Public Consultation on (Draft) Partial Amendment to the "Regulations on Cosmetic Safety Standards, etc." (Public Notice No. 2026-012, January 12, 2026)

South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has launched a public consultation ((Public Notice No. 2026-012, January 12, 2026) to partially amendment its, "Regulations on Cosmetic Safety Standards, etc."

The draft amendment proposes to harmonise the list of raw materials to eliminate any confusion regarding ingredients that cannot be used in cosmetics (Appendix 1) and ingredients that require restrictions on use (Appendix 2), among ingredients which can only be used as hair dye ingredients. The MFDS has also added one UV-blocking ingredient that has been reviewed in accordance with the “Regulations on the Designation and Review of Changes to the Usage Standards of Cosmetic Ingredients”, and the safety management testing methods for distributed cosmetics have been efficiently improved.

Main proposed changes

A. The list of ingredients that cannot be used and ingredients that require restrictions on use, among hair dye ingredients will be harmonised (Table 1 and Table 2)

B. 'Phenylene bis-diphenyltriazine (CAS No: 55514-22-2)', which has been reviewed as a UV-blocking ingredient in accordance with the "Regulations on the Designation and Review of Changes to the Usage Standards of Cosmetic Raw Materials" (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Notice) will be added to the List of ingredients that require restrictions on use (Appendix 2) after Polysilicone-15.

Substance name	Restriction Limit	Conditions	CAS No.	Remarks
Phenylene bis-diphenyltriazine (PBPT) 페닐렌 비스-디페닐트리아진	5%	Not to be used in applications that may lead to exposure of the end user's lungs by inhalation.	55514-22-2	-

Phenylene bis-diphenyltriazine (S86) has been restricted in juridisdictions such as the EU and ASEAN due to concerns about potential impurities (such as N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and hydrazine) classified as carcinogenic/mutagenic, inconclusive data on genotoxic/phototoxic potential, and a lack of inhalation safety data, leading to restrictions to 5% in dermally applied sunscreens, banning it from spray products, and requiring trace impurity levels. 

C. Proposed changes to the dioxane, formaldehyde, and free alkali test methods among the safety management test methods for distributed cosmetics (Appendix 4)

Affected stakeholders have until 6 February to provide your comments via mfdscos@korea.kr

Source link:

Regulations on Cosmetic Safety Standards, etc. (Public Notice No. 2026-012)