South Korea Proposes Revisions to the Review Regulations for the Designation and Modification of Cosmetic Ingredient Usage Standards

South Korean authorities have issued proposed revisions to the cosmetic ingredient usage standards that aim to clarify the scope and requirements for submitting materials when applying for the cancellation or modification of prohibited ingredients. This would ensure the rationality and standardization of the review process for the designation or modification of cosmetic ingredient usage standards. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea issued Announcement No. 92 of 2025, on February 21.

Key Provisions Include:

• Applicants are allowed to apply for the cancellation or modification of ingredients prohibited from use in cosmetic production, with clear specifications on the applicable scope. The reference for these ingredients is Appendix 1 of the "Cosmetic Safety Standards Regulations" (MFDS Notification).
• Requirements for submission of materials when applying for the cancellation or modification of prohibited ingredients:
  • (1) Safety Data: Specifies the required assessment data based on different test requirements.
  • (2) Efficacy Data: Defines the types of materials to be submitted, including usage purpose and function data, as well as general matters and test methods for conducting experiments.

About CIRS

The CIRS cosmetic team is dedicated to ensuring that cosmetic products meet stringent global regulatory standards. It can provide one-stop services covering the whole life-cycle of a personal care product, which includes cosmetic ingredient development, physical/chemical tests, toxicological tests (in vivo & in vitro), efficacy studies (in vivo & in vitro), ingredient registration, and product registration.

Our services in South Korea include but are not limited to:

• Korean Cosmetics Product Notification & Registration (General Cosmetics, Functional Cosmetics);
• Standardization of Cosmetic Ingredient Names in Korea;
• Korean Cosmetics Label Review; and
• Quality Inspection.

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.

Further Information

https://www.mfds.go.kr/brd/m_209/view.do?seq=44069&srchFr=&srchTo=&srchWord=&srchTp=&itm_seq_1=0&itm_seq_2=0&multi_itm_seq=0&company_cd=&company_nm=&page=1