NIFDC Consults on Seven Testing Methods for Cosmetics

China National Institutes for Food and Drug Control is consulting on 7 cosmetic testing methods, which are related to boric acid and borate, tretinoin and its derivatives, 47 kinds of hair dyes, and efficacy evaluation of freckle removing and whitening and anti-hair loss.

On November 12, 2020, China National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) opened public consultation on 7 cosmetic testing methods. Stakeholders with any comments can sent them to the NIFDC via email at [email protected] before November 18, 2020.

The details of the 7 draft testing methods are as follows:

No.	Name	Applicable scope
1	Testing methods for boric acid and borate in cosmetics	The methods are applicable to determine the content of boric acid and borate in the powder, liquid, lotion, cream and gel cosmetics.
2	Testing methods for p-Phenylenediamine and other 31 kinds of hair dyes in cosmetics	The methods are applicable to determine the content of 32 kinds of hair dyes in cosmetics, namely: p-Phenylenediamine p-Aminophenol toluene-2,5-diamine sulfate m-Aminophenol o-Phenylenediamine 2-Chloro-p-phenylenediamine sulfate o-Aminophenol resorcinol 2-Nitro-p-phenylenediamine toluene-3,4-Diamine 4-Amino-2-hydroxytoluene 2-Methylresorcinol 6-Amino-m-cresol phenyl methyl pyrazolone N,N-diethyl toluene-2,5- diamine hydrochloride 4-Amino-3-nitrophenol m-Phenylenediamine 2,4-Diaminophenoxyethanol HCl Hydroquinone 4-Amino-m-cresol 2-Amino-3-hydroxypyridine N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine sulfate p-Methylaminophenol sulfate 4- Nitro-o-phenylenediamine 2,6-Diaminopyridine N,N-diethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine sulfate 6-Hydroxyindole 4-Chlororesorcinol 2,7-Naphthalenediol N-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine 1,5-Naphthalenediol Naphthol
3	Testing methods for 2-Amino-4-hydroxyethylaminoanisole sulfate and other 14 kinds of hair dyes in cosmetics	The methods are applicable to determine the content of 15 kinds of hair dyes in cosmetics, namely: 2-Amino-4-hydroxyethylaminoanisole sulfate Hydroxybenzomorpholine 2,6-Dihydroxyethylaminotoluene 3-Nitro-p-hydroxyethylaminophenol 2-Methyl-5-hydroxyethylaminophenol Hydroxyethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyaniline HCl 4-Hydroxypropylamino-3-nitrophenol HC Yellow No.4 5-Amino-6-chloro-o-cresol HC Yellow No.2 5-Amino-4-chloro-o-cresol Hydroxyethyl-2-nitro-p-toluidine Disperse Violet 1 HC Orange No 1 HC Red No 1
4	Testing methods for tretinoin and its derivatives in cosmetics	The methods are applicable to determine the content of tretinoin its derivatives in the powder, liquid, lotion, cream and gel cosmetics by High Performance Liquid Chromatography.
5	In vitro mammalian cell micronucleus test	This method is applicable for the testing of mutagenicity of cosmetic ingredients and their products.
6	Evaluation method of freckle removing and whitening efficacy	This method is applicable for the evaluation of cosmetics claiming freckle removing and whitening by human trials.
7	Evaluation method of anti-hair loss efficacy	This method is applicable for the evaluation of cosmetics claiming anti-hair loss by human trials.

The biggest significance of their release is that the first five drafts improve the existing testing methods in the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics 2015, and the other two fill the gap where China lacks the efficacy evaluation methods and conforms to the requirements for efficacy evaluation under China’s new cosmetic regulatory framework.