’Personalized beauty’ is one of the growing trends in South Korea. Aligning with the trend, to ensure safe and effective custom cosmetics’ supply in South Korea, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) released a draft detailing the safety rules and specific guidelines for the product manufacturers.

As per the regulations released in March 2020 for custom cosmetics, a personalized product is a cosmetic made on-the-spot by mixing ingredients required for specific customers based on their skin analysis and counselling. The draft by the MFDS proposes several operational requirements for manufacturers and retailers of custom cosmetics. Below given are a few highlights of the draft:

• Manufacturers/retailers are required to comply with the safety management standards provided by the MFDS for the formulation of custom cosmetics
• The raw materials and ingredients used in manufacturing must meet the safety standards of Article 8 of the Cosmetics Act
• Manufacturers/retailers are responsible for checking the expiration date of the contents of the custom product, before its formulation
• Ingredients and raw materials must be stored in sealed containers to avoid any unintentional contamination
• Manufacturers/retailers are responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of the final product by reviewing it in advance
• Before mixing the ingredients, manufacturers/retailers must confirm the skin type and preference of the consumers

As you may know, the MFDS has already concluded the consultation regarding these changes in regulation on June 17, 2020. While the final draft is yet to be released, manufacturers of custom cosmetics are advised to keep abreast of the evolving regulations for compliance. Stay informed. Stay compliant.