Taiwan FDA Consults on the Revised List of Coloring Agents Permitted in Cosmetic Products

On 10 Jan 2014, Taiwan FDA opened for public comments the revised list of coloring agents allowed in cosmetic products. The draft list includes 93 substances (20 less than in the current list) which are divided into 4 categories based on the scope of their application as follows:

• Permitted in all cosmetic products;
• Permitted in all cosmetic products except those intended to be applied in the vicinity of the eyes, in particular eye make-up and eye make-up remover.
• Permitted only in cosmetic products intended not to come into contact with the mucous membranes;
• Permitted only in cosmetic products intended to come into contact only briefly with the skin;  

Compared to the existing list which only divided substances into two classes (type 1 and 3 listed above), the draft list refines the intended application scopes into four distinct categories.

If a colorant is not listed, cosmetics companies should register it with the TFDA prior to use or marketing. According to TFDA officials the duration for registration depends on the properties of the substances. TFDA officials also assured that there is no need for overseas company to register products provided they can submit certain official documentation which proves the colorant has been approved for use in EU, USA and Japan.

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