On 26 June 2026, National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China published an interpretation of the Regulations on the Registration, Filing, and Data Management of New Cosmetic Ingredients, outlining reforms intended to encourage cosmetic ingredient innovation while strengthening risk-based oversight. The guidance explains that the revised framework aligns with the Cosmetics Supervision and Administration Regulation by replacing the previous approval-focused approach with a differentiated registration and filing system based on ingredient risk. Key changes include separating administrative requirements from technical guidance, reducing the number of ingredient categories requiring registration, and simplifying dossier requirements by allowing certain supporting data to be retained by companies instead of being submitted. The policy also promotes greater use of existing safety data, safe-use history, and internationally accepted testing methods to avoid unnecessary repeat studies. Notably, it encourages the adoption of validated non-animal alternative test methods and provides opportunities for scientific consultation when novel safety assessment approaches are used. Additionally, the NMPA announced supporting measures, including standardized reporting templates, enhanced technical guidance, parallel review of new ingredients and related products, and exploration of a dynamic mechanism to update standards for preservatives, sunscreens, colorants, and hair dyes, with the aim of accelerating innovation and market access.
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