Compliance requirements for custom cosmetics can refer to CL News [2].

Qualification Test for Custom Cosmetics Compounding Manager

The qualification test for custom cosmetics compounding manager will be held twice a year and the first one will be held on Feb. 22, 2020. The main testing items are:

• Understanding of the Cosmetics Act

• Manufacture and quality control of cosmetics

• Safety management on cosmetics circulation

• Understanding of custom cosmetics

Click here to apply for the qualification test.

2. Solid soap, black hair powder and hair removal wax will be classified as cosmetics from Dec. 31, 2019.

Enterprises that manufacture or sell solid soap, black hair powder and hair removal wax are required to register with the MFDS as manufacturers or responsible sellers and comply with the safety and quality control standards prescribed by the Cosmetics Act. Packaging labeled in accordance with the previous regulations can be used until December 31, 2020.

New labeling regulation for solid soap:

• Can label both dry weight and wet weight

• Can label all ingredients of saponification reaction products

Solid soap responsible sellers with less than two regular employees can be recognized as responsible sales manager after completing the training courses designated by MFDS.

MFDS will run a helpdesk in collaboration with the Korea Cosmetics Association (KCA) before June 2020 to quickly answer industry inquiries. MFDS has published 2 FAQ collections [3] about solid soap, black hair powder and hair removal wax in August and December 2019. If translations are needed, please contact [email protected].

3. Other Regulation Updates in 2019

Updates	Implementation date
Improve the pretreatment of methanol testing method and microorganisms sample	Apr. 1, 2019
Newly added several prohibited cosmetic ingredients	Oct. 2, 2019
Expand the range of functional cosmetics that only need to submit a report to the MFDS Extension of the grace period for business registration information changes due to administrative zone restructuring Cosmetics without labeling sales price will be fined Please refer to CL News for details.	Dec. 12, 2019
25 fragrance allergens should be labeled on cosmetic packaging Children cosmetics shall mark or label the content of preservatives on the packaging	Jan. 1, 2020
Children cosmetics shall establish and keep product safety data	Jan. 16, 2020
Six colorants that are irritating to the cornea are prohibited from being used in cosmetics applied to or applied in the vicinity of the eyes. Pigment Red 5 is newly added as permitted colorant used in solid soaps. Restrictions on two colorants are amended.	Mar. 1, 2020
Prohibited ingredients are newly added and the limitations on restricted ingredients are more stringent Two preservatives are prohibited from use in children cosmetics Seven ingredients permitted for use in hair dyes are newly added Ingredients that can be used in custom cosmetics are specified	Apr. 18, 2020
Natural and organic cosmetics shall comply with the requirements in Standards for Natural and Organic Cosmetics. The prohibited and permitted ingredients, physical, chemical and biological technologies for natural and organic cosmetics can be referred to coslist.	July 29, 2020
KCA has established a Cosmetic Advertising Review Organization to strengthen the supervision of cosmetics advertising. Enterprises can apply for advertising compliance consultation through KCA' s Website.	/

For detailed South Korean and the Asia Pacific cosmetic regulation updates in 2019, please stay tuned for ChemLinked Annual Report to be released in January 2020.