KOREA – New Ingredients and Preparations of Functional Cosmetics Exempt from Evaluation
The “Standards and Testing Methods of Functional Cosmetics” is amended by the addition of two new entries of functional cosmetics, which are exempt from evaluation.
According to the Korean Cosmetic Act, functional cosmetic means cosmetics prescribed by Ordinance of the Prime Minister, falling under any of the following:
- Products aiding in the whitening of the skin
- Products aiding in improving wrinkles in the skin
- Products aiding in tanning skin gently or protecting skin from ultraviolet rays
- Products aiding in changing or removing the colour of hair, or nourishing hair
- Products aiding in preventing or improving dryness, splits, loss, cornification, etc. resulting from weakened functions of skin or hair
The manufacturer or importer of functional cosmetics must register the products. This process requires an assessment from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). The process is expensive and complicated, but there are certain functional cosmetics that may be exempt from this evaluation. They must be listed in the “Standards and Testing Methods of Functional Cosmetics”, presenting the safety assessment in accordance with the Cosmetics Act.
This year 2020, new ingredients and preparations of functional cosmetics exempt from evaluation are added:
- Whitening and anti-wrinkle products: Preparations made from complexes of Ethyl Ascorbyl Ether, Adenosine (lotions or creams).
- Hair dyes, prepared from:
- Sodium Persulfate and Potassium Persulfate (powder).
- 3-step oxidative hair dyes, where the third step is a hair conditioner
The revision of the Standards and Testing Methods of Functional Cosmetics with these new entries can be found at the link.