Progress in the Revision of EU Cosmetics Regulations in 2020 and Its Enlightenments to China

In 2020, the European Union (EU) revised the list of prohibited, restricted and permitted cosmetic ingredients in EU cosmetic regulations, adding three prohibited ingredients, eight restricted ingredients and one UV filter. In additioin, the EU plans to add thirteen prohibited cosmetics ingredients and two restricted cosmetics ingredients and extend the scope of application of salicylic acid. The EU also issued the safety assessment on six cosmetic ingredients. Comparison showed differences in the management of banned, restricted, and permitted cosmetic ingredients between China and the EU; most of these ingredients are not included in the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics in China, which poses potential safety risks. It is necessary to carry out risk monitoring and safety assessment of these ingredients in China to revise/supplement China's cosmetics technical regulations according to the EU assessment; and the revision of EU cosmetic regulations should be followed continuously. Based on the situation of Chinese cosmetic industry, the cosmetics regulations should be revised to promote the development of cosmetic industry in China.