The Technical Safety Standards for Cosmetics (TSSC)came into full effect on 1 December, prohibiting the manufacture and import of any cosmetics that do not comply with the TSSC 2015 regulation.

TSSC 2015 provides comprehensive information on the technical standards applied to cosmetics regulation in China.The regulations supply guidance on general safety standards;definitions relating to prohibited, restricted and permitted ingredients; and setting testing methods for the manufacture and operation of cosmetics products in China.

Under the 2015 standards, the manufacture and/or import of any new cosmetics that fail to comply with its stipulations will be prohibited from entering the Chinese marketplace.

In addition, the standards impose strict compliance relating to product information and refer to specific details including warning, application conditions and ingredient list on labels and packaging; formulae; quality control specification and product technical specification, and testing reports.

To ease the transition for Chinese companies, CFDA holds that cosmetics already in circulation, which have been manufactured and/or imported, can continue to be sold in the market until their expiration date.

On 1 June 2016, CFDA announced specific details relating to transitional processes for implementing the STSC 2015, outlining measures and deadlines.

The major and most significant revisions that will affect brands launching new products relate to the standards’ list of ingredients as these now contain increased numbers of prohibited ingredients and fewer permitted options.

There are 1,388 types of prohibited ingredients, 47 kinds of restricted ingredients, 51 permitted preservatives, 27 permitted sun screeners, 157 colorants and 75 hair tints listed in TSSC 2015.

The new standards highlight the importance of the safety of both products and ingredients. To emphasise this, it has improved evaluation methods from the previous standard by aiming to produce a more comprehensive and scientific technical reference.