing outcomes and data previously excluded from the SCI are now acceptable under the SCIE. Furthermore, the microbiological testing items are deleted from the regulation and the permitted concentration limit of 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor has been changed to 4%.

Under the new “Standards and Testing Methods of Functional Cosmetics”, 8 kinds of functional cosmetic preparations containing whitening ingredients and whitening/wrinkle-relieving compounds with validated safety and efficacy are newly included. The quantitative analysis methods of 15 functional cosmetic preparations have also been improved. In addition content relating to Glyceryl PABA and p-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA) has been removed from the regulation.