China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA, 国家药品监督管理局) issued Announcement No. 99 of 2026, dated 30 September, on applying revisions to its cosmetics safety standards. Reformulations that swap an affected ingredient for a base ingredient, or use less of it, need no new registration test. This article covers registered products, products under review and efficacy tests.
NMPA Announcement No. 99 is dated 30 September 2026
The announcement covers three kinds of revision to the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (化妆品安全技术规范, “the Standards”). These are changes to the lists of prohibited, restricted and permitted ingredients; changes to limits on microbes and harmful substances; and additions and updates to test methods. It applies to cosmetics including toothpaste.
The full text was carried by Xinhua on 9 October 2026, with the NMPA named as the source.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Issuing body | National Medical Products Administration (国家药品监督管理局) |
| Title | 关于《化妆品安全技术规范》修订内容实施有关事宜的公告 |
| Document number | Announcement No. 99 of 2026 (2026年第99号) |
| Date of announcement | 30 September 2026 |
| Effective date of the revised Standards | Not stated; the notice refers to “before the revised content takes effect” |
| Scope | Registrants and filers of cosmetics (including toothpaste); special cosmetics under technical review; products about to be registered or filed |
Switching to a base ingredient or reducing the amount needs no new registration test
Where the revised ingredient lists require a formula change, registrants and filers may apply for the change before the revised Standards take effect. If they switch the affected ingredient to a base ingredient (基质原料), or use less of it, they explain the change and complete a safety assessment. No new registration or filing test is needed.
If the change could affect the product’s efficacy, efficacy must be re-evaluated. The product name and label may then need to change, according to the NMPA.
Fragrance changes need a safety assessment and proof of national or IFRA compliance
A company that changes a fragrance must carry out a safety assessment of the new fragrance. It must also provide evidence that the fragrance meets the relevant Chinese national standards or the standards of the International Fragrance Association (IFRA).
Any other formula change requires new registration or filing tests and a safety assessment before the change application is submitted.
| Revision | Situation | What the company does |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient lists | Switch to a base ingredient, or reduce the amount | Explain the change and complete a safety assessment; no new registration or filing test |
| Ingredient lists | Change the fragrance | Safety assessment plus proof of compliance with Chinese national or IFRA standards |
| Ingredient lists | Any other formula change | New registration or filing tests and a safety assessment, then apply |
| Microbe and harmful-substance limits | Existing data meet the new limits | Update the product’s standard and keep records on file |
| Microbe and harmful-substance limits | Existing data do not meet the new limits | Adjust production or quality control, retest, then apply |
| Test methods | Results and conclusions unchanged | Update the product’s standard and keep records on file |
| Test methods | Results or conclusions would change | Adjust production or quality control, retest, then apply |
Products tested before the revision need no repeat sunscreen, whitening or hair-loss efficacy tests
For revised limits and test methods, registrants and filers must first carry out a self-assessment of their registered and filed products. Where existing reports already meet the new requirements, they may update the product’s standard themselves and keep the records on file.
Where the revision changes the efficacy test methods for sun protection, spot removal and whitening (祛斑美白) or anti-hair-loss claims, products registered for testing before the revised Standards take effect do not need new efficacy tests under the revised methods.
Test reports issued before the revision can still be used for registration
Part 2 covers products under technical review or about to be submitted. Products whose registration or filing tests began before the revised Standards take effect may use those test reports when they are registered or filed.
For special cosmetics under technical review, registrants may adjust affected ingredients at the supplementary-materials stage. A switch to a non-base ingredient requires new registration tests and a safety assessment.
Scope: transition rules, not the revised lists themselves
- Part 1 covers changes and updates to products that are already registered or filed.
- Part 2 covers products under technical review and products about to be registered or filed.
- Most deadlines in the notice are expressed as “before the revised content of the Standards takes effect” (《规范》修订内容实施前).
- The notice applies to cosmetics including toothpaste.
Not disclosed in the source
- The date on which the revised Standards take effect
- Which ingredients, limits and test methods have changed
- A deadline for completing change applications
- Whether imported cosmetics follow any separate procedure
